Meaning
To arrange a meeting.
Cultural Background
The 'rendez-vous' is sacred. Canceling at the last minute without a serious reason ('un empêchement') is considered quite rude. In Quebec, 'se donner rendez-vous' is used similarly, but you might also hear 'se céduler un meeting' in more anglicized professional environments. Time can be more fluid. 'Se donner rendez-vous' might imply a window of time rather than a sharp start, often referred to as 'l'heure africaine'. Belgians are known for punctuality. If you 'vous donnez rendez-vous' at 10:00, being there at 09:55 is appreciated.
The 'On' Shortcut
In 99% of spoken French, use 'On se donne rendez-vous' instead of 'Nous nous donnons rendez-vous'. It sounds much more natural.
No Agreement
Don't add an 's' or 'e' to 'donné' in the past tense. It's a common trap for advanced exams!
Meaning
To arrange a meeting.
The 'On' Shortcut
In 99% of spoken French, use 'On se donne rendez-vous' instead of 'Nous nous donnons rendez-vous'. It sounds much more natural.
No Agreement
Don't add an 's' or 'e' to 'donné' in the past tense. It's a common trap for advanced exams!
The Café Rule
If you don't specify a place, the default 'rendez-vous' spot in France is usually the nearest café.
Shortening it
If the context is clear, you can just say 'Rendez-vous à 8h !' without the verb.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun and verb form for the past tense.
Hier, Marie et moi, nous ______ sont ______ rendez-vous au café.
With 'nous', the reflexive pronoun is 'nous'. The past participle 'donné' remains invariable.
Which sentence is correct for a doctor's appointment?
Comment dit-on 'I have an appointment with the doctor'?
You use 'prendre rendez-vous' for professional services.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
A: On va au ciné ce soir ? B: Oui ! ______ devant l'entrée à 20h ?
'On se donne rendez-vous' is the standard way to propose a meeting time/place.
Match the phrase to the context.
Context: Two business partners agreeing to meet on neutral ground.
This uses the phrase correctly in a professional but collaborative context.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Se Donner vs. Prendre
Practice Bank
4 exercisesHier, Marie et moi, nous ______ sont ______ rendez-vous au café.
With 'nous', the reflexive pronoun is 'nous'. The past participle 'donné' remains invariable.
Comment dit-on 'I have an appointment with the doctor'?
You use 'prendre rendez-vous' for professional services.
A: On va au ciné ce soir ? B: Oui ! ______ devant l'entrée à 20h ?
'On se donne rendez-vous' is the standard way to propose a meeting time/place.
Context: Two business partners agreeing to meet on neutral ground.
This uses the phrase correctly in a professional but collaborative context.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it's very common and perfectly appropriate for a romantic meeting.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
That is a literal translation from English and sounds very 'foreign'. Always use 'se donner' or 'prendre'.
'Se retrouver' is more informal and focuses on the meeting itself, while 'se donner rendez-vous' focuses on the planning.
Say 'J'ai un rendez-vous'. You don't need the verb 'se donner' unless you are describing the act of planning it.
Yes! 'On se donne rendez-vous sur Zoom' is very common now.
It is always 'donné' in this phrase because 'rendez-vous' is the direct object.
Yes, 'RDV' is the standard abbreviation in texts and emails.
Say 'On se donne rendez-vous chez moi/toi'.
It is hyphenated: rendez-vous.
Related Phrases
Prendre rendez-vous
similarTo make an appointment
Se retrouver
synonymTo meet up
Fixer un rendez-vous
similarTo set a meeting
Manquer un rendez-vous
contrastTo miss a meeting
Donner rendez-vous à quelqu'un
builds onTo tell someone to meet you
