Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| rentrer | /ʁɑ̃.tʁe/ |
| regagner ses pénates | /ʁə.ɡa.ɲe se pe.nat/ /ʁə.ɡɑ.ɲe se pe.nat/ |
The verb rentrer is used to express the concept of returning to one's house. It is an intransitive verb that inherently implies returning to a place one has come from. While you might say aller à la maison to literally mean to go to the house, using rentrer is the much more natural and common way to express the idea of going home. It is also common to add chez moi after rentrer to specify that you are going to your own home, as in rentrer chez moi.
Which one should you use?
The common way to express going home is rentrer, whereas the highly literary idiom regagner ses pénates is used to express the concept of returning to one's abode.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
regagner ses pénates is a highly literary and formal idiom. Additionally, Rentre chez toi is an informal way to say go home.
How does it change in a sentence?
rentrer is an intransitive verb that inherently implies returning to a place one has come from, often used for one's home.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ʁɑ̃.tʁe/ and has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The idiom regagner ses pénates refers to the Penates, the ancient Roman household gods who protected the home and pantry.
- The verb regagner in regagner ses pénates literally means 'to win back' or 'to gain again', suggesting that returning home is a retrieval of one's own space.
- In French, the word rentrer is also used to describe the act of bringing something back inside, such as rentrer le linge to bring in the laundry.
Examples in context
- On m'a dit de rentrer.I was told to go home.This sentence shows the use of rentrer.Tatoeba #8031249 by Aiji, translation #3199931 by CK
- Tu es libre de rentrer.You are free to go home.Tatoeba #4025161 by mouche, translation #16031 by CK
- Je dois rentrer chez moi.I have to go home.Tatoeba #6676 by TRANG, translation #256788 by CK
- Si vous le souhaitez, vous pouvez rentrer chez vous plus tôt ce soir.If you wish, you can go home earlier tonight.
- Je vous autorise à retourner à la maison maintenant.I authorize you to go home now.
- Ça fait longtemps qu'on n'a pas parlé, rentre chez toi.We haven't talked in a while, go home.
- C'est l'heure de revenir à la maison.It's time to go back home.
- Il est tard, tu devrais aller à la maison maintenant.It's late, you should go home now.
- 153 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are finishing a coffee at a cafe.
- GabrielJe suis fatigué, je vais rentrer.I am tired, I am going to go home.
- ManonTu rentres tout de suite, Gabriel ?Are you going home right now, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, je veux me coucher.Yes, I want to go to bed.
- ManonD'accord, rentre bien !Okay, get home safely!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go home” translations and entries rentrer, regagner ses pénates, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pénates, regagner, rentrer, ses, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
