retourner
/ʁə.tuʁ.ne/
The English phrase 'return' can be translated into French as retourner, revenir or s’en retourner depending on the context.
Meaning: to come or go back (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| retourner | /ʁə.tuʁ.ne/ |
| revenir | /ʁə.v(ə).niʁ/ |
| s’en retourner |
The verb retourner can also mean to turn something over or to flip it, such as a pancake or a piece of paper. The noun retour refers to the act of returning, while in a financial context, rendement is used to describe a gain or loss from an investment.
Which one should you use?
Use revenir when the movement is toward the speaker's current location (to come back).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁə.tuʁ.ne/. It has 3 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use retourner when they actually mean revenir to describe movement toward the speaker.
Did you know?
- The verb revenir is often used in the phrase ça me revient, which means 'it is coming back to me' when someone suddenly remembers a forgotten detail.
- When returning a favor or a sentiment, French speakers use rendre rather than retourner or revenir, such as in the phrase rendre la pareille.
- The expression faire demi-tour is used when you need to return by literally making a 'half-turn' or a U-turn on the road.
Examples in context
- J'espère retourner en France.I hope to return to France.This sentence shows how to use retourner for returning to a country.Tatoeba #3260026 by nimfeo, translation #3260027 by CN
- Elle va revenir incessamment.She'll return very soon.This sentence shows how to use revenir to describe someone returning soon.Tatoeba #4235484 by sacredceltic, translation #4228635 by Spheniscine
- Puis-je encore retourner ceci ?Can I still return this?This sentence shows how to use retourner in the context of returning an item.Tatoeba #7811049 by Aiji, translation #4971281 by CK
- Je vais revenir demain.I will return tomorrow.
- Il est temps de rentrer chez moi.It's time to return home.
- Je vais retourner à Paris demain.I will return to Paris tomorrow.
- Je vais revenir te voir bientôt.I will return to see you soon.
- On peut retourner voir le film ensemble ?Can we go back and see the movie together?
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are talking about their weekend trip.
- EmmaÀ quelle heure veux-tu retourner à la maison ?What time do you want to return home?
- LucasJe pense qu'on devrait retourner vers dix-huit heures.I think we should return around six p.m.
- EmmaC'est parfait, Lucas.That's perfect, Lucas.
- LucasD'accord, on partira bientôt alors.Okay, we will leave soon then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “return” translations and entries retourner, revenir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
