French Phrase
Je veux laisser un pourboire.
Meaning
Literally ‘I want to leave a tip.’ The speaker is expressing a desire to give extra money to a server, driver, or any service provider as a sign of appreciation.
When to use
Use this sentence in restaurants, cafés, taxis, or any situation where you intend to add a small amount of money for good service. It’s a polite way to announce your intention before actually handing over the tip.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jeveuxlaisserunpourboire.
Subject pronoun (Je)
The first‑person singular pronoun used before a verb.
Verb vouloir (veux)
Present‑tense form of vouloir ‘to want’; followed by an infinitive.
Infinitive after vouloir (laisser)
When vouloir is conjugated, the next verb stays in the infinitive.
Indefinite article (un)
Used before a masculine singular noun to mean ‘a’ or ‘one’.
Noun pourboire
Means ‘tip’ (the extra money you give for good service).
🗨In Conversation
Je veux laisser un pourboire.
I want to leave a tip.
C’est très généreux, merci !
That’s very generous, thank you!
✕Common Mistakes
Je veux donner un pourboire.
‘Donner un pourboire’ is correct but less idiomatic in the context of ‘want to’. Use ‘laisser’ after vouloir.
Je veux que laisser un pourboire.
After ‘vouloir’, the second verb stays infinitive; do not insert ‘que’.
↔Alternatives
Je voudrais laisser un pourboire.
I would like to leave a tip.
Je vais donner un pourboire.
I’m going to give a tip.
Je compte laisser un petit pourboire.
I plan to leave a small tip.
Cultural Tip
In France a service charge is usually included in the bill, so tipping isn’t mandatory. However, leaving a small extra amount (5‑10 % or rounding up) is seen as a friendly gesture, especially in cafés or for taxi drivers. Using “laisser un pourboire” sounds natural; “donner un pourboire” is also correct but a bit more formal. Avoid large tips unless the service was exceptional.