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.)

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • Grammar: Past Conditional

    The Past Conditional tense in French expresses the idea that you WOULD HAVE done something, if conditions had been different in the past. In English, it uses either the words “would have” or “‘d” (apostrophe d) + “have.” The past conditional of the English verb “to give” is either “I would have given” or “I’d…

  • achever

    Understanding the French Verb “Achever” The French verb “achever” is a tricky word for English speakers. It looks similar to the English verb “achieve,” but doesn’t mean that. In fact, “achever” is a “false friend,” a word that seems familiar but has a different meaning in French. The Meaning of “Achever” In French, “achever” primarily…

  • être mal barré

    The French saying “être mal barré” means “to get off to a bad start,” “to be heading for failure,” or “to get into big trouble.” Literally it translates as “to be badly steered” or “to be badly guided,” in the nautical sense of steering or guiding. “La barre” is the tiller or the helm of…

  • les chiens aboient et la caravane passe

    The French saying “les chiens aboient et la caravane passe” translates literally as “the dogs bark and the caravan passes.” What it really means is “your insults don’t reach me,” or “I am sure of myself and you cannot prove otherwise.” The saying is originally of Arabic origin. In the Middle East and in North…

  • s’asseoir

    s’asseoir means “to sit down” or “to take a seat.” It is a reflexive verb, so it is used with a reflexive pronoun such as me, te, se, nous, vous, se. The verb has two accepted ways of forming many of its present tense and related forms. Both are standard. One is older in form,…

  • verb: se plaindre

    “Se plaindre” means “to complain,” “to whinge” or “to moan.” Conjugations in Present Tense and Passé Composé: Present tense: Passé composé tense: Etymology: The origin of “se plaindre” can be traced back to Latin, where the root “plangere” meant “to lament” or “to beat one’s chest.” Idiomatic Expressions and Usage: