French · Everyday Verbs
"to tell" in French: raconter
raconter
Note: also: dire
To tell in the sense of recounting is raconter. Je raconte, tu racontes, il raconte. Raconter une histoire means to tell a story. Dire is for saying words; raconter is for narrating.
Bedtime
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How to pronounce raconter
Say it
rah-kohn-TAY
/ʁa.kɔ̃.te/
Raconter is rah-kohn-TAY. The on is nasal. Past participle raconté ends with an open ay.
"to tell" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| raconter | to tell / to recount Stories and events. | Stories and events. |
| raconter une histoire | to tell a story Classic collocation. | Classic collocation. |
| je raconte / tu racontes | I tell / you tell Present. | Present. |
| raconter sa journée | to recount one's day Everyday catch-up. | Everyday catch-up. |
How to use raconter in real life
- 1Bedtime
Tu me racontes une histoire ?
Will you tell me a story?
Racontes conjugation.
- 2After vacation
Raconte-moi ton voyage !
Tell me about your trip!
Imperative raconte.
- 3Gossip caution
Il raconte n'importe quoi.
He talks nonsense / tells rubbish.
Raconter can mean spinning tales.
Mistakes English speakers make with raconter
Incorrect: Je dire mon week-end.
Correct: Je raconte mon week-end.
For narrating events, use raconter.
Incorrect: Elle raconte dit une blague.
Correct: Elle raconte une blague. / Elle dit une blague.
Don't stack both verbs; pick raconter or dire.
Good to know
Raconte ! is a friendly nudge meaning spill / tell me everything. Dire handles the wording; raconter handles the story arc.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up after a weird day
ChatPal
Allez, raconte. Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?
Come on, tell me. What happened?
You
Attends, je te raconte depuis le début.
Wait, I'll tell you from the beginning.
ChatPal
Je t'écoute.
I'm listening.
You
D'abord, le train était en retard…
First, the train was late…
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to tell" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to tell" in French
What is to tell (a story) in French?
Raconter.
How is raconter different from dire?
Dire = say words; raconter = narrate/recount.
How do I say tell me a story?
Raconte-moi une histoire.
What is the je form?
Je raconte.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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