Parle-m'en

Question

In english (maybe just NZ?) we use the expression "tell me about it" as a sort of ironic way of saying that you share not-so-good experiences with someone. eg. Speaker 1 - it was so hot last night, I couldn't sleep. Speaker 2 - tell me about it (meaning I had the same experience). Is Parle-m'en used the same way?

Céline Pickard · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Lynda,
That's a very interesting question!
As Chris replied, "Parle-m'en !" is used to express genuine interest and ask someone to provide more information about a topic.
However, to express the same ironic sentiment as the English "tell me about it" French speakers might use phrases such as:
À qui le dis-tu ! = Tell me about it!/No kidding!
Je ne te le fais pas dire ! = Tell me about it!/You don't need to tell me that twice!
(Ne) M'en parle pas ! = Tell me about it!/Don't even talk to me about it!
 
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Chris Wirt · Answer

No, in French parle-m'en is a sincere request for information.