16 ways to use the verb RENDRE

Just like in English, some verbs are multifunctional. In French, the verb “rendre” can be used in many contexts. It’s a pretty useful verb. That is why we are going to study it in everyday sentences and fun idioms too.

So, buckle up!

What does the verb RENDRE mean?

To start, the first translation of this French verb is “to give back” or return. It belongs to the third group meaning irregular verbs. Its conjugation goes like this:

• je rends
• tu rends
• il / elle rend
• nous rendons
• vous rendez
• ils / elles rendent

In this post, we are going to play with a long list of different ways to use the verb “rendre”. By no means should you learn all of them. Start by choosing the ones that resonate with you the most, then, add a new one little by little on your list.

Just like birds who make their nest bit by bit: “Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid”.

16 different ways to use the verb RENDRE.

Like we have mentioned, there are at least 16 ways to use this multifunctional verb. Let's take a look:

• rendre malade
• rendre chèvre
• rendre visite
• rendre (un livre)
• rendre un objet
• rendre une qualité
• rendre une invitation
• rendre: laisser échapper un liquide
• se rendre compte de quelque chose
•  se rendre aux raisons de quelqu’un
•  se rendre intéressant
•  rendre: vomir
•  rendre: donner en retour
•  rendre quelque chose à son état antérieur
•  rendre quelqu’un responsable
•  rendre un article défectueux

2 idioms with the verb RENDRE.

Let’s begin with 2 expressions related to emotions. Be careful because it’s something that makes someone feel a certain way. Therefore, you will conjugate the verb “rendre” using the third person singular or plural: rend or rendent.

Don’t forget that what you put before your verb is what is going to affect the person and then, you will choose a subject (affected by something):

• rend / rendent l’homme / une femme / les enfants malade(s) chèvre(s)
• make the man / a lady / the children sick (get on their nerves)

Or a pronoun :

• (Je):  me rend / rendent malade (chèvre) 
• (Tu):  te rend / rendent malade (chèvre) 
• (Il):  le rend / rendent malade (chèvre) 
• (Elle):  la rend / rendent malade (chèvre) 
• (Nous):  nous rend / rendent malades (chèvres) 
• (Vous):  vous rend / rendent malade(s) (chèvre(s)) 
• (ils / elles):  les rend / rendent malades (chèvres) 

Be sure to add an “s” to the adjective if the subject is plural. 

The first one means to make sick. It can be something singular like this:

• L’injustice de cette situation me rend malade >>> The injustice of this situation really upsets me.

And for the plural:

• Ces crimes racistes te rendent malade >>> these racist crimes are making him sick / really upsetting him.

The second one means to make crazy / drive nuts. It can be something singular like this:

• Cet ordinateur me rend chèvre >>> this computer is driving me nuts.

For the plural, it would be like that:

• Ces multiples mots de passe me rendent chèvre >>> these multiple passwords are driving me nuts.

How to say pay a visit and return in French.

Now let's focus on the primary meaning of the verb: to return. I can be either concrete or abstract.

Let’s focus on a crucial distinction. Don’t make this common mistake.

When you visit a place you say “visiter”. However, if you pay a visit to someone, you want the phrasal verb “rendre visite”.

• Aujourd’hui nous allons rendre visite à Papi >>> We’re visiting grandpa today. (Paying him a visit)

 Here’s an example we use a lot in France: rendre un livre. It means to return a book.

• Voilà, je vous rends les livres que j’ai empruntés la semaine dernière >>> Here, I’m returning the books I borrowed last week.

Note there’s an extra “s” to the past participle of “empruntés” because the noun is placed before the verb. You can’t hear the difference but you do see it.

In a general sense, rendre is to give back something. This is the prime meaning of this French verb:

• Et voilà, rendez- la-moi lorsque vous serez prêt >>> there you go, give it back to me when you’re ready.

Let’s continue with the same idea of returning something. In this particular case, we mean to return a capacity for something to someone. Here’s a clear example for you:

• Le chirurgien a rendu la vue à ma soeur en enlevant ses cataractes >>> The surgeon gave my sister her sight back by removing her cataracts.

Time to see an expression French people seldom do: to return an invitation. Here, it doesn’t mean to hand back the written invitation but to invite someone back!

• Merci de l’invitation. Je vous la rends la semaine prochaine - venez vers 20 heures >>> Thanks for the invitation. Come back to us next week - come for 8 pm.

What’s the difference between RENDRE and SE RENDRE?

Now, it’s getting a bit more complex because we are going to differentiate “rendre” and “se rendre”. Before diving in with examples, it would be wise to review the reflexive verb “se rendre”.

As a reminder, a reflexive verb is when the action is on yourself. For instance, getting up someone and getting up yourself are two different things. With reflexive verbs, we add “something” before the verb like the following:

• je me rends
• tu te rends
• il / elle se rend
• nous nous rendons
• vous vous rendez
• ils / elles se rendent

Let’s explore some scenario:

This context is usually for cooking and physics while talking about liquids. The verb “rendre” here, refers to sweat or let liquid out. 

• Fais revenir les oignons jusqu’à ce qu’ils rendent de l’eau >>> Gently fry the onions until they sweat out the water.

Our first example with the reflexive version is the most common. Indeed “se rendre compte de quelque chose” signifies to realise. You’d better learn it since French people use it all the time. Here’s one instance:

• Ah, je viens de me rendre compte ! J’ai oublié mon portable au travail >>> Ah, I just realised! I left my phone at work. 

Another different meaning of this French verb is “to give in / surrender to" someone’s opinion as you can see in this example:

• D’accord, je rends donc à ce que tu dis.  >>> All right, I accept what you say ( give in to your better judgement).

I have a fun expression for you: “se rendre interessant”. Literally it means to make oneself interesting. In other words it’s to show off or to get noticed. Not sure how to say it? Here’s an example:  

• Il est toujours en train de se rendre intéressant  >>> He’s always trying to get himself noticed.

Now, let’s examine a familiar expression French people can say. “Rendre” can also mean to vomit:

• Le toutou a encore rendu sur le carrelage >>> The mutt has thrown up on the floor again.

4 translations of RENDRE and their context.

Let’s go back to “rendre” with concrete and abstract expressions useful in our every day life.

We have already mentioned the first meaning of “rendre” which is to return. And when it comes to buying something, you would surely hear this expression: “rendre la monnaie”. What does it mean? It’s to give change like below:

• Merci, Madame. Je vous rends cinq sous >>> Thanks, Madam. Here’s your 5 cents change.

If you ditch “la monnaie”, the verb “rendre” simply indicates to give something in return. 

Remember the case about returning a capacity for something to someone? Well, you can do the same with things and, in this context, it entails some renovation.

• Ça fait quatre ans que je rends belle cette maison >>> I’ve been renovating this house for 4 years now. 

The expression “rendre quelqu’un responsable” expresses the idea to give responsibility to someone.

• Je te rends responsable ce soir de ma voiture >>> I am giving you responsibility for my car tonight.

Finally, still with the core definition of the verb “rendre”, we return something when it’s something is wrong with our newly bought product. Here’s an illustration of it:

• Je vous rends cet ordinateur car il est défectueux >>> I’m returning this computer because it’s faulty.

The ultimate guide of the French verb RENDRE.

To sum up let’s review all the different ways to use the French verb “rendre” whether it’s concrete or abstract: 

• rendre malade >>> to make sick
• rendre chèvre  >>> to drive crazy / nuts
• rendre visite  >>> to pay a visit
• rendre (un livre)  >>> to return a book
• rendre un objet  >>> to return something
• rendre une qualité  >>> to return a capacity to someone
• rendre une invitation  >>> to return an invitation
• rendre: laisser échapper un liquide >>> to sweat / let liquid out
• se rendre compte de quelque chose >>> to realise
•  se rendre aux raisons de quelqu’un >>> to give into someone’s reasoning
•  se rendre intéressant >>> to show off / get noticed
•  rendre: vomir >>> to vomit
•  rendre: donner en retour >>> to give back
•  rendre quelque chose à son état antérieur >>> to renovate
•  rendre quelqu’un responsable >>> to give responsibility to someone
•  rendre un article défectueux >>> to return a faulty product 

So, make you to distinguish “rendre” and its reflexive version “se rendre”. Then, carefully analyse the context in order to choose the right structure. Please, don’t try to memorise all the 16 variations ! Instead, pick the most useful ones for you and expand your list with time.

Tell us, what are your favourite expressions with this multi-functional verb?

I'm listening.