French Phrase
Regarde la personne dans les yeux et éloigne-toi.
Meaning
‘Look the person in the eyes and step away.’ It is a strong, yet polite command that tells someone to meet another’s gaze before creating physical distance, often used in a confrontational or assertive situation.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to advise someone to face another person directly, show confidence, and then keep a safe or respectful distance – for example, during a heated discussion, a negotiation, or when teaching body‑language etiquette.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Regardelapersonnedanslesyeuxetéloigne-toi
Imperative (2nd pers. sing.)
‘Regarde’ and ‘éloigne‑toi’ are both in the affirmative imperative for ‘tu’. No subject pronoun is used.
Direct object
‘la personne’ is the direct object of ‘regarde’; it stays before the prepositional phrase.
Prepositional phrase
‘dans les yeux’ = ‘in the eyes’; ‘dans’ + definite article + noun.
Reflexive imperative
With reflexive verbs the pronoun follows the verb, linked by a hyphen: ‘éloigne‑toi’ (step away).
Hyphenation
In the imperative, pronouns are attached with hyphens (e.g., ‘‑toi’, ‘‑nous’, ‘‑vous’).
🗨In Conversation
Regarde la personne dans les yeux et éloigne-toi.
Look the person in the eyes and step away.
D'accord, je le ferai.
Okay, I’ll do that.
✕Common Mistakes
Regarde les yeux et éloigne-toi.
You need to specify who you’re looking at; ‘Regarde les yeux’ sounds like ‘look the eyes’ without a person.
Regarde la personne dans les yeux et éloigne vous.
The imperative for ‘you (singular)’ uses the reflexive pronoun ‘toi’, not ‘vous’.
Regarde la personne dans les yeux et éloigne toi.
Never drop the hyphen; it’s required in the imperative reflexive form.
↔Alternatives
Regarde la personne dans les yeux, puis recule.
Look the person in the eyes, then move back.
Fixe le regard et prends tes distances.
Fix your gaze and keep your distance.
Regarde‑le droit dans les yeux et éloigne‑toi.
Look him straight in the eyes and step away.
Cultural Tip
In French culture, steady eye contact signals confidence and honesty, but it should not be aggressive. Pairing it with ‘éloigne‑toi’ shows you respect personal space after asserting yourself – a balance that French speakers appreciate in both professional and personal interactions.