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French Phrase

Merci ! Je le dirai au chef.

/mɛʁ.si ʒə lə di.ʁe o ʃɛf/
Meaning"Thank you! I will tell the chef."
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Meaning

You’re thanking someone and telling them that you’ll pass the information on to the chef. The future tense shows you’ll do it later, not right this instant.

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When to use

Use this sentence in a restaurant, hotel, or any service setting when a guest wants to thank staff and assure them that a request or comment will be relayed to the head chef.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Merci!Jelediraiauchef.

1

Merci

A simple, polite way to say “thank you” in French; works in both formal and informal contexts.

2

Future simple (dirai)

The verb *dire* conjugated in the future simple (je dirai) expresses a promise or intention that will happen later.

3

Direct object pronoun *le*

*Le* replaces a masculine singular noun already mentioned (e.g., “the request”, “the message”).

4

Preposition contraction *au*

*Au* = *à le*; it introduces the person who will receive the information (the chef).

🗨In Conversation

A

Merci ! Je le dirai au chef.

Thank you! I’ll tell the chef.

De rien, c’est très aimable de votre part.

You’re welcome, that’s very kind of you.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Je le dis au chef.

    Uses present tense; the future *dirai* is needed to express a promise to act later.

  • Je le dirais au chef.

    Conditional *dirais* changes the meaning to “I would tell”, not a definite future action.

  • Je le dirai au le chef.

    The article *le* is already contracted into *au*; saying *au le chef* is redundant.

  • Merci je le dirai chef.

    Missing the preposition *au* before *chef*; it’s required to indicate direction.

↔Alternatives

  • Merci, je le transmettrai au chef.

    Thank you, I’ll forward it to the chef.

  • Merci ! Je le dirai au responsable.

    Thank you! I’ll tell the manager.

  • Merci, je le passerai au chef.

    Thanks, I’ll pass it to the chef.

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Cultural Tip

In French hospitality, it’s common to address the kitchen staff as *le chef* even if they are not the owner. When speaking to waitstaff, keep a polite tone and use *vous* if you’re not on familiar terms. The future simple (*je dirai*) sounds more courteous than the present (*je dis*), which can feel abrupt.