➖🙋😴

How to Say ‘But you, you look tired.’ in French

Mais vous, vous avez l'air fatigué.

meh voo voo ah-VAY luh ehr fa-tee-gay

[meh voo voo ah-VAY luh ehr fa-tee-gay]

🇫🇷 In France: Saying someone looks tired is normal and caring among French family, not rude. It usually opens the door to advice, so expect some.

Phrase Breakdown

Mais vous,

meh voo

But you,

Stressed 'vous' singles out the person. Say 'may voo', then pause briefly.

Example

Mais vous, vous habitez où ?

But you, where do you live?

Words in this phrase

Mais

[meh]

But

Used to introduce a contrast.

Example

Il est petit mais fort.

He is small but strong.

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

vous avez l'air fatigué.

voo ah-VAY luh ehr fa-tee-gay

you look tired.

Link 'vous avez' with a 'z' sound: 'voo-za-vay lair fa-tee-gay'.

Example

Vous avez l'air triste.

You look sad.

Words in this phrase

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

avez

[ah-VAY]

have

Auxiliary 'avoir' (vous form) used to build the past tense.

Example

Vous avez mangé ?

Have you eaten?

[luh]

the (before a vowel sound)

Elision of “le” before a vowel: l’ + noun. Used constantly with épisode: l’épisode.

Example

L' épisode le plus récent est sorti hier.

The most recent episode came out yesterday.

air

[ehr]

appearance / impression

In avoir l'air, air means appearance or impression, and the whole expression means to seem or look.

Example

Ce hobby a l'air intéressant.

This hobby seems interesting.

fatigué

[fa-tee-gay]

tired

Used to describe a male person who is tired.

Example

Il est fatigué après le sport.

He is tired after sports.

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer