All verbs

/ʁətuʁne/to go backA1

Family
Group 1 — regular `-er`
Takes
a direct object · no object — No object for going back; with one it takes avoir and means to turn something over

Build map — what to memorise

These three pieces are learnt; every other tense is built from them.

The nous form
retournons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

retourn-+-e -es -e

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

retourn-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

retourn-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

retourn-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

retourn-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
retourner
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

retourner-+-ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

retourner-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

retourner

Past participle
retourné

Takes être

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

être (present) + past participle, with agreement

retourné

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

retourné

Conjugation

présent
Ije retourne/ʒə ʁətuʁn/I go back
youtu retournes/ty ʁətuʁn/you go back
he/sheil retourne/il ʁətuʁn/he goes back
wenous retournons/nu ʁətuʁnɔ̃/we go back
youvous retournez/vu ʁətuʁne/you go back
theyils retournent/il ʁətuʁn/they go back

Examples

  • Je retourne en France.

    /ʒə ʁə.tuʁn ɑ̃ fʁɑ̃s/

    I'm going back to France.

  • Nous sommes retournés l'année dernière.

    /nu sɔm ʁə.tuʁ.ne la.ne dɛʁ.njɛʁ/

    We went back last year.

  • Il a retourné la page.

    /il a ʁə.tuʁ.ne la paʒ/

    He turned the page over.

Set phrases

  • retourner à

    to go back to

Notes

  • Three verbs for going back, and they differ by destination. retourner is going back somewhere else; revenir is coming back HERE; rentrer is going back HOME. English uses "return" for all three.

  • Auxiliary depends on the object: Je suis retourné but J'ai retourné la page.