French Phrase
Dis‑moi juste ce que je dois faire.
Meaning
‘Just tell me what I have to do.’ The speaker is asking for a clear, concise set of instructions or next steps, without extra detail.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need a quick rundown of tasks, especially in informal or semi‑formal settings such as a workplace, a classroom, or when helping a friend with a problem.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dis-moijustecequejedoisfaire.
Imperative of dire
‘Dis’ is the second‑person singular (tu) imperative of the verb ‘dire’ (to say/tell).
Object pronoun ‘moi’
In the affirmative imperative, the object pronoun follows the verb and is attached with a hyphen.
Adverb ‘juste’
‘Juste’ means ‘only’ or ‘simply’; it modifies the whole clause, stressing minimal information.
Relative pronoun ‘ce que’
‘Ce que’ introduces a subordinate clause meaning ‘what/that which’. It replaces the direct object of the subordinate verb.
Modal verb ‘devoir’
‘Dois’ is the present‑tense, first‑person singular of ‘devoir’ (must, have to).
Infinitive ‘faire’
The infinitive follows ‘devoir’ to express the action that must be performed.
🗨In Conversation
Dis‑moi juste ce que je dois faire.
Just tell me what I have to do.
Tu dois remplir le formulaire, le signer et l’envoyer par courriel avant vendredi.
You have to fill out the form, sign it, and email it before Friday.
✕Common Mistakes
Dis‑vous juste ce que je dois faire.
‘Dis‑vous’ mixes the singular imperative ‘dis’ with the plural pronoun ‘vous’; the correct form is ‘Dites‑moi’.
Dis‑moi ce que je dois faire juste.
Learners often place ‘juste’ after the verb phrase, but it should precede the clause it modifies.
Dis‑moi juste ce que je faire.
After ‘devoir’, the infinitive must stay in its base form; you cannot drop the auxiliary ‘dois’.
↔Alternatives
Dis‑moi simplement ce que je dois faire.
Simply tell me what I have to do.
Dites‑moi ce que je dois faire.
Tell me what I have to do. (formal/plural)
Dites‑moi simplement ce qu’il faut faire.
Simply tell me what needs to be done.
Cultural Tip
In French the choice between ‘tu’ and ‘vous’ is crucial. ‘Dis‑moi’ uses the informal ‘tu’; in a professional or unknown‑person context you should switch to the formal ‘Dites‑moi’. Also, ‘juste’ can sound a bit casual; for a more polished tone, replace it with ‘simplement’ or omit it altogether.