prendre place
/pʁɑ̃.dʁə plas/
To say have a seat in French, use prendre place. If unsure, use prendre place. Wiktionary also lists s'asseoir.
Meaning: to sit down (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| prendre place | /pʁɑ̃.dʁə plas/ |
| s'asseoir |
prendre place means to take a seat. Prenez place is a common way to invite an audience or a group to sit down in a formal setting.
What does it mean word for word?
prendre means to take and place means seat or place, so the phrase literally means to take place.
Which one should you use?
s'asseoir is the standard everyday verb for the physical act of sitting down, while prendre place sounds more like a polite invitation. Installez-vous, je vous prie. means settle yourself, please and invites someone to make themselves comfortable.
How does it change in a sentence?
To tell someone to have a seat politely, use the imperative asseyez-vous. The verb s'asseoir is pronominal, so it literally means to sit oneself.
How do you pronounce it?
prendre starts with a nasal vowel and the final e of place is silent.
Did you know?
- The word prendre shares a root with the English word 'comprehend', as both stem from the Latin 'prehendere' meaning to seize or grasp.
- The verb s'asseoir is one of the few remaining verbs in French that can be conjugated in two different ways, creating two distinct sets of forms for the same word.
- While prendre place is a polite invitation, using it in a casual setting like a living room can sound overly theatrical or stiff to native speakers.
Examples in context
- Bonjour! Comment ça va? Assieds-toi, s'il te plaît.Hello! How are you? Have a seat, please.
- Veuillez prendre place dans le salon.Please take a seat in the living room.
- Il est temps de prendre place.It is time to be seated.
- Vous pouvez prendre place ici.You can have a seat here.
Example conversation
A doctor's office where a patient is waiting.
- LéaBonjour Gabriel, veuillez prendre place.Hello Gabriel, please have a seat.
- GabrielMerci beaucoup, Docteur.Thank you very much, Doctor.
- LéaEst-ce que vous allez bien ?Are you doing well?
- GabrielOui, mais j'ai un peu mal au dos.Yes, but my back hurts a little.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “have a seat” translations and entries prendre place, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries place, prendre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
