revenir

The French verb “revenir” has several meanings and uses. It basically means “to come back,” since it is based on the verb “venir,” meaning “to come.” Here are some of the primary meanings:

  1. To Come Back / To Return:
    • This is the most common meaning. It indicates returning to a place where one was previously.
      • Example: “Il revient demain.” (He is coming back tomorrow.)
  2. To Return to a Previous State or Condition:
    • It can be used metaphorically to refer to returning to a previous state, condition, or topic.
      • Example: “Elle revient à ses anciennes habitudes.” (She is returning to her old habits.)
  3. To Bring Back / To Recall:
    • In certain contexts, “revenir” can imply recalling or bringing something back to mind.
      • Example: “Cette chanson me revient.” (This song brings back memories to me.)
  4. To Come Down to / To Boil Down to:
    • Used in an idiomatic sense to indicate the essence or main point of something.
      • Example: “Cela revient au même.” (It amounts to the same thing.)
  5. To Come Back (in terms of cost or result):
    • Refers to the final cost or result of something after calculations or considerations.
      • Example: “Cela revient à vingt euros.” (It comes to twenty euros.)

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