French Phrase
Tu coupes un peu.
Meaning
Literally, “You cut a little.” It is often used to tell someone to cut a small amount of something—like vegetables, hair, or paper—without being too abrupt.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings when you want to give a gentle instruction to a friend or family member to cut a little bit, for example while cooking together or helping someone with a haircut.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tucoupesunpeu
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal singular second‑person pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
Present tense of ‘couper’
‘coupes’ is the 2nd‑person singular present indicative of the verb ‘couper’ (to cut). Regular -er verb ending –es.
Adverbial phrase ‘un peu’
‘un peu’ means ‘a little’ and is used to soften a command or describe a small amount.
🗨In Conversation
Tu coupes un peu, s’il te plaît.
Please cut a little.
D’accord, je vais faire attention.
Okay, I’ll be careful.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu coupé un peu.
‘coupé’ is the past participle; you need the present form ‘coupes’ for a command.
Tu coupes. Un peu.
Do not place a period after ‘un peu’ when you intend a polite request; keep it as part of the sentence.
Tu coupes un peu ?
Adding a question mark changes the meaning to a question; the original phrase is a statement/soft command.
↔Alternatives
Tu coupes un petit peu.
You cut just a tiny bit.
Coupez un peu, s’il vous plaît.
Please cut a little (formal).
Tu coupes légèrement.
You cut lightly.
Cultural Tip
In French, adding ‘un peu’ after a verb is a polite way to soften a request or command. It shows you’re considerate and not demanding. In a kitchen, you’ll often hear chefs say ‘Coupez un peu’ to apprentices to avoid over‑cutting ingredients.