Skip to content
fluentbyear

FRENCH VERB

rentrer

to go back, to come back home

  • #52 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: rentré
  • Present participle: rentrant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I go back
  2. tu you go back
  3. il, elle, on he/she goes back
  4. nous we go back
  5. vous you go back
  6. ils, elles they go back

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I went back
  2. tu you went back
  3. il, elle, on he/she went back
  4. nous we went back
  5. vous you went back
  6. ils, elles they went back

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to go back
  2. tu you used to go back
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to go back
  4. nous we used to go back
  5. vous you used to go back
  6. ils, elles they used to go back

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will go back
  2. tu you will go back
  3. il, elle, on he/she will go back
  4. nous we will go back
  5. vous you will go back
  6. ils, elles they will go back

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would go back
  2. tu you would go back
  3. il, elle, on he/she would go back
  4. nous we would go back
  5. vous you would go back
  6. ils, elles they would go back

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I go back
  2. tu (that) you go back
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she go back
  4. nous (that) we go back
  5. vous (that) you go back
  6. ils, elles (that) they go back

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu go back!
  2. nous go back! (let’s)
  3. vous go back! (plural, or formal)

How to use rentrer

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Je rentre vers dix-neuf heures d'habitude.

    I usually get home around seven.

  2. Past

    Tu es rentré à quelle heure hier soir ?

    What time did you get home last night?

  3. Imperfect

    On rentrait à pied quand il a commencé à pleuvoir.

    We were walking home when it started raining.

  4. Future

    Je rentrerai tard, ne m'attends pas pour dîner.

    I'll be home late, don't wait for me for dinner.

  5. Conditional

    Je rentrerais bien, je suis crevée.

    I'd like to go home, I'm exhausted.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que je rentre avant minuit.

    I have to be home before midnight.

  7. Imperative

    Rentre vite, il va faire nuit.

    Come home quickly, it's getting dark.

Good to know

  • Rentrer is to go home or come home; la rentrée is the return to school and work in September.

Where you hear rentrer

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

French · Beginner Level 1

  • Je rentre à l'hôtel. I'm going back to the hotel.
  • Je suis rentrée à six heures. I came back at six o'clock.
  • Tu vas rentrer à Chicago ? Are you going to go back to Chicago?

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je rentre à l'hôtel. I'm going back to the hotel.
  • Je suis rentrée à six heures. I came back at six o'clock.
  • Tu vas rentrer à Chicago ? Are you going to go back to Chicago?
25
The Boat Trip

Beginner Level 1 · je suis rentrée

Needs a subscription 28
When Are You Leaving?

Beginner Level 1 · je rentre

Needs a subscription 1
Back in Lyon

Beginner Level 2 · Je ne rentre pas ! · On rentre.

Free 20
Back from Annecy

Beginner Level 2 · on est rentrées

Needs a subscription 11
Packing for Brittany

Beginner Level 3 · on rentrera

Needs a subscription 30
Opening Day

Beginner Level 3 · On rentre ?

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.