Ahhh, French Travel Verbs! Well, French has a lovely way of turning your holiday into a grammar puzzle.
Are you going? Coming? Going back? Coming back?
Wait—where are you, again?
Let’s untangle four little verbs that cause big confusion:
aller, venir, revenir, and retourner.
🧭 Quick trick before we start:
Think of yourself as the centre of the French universe.
Everything else revolves around you. (For once, it’s true.)
🚶♂️ Aller = to go (away from here)
Used when you go somewhere else.
✅ Je vais à Annecy demain.
→ I’m going to Annecy tomorrow.
Even if you’re already in France — Annecy is still “away” from where you are.
🚶♀️ Venir = to come (towards me)
Used when someone moves closer to the speaker.
✅ Tu viens me voir à Annecy ?
→ Are you coming to see me in Annecy?
Not going there, but coming here. Even if “here” is actually there.
(Yes, your brain will hurt. It’s normal.)
🔁 Revenir = to come back (to where you are)
✅ Je suis revenu en Angleterre cette semaine.
→ I came back to England this week.
Think: returning home, or back to where the conversation started.
⬅️ Retourner = to go back (to a place, but not here)
✅ Je retournerai dans les Alpes l’année prochaine.
→ I’ll go back to the Alps next year.
Not where you are now. Not where the other person is.
Just… back over there somewhere.
🥐 Bonus real-life moment
When I was shopping in Annecy, I messaged my wife:
❌ Je viens dans 10 minutes
🚫 Sounds awkward — like you're teleporting.
✅ J’arrive dans 10 minutes
→ Literally: I arrive in 10 minutes, but really means: I’m on my way.
French people love j’arrive! —
even if you’re clearly not arriving yet.
✈️ Final tip before take-off
Use venir/revenir when you picture yourself getting closer.
Use aller/retourner when you move away.
Or just say j’arrive and let French speakers do the rest. 😉
