tell you what

idiom
UK: /ˌtel.juː ˈwɒt/
US: /ˌtel.juː ˈwɑːt/

  1. Used to introduce a suggestion or offer.

    1. Tell you what, I'll help you clean up. [ ] [ ]
    2. Tell you what, if you drive, I'll pay for the gas. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to express surprise, disagreement, or emphasis.

    1. Tell you what, that was a difficult test! [ ] [ ]
    2. Tell you what, I don't think that's a good idea. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used as a filler phrase while thinking or deciding what to say.

    1. Tell you what, let me think about it and I'll get back to you. [ ] [ ]
    2. Tell you what, that's a tough question to answer right now. [ ] [ ]
tell you what interjection

  1. A phrase used to gain someone's attention or signal a change in topic.

    1. Tell you what, listen to this! [ ] [ ]
    2. Tell you what, something crazy happened on my way here, you won't believe it. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tell you what" in English means: Used to introduce a suggestion or offer., Used to express surprise, disagreement, or emphasis., Used as a filler phrase while thinking or deciding what to say..

The phonetic transcription of "tell you what" is /ˌtel.juː ˈwɒt/ in British English and /ˌtel.juː ˈwɑːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "tell you what": "Tell you what, I'll help you clean up.". More examples on the page.