French Phrase
Tu veux laisser un message ?
Meaning
Literally ‘Do you want to leave a message?’, this question is used to ask whether the listener would like to record or write a short note, often in the context of a phone call or a face‑to‑face exchange.
When to use
Use this informal phrase with people you address as ‘tu’—friends, classmates, close colleagues, or anyone you know well. It’s common when answering a phone, at a reception desk, or when you’re about to write a quick note for someone.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tuveuxlaisserunmessage?
Tu (subject pronoun)
Informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
veux (vouloir, present)
The verb vouloir means ‘to want’. In the present tense for ‘tu’, it is conjugated as ‘veux’.
Infinitive after vouloir
When vouloir is followed by another verb, that verb stays in the infinitive (e.g., laisser).
un (indefinite article)
Used before a masculine singular noun; here it introduces ‘message’ without specifying which one.
Message (noun)
A masculine noun meaning ‘message’; can refer to a written note, a voicemail, or a text.
🗨In Conversation
Tu veux laisser un message ?
Do you want to leave a message?
Oui, je veux dire que je serai en retard de dix minutes.
Yes, I want to say that I’ll be ten minutes late.
✕Common Mistakes
Vous veux laisser un message ?
‘Veux’ is only correct with ‘tu’. With ‘vous’ you must say ‘voulez’.
Tu veux laisses un message ?
After ‘vouloir’, the following verb must stay in the infinitive; do not conjugate it.
Tu veux laisser un message ? (when you only mean a voicemail)
If you specifically mean a voicemail, say ‘un message vocal’ to avoid ambiguity.
Tu veux laisserun message ?
Missing the liaison can sound unnatural; pronounce the ‘e’ of ‘laisser’ and link it to the following vowel.
↔Alternatives
Voulez‑vous laisser un message ?
Do you want to leave a message? (formal)
Tu veux laisser un mot ?
Do you want to leave a note?
Tu veux laisser un message vocal ?
Do you want to leave a voice message?
Cultural Tip
In French, the choice between ‘tu’ and ‘vous’ signals the level of familiarity. With strangers, customers, or in a professional setting you should use the formal ‘Voulez‑vous…’. Also, French speakers often prefer the word ‘message vocal’ when referring specifically to a voicemail, whereas ‘message’ alone can be a written note, a text, or a spoken remark.