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How to Say ‘I wanted to tell you’ in French

Je tenais à vous dire

zhuh tuh-NEH ah voo deer

[zhuh tuh-NEH ah voo deer]

💬 Usage Tip: Tenir à plus an action means you really wanted to do it, more than a plain "I wanted". Try Je tenais à vous remercier "I wanted to thank you".

Phrase Breakdown

Je tenais

zhuh tuh-NEH

I was keen / I wanted

Imperfect of 'tenir'. 'Tenir à' means to really want to do something. '-ais' sounds like 'è'.

Example

Je tenais à venir.

I really wanted to come.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

tenais

[tuh-NEH]

was keen (to)

Imperfect of 'tenir'; with 'à' it means to really want to do something.

Example

Je tenais à te remercier.

I wanted to thank you.

à vous dire

ah voo deer

to tell you

'À' links 'tenir' to the verb. 'Dire' means to say or tell. The final 'e' is barely pronounced.

Example

J'ai quelque chose à vous dire.

I have something to tell you.

Words in this phrase

[ah]

Used with infinitive verbs to indicate purpose.

Example

Elle commence à chanter.

She begins to sing.

vous

[voo]

to you

Indirect object pronoun: the person receiving something.

Example

Je vous donne la monnaie.

I give you the change.

dire

[deer]

to say

To express in words.

Example

Il va dire la vérité.

He is going to say the truth.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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