French Phrase
Tu les envies ?
Meaning
Literally, “Do you envy them?” It asks whether the listener feels envy toward a group of people or things previously mentioned. The tone can be playful, teasing, or even slightly confrontational, depending on context.
When to use
Use this question when you suspect someone wishes they had what another person or group possesses – for example, a new car, a job, or a talent. It’s informal, so keep it to friends, peers, or anyone you address with ‘tu’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tulesenvies?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
The informal singular 'you' used for familiar conversation.
Direct object pronoun (les)
‘les’ replaces a plural noun that is the object of the verb.
Verb conjugation (envies)
‘envier’ is a regular -er verb; in the present tense, the 2nd‑person singular ends in -es.
Word order
In French, object pronouns come directly before the conjugated verb.
🗨In Conversation
Tu les envies ?
Do you envy them?
Non, je les admire plutôt.
No, I rather admire them.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu en envies ?
‘En’ replaces a noun introduced by ‘de’; with ‘envier’ you need the direct object pronoun ‘les’.
Tu les envie ?
‘Envie’ is a noun meaning ‘desire’; the verb form is ‘envies’ for ‘tu’.
Tu les envies ? (with a plural verb form ‘envient’)
Do not add an extra ‘s’ to the pronoun; ‘les’ stays unchanged.
↔Alternatives
Tu les jalouses ?
Are you jealous of them?
Tu les désires ?
Do you desire them?
Tu les envies bien ?
You really envy them, huh?
Cultural Tip
In French, ‘envier’ is usually used for intangible qualities (success, beauty, luck) rather than concrete objects. When you want to ask if someone wants something, you’d say ‘Tu en as envie ?’ or ‘Tu le veux ?’. Using ‘les’ with ‘envier’ signals that you’re talking about people or groups you wish you could be like.