French Phrase
Tiens, ma carte.
Meaning
Literally ‘Here, my card.’ It is what you say when you hand your card to someone, whether it’s a business card, a credit card, or a map. The phrase is informal but perfectly acceptable in most everyday situations.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are physically giving a card to another person – for example at a café when paying, at a networking event when exchanging business cards, or when handing a map to a tourist. It works in both casual and semi‑formal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tiens,macarte.
Tiens (imperative)
‘Tiens’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *tenir* (‘to hold’). It is commonly used like ‘here you go’ when handing something over.
Possessive adjective
‘ma’ is the feminine singular form of the possessive adjective meaning ‘my’. It must agree with the gender of the noun that follows.
Carte (feminine noun)
‘carte’ is a feminine noun meaning ‘card’ (e.g., credit card, business card, map). The article and adjective must be feminine: *ma carte*.
Punctuation as spoken cue
The comma after *Tiens* signals a short pause, similar to a brief breath before presenting the object.
🗨In Conversation
Tiens, ma carte.
Here, my card.
Merci, je la garde pour le paiement.
Thanks, I’ll keep it for the payment.
✕Common Mistakes
Tiens, mon carte.
‘Carte’ is feminine, so the possessive must be *ma*, not *mon*.
Tiens ma carte
Missing the pause/comma makes the phrase sound rushed; the brief pause after *Tiens* is natural in spoken French.
Tiens, ma carte ?
A question mark changes the meaning to ‘Do you have my card?’ – use a period for a simple hand‑over.
↔Alternatives
Voici ma carte.
Here is my card.
Je te donne ma carte.
I’m giving you my card.
Prends ma carte.
Take my card.
Cultural Tip
In French, *Tiens* (or *Voilà*) is the go‑to word when you hand something over. It conveys a friendly, slightly informal tone. In a very formal business setting you might prefer *Veuillez prendre ma carte* or simply *Voici ma carte* to sound more polished.