rentrer
/ʁɑ̃.tʁe/
The French verb rentrer means to return or to put back.
rentrer is used to mean returning to a place where you belong, such as your home or country. It can also be used transitively to mean putting something back inside or bringing something back in, such as putting a car back into a garage.
Which one should you use?
While entrer means to enter a space, rentrer specifically implies returning to a place one belongs to.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using rentrer intransitively to mean 'to return home', you must use the auxiliary être instead of avoir in compound tenses, such as in être rentré.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʁɑ̃.tʁe/. It consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The phrase rentrer ses griffes literally means 'to bring back one's claws' but is used idiomatically to mean stopping an aggressive behavior.
- The phrase rentrer dans le moule describes someone who conforms to social expectations, literally meaning 'to fit into the mold'.
- The verb rentrer is used to describe the action of pulling in one's stomach, rentrer le ventre, which is a common phrase for improving posture or looking thinner.
Examples in context
- Je vais rentrer chez moiI'm going home.
- Elle va rentrer tôt de son voyageShe will return early from her trip.
- Tu rentres chez toiYou're going home.
- Je dois rentrer maintenant.I have to go home now.
- À quelle heure vas-tu rentrer ?What time are you going back home?
- Il est temps de rentrer à la maison.It is time to go back home.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are at a party and it is getting late.
- LucasIl est tard, je vais rentrer.It's late, I'm going home.
- ManonTu veux que je rentre avec toi ?Do you want me to go home with you?
- LucasNon merci, je rentre seul.No thanks, I'm going home alone.
- ManonD'accord, rentre bien !Okay, get home safely!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry rentrer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
