French Phrase
Préviens ta famille que tu viens.
Meaning
A direct command telling someone to let their family know that they are on their way. It conveys a sense of responsibility to keep relatives informed, especially before a visit or arrival.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want a friend, sibling, or partner to inform their family that they are coming, for example before a dinner, a surprise visit, or when you’re heading to a family gathering.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Prévienstafamillequetuviens
Imperative (2nd pers. sing.)
‘Préviens’ is the informal singular imperative of the verb ‘prévenir’ (to inform).
Possessive adjective
‘ta’ agrees with the feminine singular noun ‘famille’.
Conjunction ‘que’
Introduces a subordinate clause that explains what to inform.
Present indicative of ‘venir’
‘tu viens’ means ‘you are coming/you come’ and is used here to state the fact to be communicated.
🗨In Conversation
Je vais arriver dans dix minutes.
I'll arrive in ten minutes.
Préviens ta famille que tu viens.
Tell your family that you're coming.
✕Common Mistakes
Prévenez ta famille que tu viens.
‘Prévenez’ is the formal/plural imperative; use ‘Préviens’ when speaking informally to one person.
Préviens ton famille que tu viens.
‘Famille’ is feminine, so the correct possessive is ‘ta’, not ‘ton’.
Préviens ta famille que vous venez.
If you keep the informal singular imperative, the subordinate clause should stay singular: ‘que tu viens’. Use ‘que vous venez’ only with the formal/plural imperative.
↔Alternatives
Dis à ta famille que tu arrives.
Tell your family that you're arriving.
Informe ta famille que tu viens.
Inform your family that you're coming.
Fais savoir à ta famille que tu viens.
Make your family know that you're coming.
Cultural Tip
In French the informal imperative ‘Préviens’ is used with friends or family; in a formal or plural context you would say ‘Prévenez’. Also, ‘prévenir’ can mean ‘to warn’, so be sure the context is about giving information, not issuing a warning.