This is one of the most common mistakes in French. To talk about something that you miss, the word order is inverted. The thing or the person is missing to you!
I miss spring in Vermont
Le printemps au Vermont me manque
I miss you
Tu me manques
I miss Montreal
Montréal me manque
Do you miss me?
Est-ce que je te manque?
Do you miss her?
Est-ce qu’elle te manque?
Do you miss running?
Est-ce que la course te manque?
S’ennuyer de quelque chose
Je m’ennuie de Montréal
In Quebec French, there is a more common expression that uses a different word order, more like English, but with the verb s’ennuyer de – literally: being bored of something.
Je m’ennuie de + QUELQUE CHOSE
Je m’ennuie du printemps au Vermont
Literally, this would mean, “I am bored from the spring in Vermont” but the meaning is completely different. The presence of the preposition de changes the meaning to: “I miss spring in Vermont.”
Our previous examples, in Quebec French, would translate to:
I miss you
Je m’ennuie de toi
I miss Montreal
Je m’ennuie de Montréal
Do you miss me?
Est-ce que tu t’ennuies de moi
Do you miss her?
Est-ce que tu t’ennuies d’elle?
This expression is French but is less common in France
In Quebec, it’s the most common way to say I miss
Other uses
Finally, to miss can also mean lack something.
I’m missing a screw to finish this Ikea desk
Here, we would say:
Il me manque une vis pour terminer ce bureau Ikea
Or, you can miss the bus. Which is translated to:
J’ai raté l’autobus
J’ai manqué l’autobus
Exercise
Translate the following, in standard French, and in Quebec French.
Do you miss Spain?
Standard French:
Quebec French:
I don’t miss Spain too much.
Standard French:
Quebec French:
They miss Montreal.
Standard French:
Quebec French:I will miss my friends.
Standard French:
Quebec French:Will you miss me?
Standard French:
Quebec French:
Answers
Do you miss Spain?
Standard French: Est-ce que l’Espagne te manque?
Quebec French: Est-ce que tu t’ennuies de l’Espagne?
I don’t miss Spain too much.
Standard French: L'Espagne (ne) me manque pas trop.
Quebec French: Je (ne) m'ennuie pas trop de l'Espagne.
They miss Montreal.
Standard French: Montreal leur manque.
Quebec French: Ils s'ennuient de Montréal.I will miss my friends.
Standard French: Mes amis vont me manquer.
Quebec French: Je vais m’ennuyer de mes amis.Will you miss me?
Standard French: (Est-ce que) Je vais te manquer?
Quebec French: (Est-ce que) Tu vas t’ennuyer de moi?