# I tell you

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/i-tell-you
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of I can tell you.

## Examples

- It is a great movie, I tell you.
- The traffic was terrible this morning, I tell you, and I was late for my meeting.
- The situation in the city has become quite dangerous, I tell you, and the authorities seem unable to manage the rising tensions.

## Origin

From Etymology 1, or a calque of the Hokkien phrase 我共汝講 (oá kā lí kóng), signifying a request for the listener to attend to the forthcoming statement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.