Revenir vs Retourner – To Come Back vs To Return
In French, choosing between revenir and retourner hinges on perspective: do you focus on coming back to the speaker's location (revenir) or going back to another place (retourner)? This guide breaks down the difference with clear examples.
Revenir
Use revenir when someone returns to the place where the speaker or listener is, or to a reference point considered "home." It emphasizes coming back to that location.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ☕ Je reviens tout de suite, je vais chercher un café. | I'll be right back, I'm going to get a coffee. | Short absence, coming back soon. |
| 🏠 Elle est partie chez sa sœur et elle revient ce soir. | She went to her sister's and is coming back tonight. | Coming back to original place. |
| 🛍️ On a oublié le sac, je reviens le prendre. | We forgot the bag, I’m coming back to get it. | Return to fetch something left behind. |
Usage Notes
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Retourner
Use retourner to indicate going back to a place different from the current location or to return to a previous spot. It focuses on the action of going back rather than arriving relative to the speaker.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 📚 Il a retourné le livre à la bibliothèque. | He returned the book to the library. | Giving back an item. |
| ✈️ Nous allons retourner à Paris l’année prochaine. | We are going back to Paris next year. | Going back to a place. |
| 🗝️ J’ai fait tomber mes clés et je dois retourner les chercher. | I dropped my keys and have to go back to get them. | Going again to a place. |
Usage Notes
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Expressions with Revenir
Certain expressions use revenir figuratively, like revenir à for returning to a topic, or en revenir to express disbelief. These idiomatic uses reinforce the sense of returning to a point or state.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🔄 Revenir en arrière | To go back (figuratively or physically) |
| 💡 Revenir à l’idée principale | To return to the main idea |
| 🎯 Revenir au sujet | To get back to the topic |
| 🧭 Revenir sur ses pas | To retrace one’s steps |
| 💤 Revenir de loin | To come back from a difficult situation or illness |
Expressions with Retourner
Retourner appears in expressions like retourner sa veste (to change sides) and can be used figuratively for turning something over. These idioms play on the idea of going back or flipping to emphasize change.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ↩️ Retourner à la case départ | To go back to square one |
| 🏳️ Retourner sa veste | To betray or change allegiance |
| 🔁 Retourner quelque chose | To turn something over or upside down |
| 🛫 Retourner dans son pays | To return to one’s country |
| 🎭 Retourner la situation | To turn the situation around |
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Summary
In short, choose revenir to highlight coming back to the speaker's location and retourner for going back to another place. Pay attention to context and set phrases to pick the natural verb.
French Word(s) | English Word(s)
--- | ---
revenir | to come back
retourner | to return / to go back
revenir à | to return to (a topic)
en revenir | to be amazed / to have second thoughts
retourner sa veste | to change sides (figuratively)
Remember that short practice sentences switching the two verbs will make the difference intuitive.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025