Using manquer (à) to say you miss someone or something emotionally in French

The verb manquer is often very troublesome for English speakers of French because its structure is reversed when it applies to emotions compared to events.

How to use the verb manquer in French

Look at these sentences with the verb manquer in an emotional sense:

Mon ancienne école me manque.I miss my old school.

Jean lui manque.She/he misses Jean

Il manque à ma soeur.My sister misses him.

Je manque à Thomas.Thomas misses me.

When using manquer in the emotional sense, you must reverse the structure so it is the person or thing that is lacking to you:

Tu manques à Lise.Lise misses you.
-> It's not Lise misses you. anymore, but literally You are lacking to Lise.
Elle me manque.I miss her.
-> It's not I miss her, but literally She is lacking to me.
Je lui manque.He misses me.
-> It's not He misses me, but literally I am lacking to him.

Now the 'missed' person or thing become the one doing the action of 'lacking'.

Introducing the person who is missing someone, who is "lacking" someone

You either use manquer à + [noun]:
Nous manquons à Patricia.Patricia misses us.

Léo manque à ma sœur.My sister misses Léo.

or indirect pronouns me/te/lui/nous/vous/leur before manquer :
Hélène leur manque.They miss Hélène.

Mon chien me manque.I miss my dog.

You cannot use manquer à + indirect pronoun:
Je manque à lui  -> Je lui manque.

 

It is different when talking about missing an event or a train, or lacking something in a pragmatic way.
See Using manquer (de) to say you/something miss or lack in French


As for using indirect pronouns, see Me/te/nous/vous = Me/you/us/you (French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns) and Using lui/leur = him or her/them (French Indirect Object Pronouns)

 

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Examples and resources

Il manque à ma soeur.My sister misses him.
Ma mère me manque.I miss my mum
Elle me manque.I miss her.
Nous manquons à Patricia.Patricia misses us.
Léo manque à ma sœur.My sister misses Léo.
Hélène leur manque.They miss Hélène.
Mon chien me manque.I miss my dog.
Je manque à Thomas.Thomas misses me.
Mon ancienne école me manque.I miss my old school.
Jean lui manque.She/he misses Jean
Je lui manque.He misses me.
Tu manques à Lise.Lise misses you.
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