# What does "I tell you what" mean to you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 15, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710 "2011-01-15T12:10:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710/21 "2011-01-16T06:08:25Z")

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New York/New England here. I’ve always heard the phrase used to mean “here’s my offer”. It usually carries the connotation of “I don’t really have to negotiate but I’ll make this offer just to settle things quickly or to make it sporting”.

eta: I’ll amend this to say that I have heard it used like seanchai described above: somebody saying “I tell you what I think…” or “I tell you what I’d do…” When used like that its meaning is literal - the speaker is now going to tell you what he thinks or would do.

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710/22 "2011-01-16T06:13:37Z")

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Canada - Newfoundland and Southern Ontario.

‘Here’s my proposition’ - or, more accurately, ‘here’s a compromise’.

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**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710/23 "2011-01-16T10:45:58Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Other end of England, and it means the same to me too. Often preceding a proposition that involves compromise, or maybe is (hoped by the speaker to be) a novel and satisfactory solution to something that is already in negotiation.

NZ/Australia here and this is the meaning I give “I’ll tell you what…” as well.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710/24 "2011-01-16T19:41:40Z")

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Preceding a statement, [I’ll] **tell you what** – with “I’ll” understood but NOT spoken – means “here’s my proposition.”

Following a statement, **I** [_NOT_ I’ll]] **tell you what** means “indeed.”

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-tell-you-what-mean-to-you/567710/25 "2011-01-16T23:23:33Z")

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> [@Slithy\_Tove](#):
>
> What does “I tell you what?” convey in your native dialect?

You are about to offer a compromise or other concession.

“Sorry, we can’t go to McDonalds right now, but I’ll tell you what: if you do all your chores and behave in church, we’ll go on Sunday.”

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