French Phrase
Tu peux jeter un œil à ce document ?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Can you throw an eye at this document?’ It’s a friendly way to ask someone to look at or review a document quickly. The phrase carries a light, informal tone.
When to use
Use this sentence in informal settings—between colleagues you know well, classmates, or friends—when you need a quick check or a brief review of a file, email, or paper.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tupeuxjeterunœilàcedocument?
Peux (pouvoir)
‘Peux’ is the second‑person singular present of the modal verb ‘pouvoir’, used to express ability or permission.
Jeter un œil
An idiomatic expression meaning ‘to take a quick look’. It is informal and often used in spoken French.
Tu vs Vous
‘Tu’ is the informal ‘you’. Use it with friends, peers, or when a casual tone is appropriate; otherwise switch to ‘vous’.
À + demonstrative
‘À ce document’ uses the preposition ‘à’ to indicate the object of the glance, followed by the demonstrative ‘ce’ (this/that).
🗨In Conversation
Tu peux jeter un œil à ce document ?
Can you take a look at this document?
Oui, je le regarde tout de suite.
Sure, I’ll look at it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu peux voir ce document ?
‘Voir’ means ‘to see’ and sounds too direct for a polite request; use the idiom ‘jeter un œil’ or ‘regarder’ instead.
Tu peux jeter un œil sur ce document ?
The preposition after ‘œil’ is ‘à’, not ‘sur’. ‘Jeter un œil sur’ is a common error.
Peux tu jeter un œil à ce document ?
When using ‘tu’, the verb and pronoun are inverted in formal written French: ‘Peux‑tu…’. In spoken French the hyphen is optional, but the inversion is required in formal writing.
↔Alternatives
Peux‑tu regarder ce document ?
Can you look at this document?
Tu pourrais jeter un œil à ce document ?
Could you take a look at this document?
Est‑ce que tu peux vérifier ce document ?
Could you check this document?
Donne‑moi un coup d’œil sur ce document.
Give me a quick glance at this document.
Cultural Tip
In French, the level of formality is crucial. ‘Jeter un œil’ is casual; if you’re speaking to a senior colleague or someone you don’t know well, switch to the more formal ‘Vous pouvez jeter un œil à ce document ?’ or use ‘regarder’ instead of the idiom. Also, French speakers often soften requests with ‘s’il te plaît’ or ‘est‑ce que’ for extra politeness.