French for Long-Distance Friends: Arranging Video Chats and Saying You Miss Hanging Out
Learn elementary French phrases to stay close to faraway friends: propose a video call, say you miss hanging out, and set a time across time zones.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When a friend moves to another city or country, your friendship continues in a new form: messages, voice notes, and video calls. This lesson gives you the elementary French you need for exactly that situation. You will learn how to suggest a video chat, say that you miss spending time together, and agree on a day and time while politely handling time differences. The focus is on spoken, friendly French you can use with a close friend. Where French uses a different structure from English, for example for 'to miss someone', the lesson shows the real French pattern rather than a word-for-word translation.
By the end, you can…
- suggest a video call with a friend in French.
- say that I miss hanging out with someone.
- agree on a day and a time for a call, including a time difference.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
On se fait un appel vidéo bientôt ?
Shall we do a video call soon?
on suh fet un ah-pel vee-day-oh byan-toh
Friendly, spoken suggestion. The question mark and rising intonation make it a proposal. Use it with a close friend or family member.
Tu me manques.
I miss you.
tew muh mahnk
Literally 'you are missing to me'. The person you miss is the subject: 'tu me manques' (I miss you), 'vous me manquez' (I miss you, formal or plural).
Tu me manques, on passait toujours du temps ensemble.
I miss you, we always used to spend time together.
tew muh mahnk, on pah-say too-zhoor dew tahn ahn-sahnbl
Adds a concrete memory. 'Passer du temps ensemble' means to spend time together, the everyday equivalent of 'hanging out'.
Ça te dit de faire un appel samedi ?
Do you feel like doing a call on Saturday?
sah tuh dee duh fair un ah-pel sahm-dee
'Ça te dit de...' is a very common informal way to suggest an activity. Use 'Ça vous dit de...' with a formal or plural 'you'.
Il y a six heures de décalage, donc chez toi c'est quelle heure ?
There's a six-hour time difference, so what time is it where you are?
eel ya seez ur duh day-kah-lahzh, donk shay twah say kel ur
'Décalage horaire' is the standard term for time difference. 'Chez toi' means at your place or where you are.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To suggest an activity in friendly French, use 'Ça te dit de + infinitive?' or 'On + verb?' For example: 'Ça te dit de faire un appel vidéo ?' (Do you feel like doing a video call?) and 'On se fait un appel vidéo ?' (Shall we do a video call?). Both are informal and expect a yes-or-no answer. For a time, add 'samedi', 'ce soir', or 'vers 20 heures' (around 8 p.m.). To accept, say 'Oui, avec plaisir !' or 'Bonne idée !' To refuse gently, say 'Pas ce week-end, mais la semaine prochaine, oui.'
When to use it
Use these phrases with friends, close colleagues, or family, not in formal written French. 'Tu me manques' works for one person you address informally; for several people or a formal 'you', use 'Vous me manquez.' If you want to say you miss an activity rather than a person, French uses a different structure: 'Ça me manque de passer du temps avec toi' (I miss spending time with you). When scheduling, mention the time difference clearly: 'Il y a six heures de décalage.' Then confirm: 'Donc 20 heures chez moi, c'est 14 heures chez toi ?'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Salut ! Ça te dit de faire un appel vidéo bientôt ?
Hi! Do you feel like doing a video call soon?sah-lew, sah tuh dee duh fair un ah-pel vee-day-oh byan-tohOui, bonne idée ! Tu me manques.
Yes, good idea! I miss you.wee, bon ee-day, tew muh mahnkMoi aussi. Samedi vers 20 heures, ça te va ?
Me too. Saturday around 8 p.m., does that work for you?mwah oh-see, sahm-dee vair vahn-tur, sah tuh vahAttends, il y a six heures de décalage. Chez moi, c'est 14 heures.
Wait, there's a six-hour time difference. Where I am, it's 2 p.m.ah-tahn, eel ya seez ur duh day-kah-lahzh, shay mwah say kah-torz urA little context goes a long way
French friends often use 'tu' and informal phrasing for calls and messages, while 'vous' remains standard with older acquaintances or in professional settings. In France, '20 heures' is common for evening times, while in Quebec you will often hear '8 heures du soir'. Written messages frequently drop 'ne' in negation ('c'est pas grave'), but keep it in careful speech.
One thing to watch for
Je te manque.
Try this instead: This means 'you miss me', not 'I miss you'. The correct form is 'Tu me manques.' The person who is missed is the grammatical subject: 'Tu me manques' (I miss you), 'Vous me manquez' (I miss you, formal or plural), 'Il me manque' (I miss him).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I miss you' to a close friend in French?
Show a sample answer
Tu me manques.
This is the standard informal form. For a formal or plural 'you', use 'Vous me manquez.'
2Suggest a video call on Sunday using an informal question.
Show a sample answer
Ça te dit de faire un appel vidéo dimanche ?
'Ça te dit de + infinitive' is a natural informal suggestion. 'On se fait un appel vidéo dimanche ?' is also correct.
3Say there is a seven-hour time difference and ask what time it is where your friend is.
Show a sample answer
Il y a sept heures de décalage. Chez toi, c'est quelle heure ?
'Décalage horaire' means time difference, and 'Chez toi, c'est quelle heure ?' asks the local time. 'Quelle heure est-il chez toi ?' is a valid alternative.
Use 'Ça te dit de...' to propose a call, 'Tu me manques' to say you miss someone, and always confirm the 'décalage horaire' before agreeing on a time.
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