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A2 verb #4,000 most common 11 min read

Remettre

Top 4,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips Remettre in 30 Seconds

Explanation Remettre in your Level:

At the A1 level, the verb 'remettre' is most commonly used in its most literal sense: to put something back. Beginners should focus on the physical action of returning an object to its place. For example, if you are in a classroom and you take a pen from the teacher's desk, the teacher might say, 'Remets le stylo sur la table' (Put the pen back on the table). It is also useful for basic clothing instructions, like 'remettre son manteau' (to put one's coat back on) when leaving a house. At this stage, learners should simply learn the present tense conjugation: je remets, tu remets, il remet. Think of it as 're-' (again) plus 'mettre' (to put). It's a very practical word for tidying up or organizing your immediate environment. You don't need to worry about the more complex meanings like 'postponing' or 'recovering' just yet. Focus on the physical world. If you move something, you 'mets' it. If you move it back, you 'remets' it. This simple mental model will help you use the word correctly in basic conversations.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'remettre' for social and academic interactions. This is where the meaning 'to hand over' or 'to submit' becomes important. You will use it to talk about 'remettre un devoir' (handing in homework) or 'remettre un document' (handing over a document). This is a step up from 'donner' because it implies a specific purpose or a deadline. Additionally, A2 learners should start using 'remettre' to mean 'to postpone' in simple social contexts. For example, 'On peut remettre notre rendez-vous ?' (Can we postpone our meeting?). This is a vital phrase for managing your schedule in French. You should also become familiar with the past participle 'remis' to use the passé composé: 'J'ai remis les clés à mon frère' (I handed the keys to my brother). At this level, you are moving beyond simple physical actions and starting to use the verb to manage time and professional obligations. It's about being more precise with your actions in a social setting.

At the B1 level, you should master the pronominal form 'se remettre'. This is essential for talking about health and emotions. You'll learn to say things like 'Je me remets d'un rhume' (I'm recovering from a cold) or 'Elle se remet de ses émotions' (She is recovering from her emotions/a shock). This level also introduces more abstract uses, such as 'remettre en question' (to question or challenge something). For example, 'Il remet en question ma méthode' (He is questioning my method). B1 learners should also be comfortable with the word in professional settings, using it for 'remises de prix' (award ceremonies) or 'remise de diplômes' (graduation). You'll notice that 'remettre' starts appearing in more complex sentence structures with multiple pronouns: 'Je le lui ai remis' (I handed it to him). This level is about nuance—understanding that 'remettre' is not just about physical objects, but also about states of being and intellectual challenges. You are becoming a more flexible speaker who can use the same verb in very different contexts.

At the B2 level, 'remettre' becomes a tool for sophisticated communication. You will use it in idiomatic expressions and more formal contexts. For instance, the expression 'remettre les pendules à l'heure' (to set the record straight / to sync up) is a great one to use in business or during an argument. You should also understand the nuance between 'remettre' and its synonyms like 'différer' or 'ajourner'. In writing, you might use 'remettre' to describe the restoration of a system or a political situation: 'remettre de l'ordre' (to restore order). B2 speakers should also be aware of the register shifts; for example, using 'On remet ça ?' in a casual setting versus 'Nous devrions remettre cette discussion' in a formal one. You are expected to handle the irregular conjugation perfectly, including the subjonctif ('Il faut que je remette...') and the conditionnel ('Je remettrais...'). At B2, 'remettre' is no longer just a verb; it's a versatile instrument that helps you express everything from social invitations to critical thinking.

At the C1 level, you explore the literary and highly formal uses of 'remettre'. This includes the sense of 'committing' or 'entrusting' something to someone's care, often seen in legal or classical texts: 'remettre son âme à Dieu' (to commend one's soul to God) or 'remettre le sort de l'entreprise entre les mains de...' (to place the fate of the company in the hands of...). You will also encounter 'remettre' in complex philosophical or political debates, particularly in the phrase 'remettre en cause les fondements de la société' (to challenge the very foundations of society). At this level, your usage should be impeccable, and you should be able to distinguish between the subtle differences of 'remettre' and 'restituer' in legal contexts. You will also use the noun form 'remise' in various ways, such as 'remise de peine' (reduction of a sentence) or 'remise gracieuse' (a waiver of a debt). Your understanding of the verb is now deep enough to appreciate its role in the history of the French language and its various shades of meaning in administrative and judicial French.

At the C2 level, 'remettre' is used with total mastery, including its most obscure and archaic nuances found in classical French literature (like Racine or Molière). You understand how the verb has evolved from the Latin 'remittere' and can use it in highly specialized fields like law, where 'remettre une dette' means to forgive or cancel a debt. You are comfortable using 'remettre' in high-level rhetoric to create irony or emphasis. For example, using the pronominal 's'en remettre à' (to rely on / to defer to) in a complex argument: 'Je m'en remets à votre sagesse pour trancher ce litige' (I defer to your wisdom to settle this dispute). You can also play with the word's multiple meanings in a single discourse, perhaps using it to mean both 'postponing' and 'restoring' in a political speech. At this stage, the verb is a part of your instinctive vocabulary, used with perfect grammatical precision and an acute sense of social and cultural context. You are indistinguishable from a highly educated native speaker in your deployment of this multifaceted verb.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

Remettre in 30 Seconds

Remettre is a versatile verb meaning to put back, hand over, or postpone.
It is irregular and conjugated like 'mettre', with the past participle 'remis'.
The pronominal form 'se remettre' is used for recovering from illness or shock.
Common idioms include 'remettre en question' (to challenge) and 'remettre à zéro' (to reset).

The French verb remettre is a versatile linguistic powerhouse that every learner must master to navigate daily life in France. At its core, it is the combination of the prefix re- (meaning again or back) and the verb mettre (to put or place). This foundational structure gives birth to three primary branches of meaning: returning something to its original position, handing something over to a recipient, and delaying an event to a later time. Understanding which branch is being used depends heavily on the context of the conversation and the prepositions that follow it.

Physical Restoration: This is the most literal use. If you take a book off a shelf and then put it back, you remettez le livre. It implies a return to a previous state of order or location. In a household setting, parents often tell children to 'remettre tes affaires à leur place' (put your things back where they belong).

S'il te plaît, peux-tu remettre le lait dans le frigo avant qu'il ne tourne ?

Formal Handover: In professional and academic environments, remettre is the standard term for submitting work or transferring possession of an object. A student will 'remettre son devoir' (hand in their homework), and a diplomat might 'remettre ses lettres de créance' (hand over their credentials). It carries a sense of officiality that the simple verb 'donner' (to give) lacks.

Temporal Postponement: Perhaps the most common use in scheduling is the meaning of 'to postpone'. When a meeting is moved from Monday to Thursday, the French say 'remettre la réunion'. This is often paired with the phrase 'à plus tard' (to later) or 'à une date ultérieure' (to a later date). It is essential for managing expectations in both social and business life.

Nous avons dû remettre notre voyage à cause de la grève des trains.

Beyond these physical and temporal uses, the verb also enters the psychological realm with the pronominal form se remettre. This means to recover, whether from an illness, a breakup, or a shock. When someone says 'Je m'en remets doucement', they are telling you they are slowly getting back on their feet after a difficult period. This richness makes 'remettre' a linguistic Swiss Army knife, capable of describing everything from housekeeping to emotional healing.

Il lui a fallu des mois pour se remettre de cette rupture difficile.

Mastering remettre requires an understanding of its conjugation, which follows the irregular pattern of mettre. In the present tense, it is je remets, tu remets, il remet, nous remettons, vous remettez, ils remettent. The past participle is remis, which is crucial for forming the passé composé. Because the verb can take both direct objects (the thing being put back) and indirect objects (the person receiving the thing), the syntax can become complex for English speakers who are used to more rigid word orders.

Direct Object Usage: When you are simply putting an object back, the structure is: [Subject] + [Conjugated Remettre] + [Noun]. For example, 'Il remet sa veste' (He puts his jacket back on). Note that here, 'remettre' can also mean 'to put back on' regarding clothing you had previously removed.

Elle a remis les clés sur la table avant de partir.

The 'Handing Over' Structure: When handing something to someone, use the preposition à. The structure is: [Subject] + [Remettre] + [Object] + à + [Person]. For example, 'Le facteur remet le colis à la voisine' (The mailman hands the package to the neighbor). In formal writing, the object often comes after the person if it is a long phrase, but 'à' remains the vital link.

The Pronominal 'Se Remettre': When used reflexively, it often requires the preposition de to indicate what one is recovering from. 'Je me remets de ma grippe' (I am recovering from my flu). If you are 'putting yourself back' to work, you use à: 'Il se remet au travail' (He is getting back to work).

Après cette pause café, nous devons nous remettre à la rédaction du rapport.

Finally, the usage in the sense of 'postponing' usually involves the preposition à followed by a time indicator. 'Remettre à demain' (to put off until tomorrow) is a classic phrase. You can also use 'remettre à plus tard' for a vague postponement. This flexibility allows speakers to navigate delicate social situations where they need to cancel plans without causing offense, as 'remettre' implies the event will still happen, just not now.

Le directeur a décidé de remettre la réunion au mois prochain.

If you spend a day in a French-speaking city, you will likely encounter remettre dozens of times in wildly different environments. It is not a 'textbook-only' word; it is a vital part of the linguistic fabric of France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec. From the polite interactions in a small 'boulangerie' to the high-stakes environment of a Parisian law firm, the word adapts its tone and meaning to fit the room. It is one of those 'glue' verbs that holds sentences together in everyday life.

At the Shop or Market: When a cashier gives you your change, they might say, 'Je vous remets votre monnaie' (I'm handing you back your change). It’s a polite way of acknowledging the transaction. Similarly, if you hand a bag back to a vendor because it's the wrong size, you are 'remettant le sac'. It signals a physical exchange that is completed and formal.

Voici votre reçu, je vous remets également votre carte de fidélité.

In the Professional World: Offices are 'remettre' hubs. You will hear bosses asking employees 'Quand pouvez-vous me remettre ce dossier ?' (When can you hand me this file?). It is the standard verb for deadlines. If a project is delayed, an email notification might say, 'La livraison a été remise à une date ultérieure' (The delivery has been postponed to a later date). It sounds professional and precise.

Social and Casual Settings: Among friends, 'remettre' takes on a lighter tone. If you are at a bar and want another round of the same drink, you might say to the waiter, 'On remet la même chose !' (Let's have the same thing again!). Or if you enjoyed a party, you might tell the host, 'Il faut qu'on remette ça bientôt !' (We have to do this again soon!). Here, it implies repeating a positive experience.

C'était une super soirée, on remet ça le week-end prochain ?

You will also hear it in medical contexts. A doctor might ask, 'Comment vous remettez-vous de votre opération ?' (How are you recovering from your surgery?). This use of the pronominal form is very common in hospitals and pharmacies. It implies a gradual return to health. In essence, whether you are dealing with money, work, fun, or health, 'remettre' is the verb that describes the transition back to a desired state or the movement of objects and time.

Le joueur s'apprête à remettre le ballon en jeu sur la ligne de touche.

Because remettre has so many English equivalents—put back, hand over, postpone, recover, reset—it is a minefield for learners. The most frequent errors involve choosing the wrong verb for 'giving' or 'returning', and getting tangled in the prepositions that change the verb's meaning entirely. To avoid sounding like a machine translation, you must recognize the subtle boundaries between 'remettre' and its neighbors like 'rendre' or 'reporter'.

Remettre vs. Rendre: This is the 'classic' mistake. Both can mean 'to return'. However, rendre means to return something you borrowed or to give back something that belongs to someone else (e.g., 'rendre un livre à la bibliothèque'). Remettre means to put something back in its place (e.g., 'remettre le livre sur l'étagère'). If you say 'Je remets le livre à la bibliothèque', it sounds like you are officially handing it to a librarian, not just returning a borrowed item.

Faux : Je dois remettre l'argent que j'ai emprunté. (Use 'rendre' here).

Remettre vs. Reporter: Both mean 'to postpone'. While they are often interchangeable, reporter is slightly more formal and specific to dates. Remettre is more common in spoken French. A common mistake is using 'remettre' without the preposition 'à'. You must say 'remettre à plus tard', not just 'remettre plus tard'. Without the 'à', the sentence feels grammatically naked to a native speaker.

The Overuse of 'Donner': English speakers often use 'donner' (to give) for everything. In an office, if you 'give' a report to your boss, you should use 'remettre'. Using 'donner' sounds like a casual gift, whereas 'remettre' implies the completion of a task. It’s a nuance that marks the difference between an A2 learner and a B2 speaker.

Correct : J'ai remis mon dossier au directeur ce matin.

Another subtle mistake occurs with technology. To 'reset' a device is 'remettre à zéro' (put back to zero) or 'réinitialiser'. Beginners often try to translate 'reset' literally or use 'reposer', which means to rest or to put down. Remembering the phrase 'remettre à zéro' will save you a lot of frustration when talking to technical support or setting your oven clock after a power outage.

Il faut remettre le compteur à zéro après chaque vidange.

To truly expand your French vocabulary, you need to know when to use remettre and when to reach for a more specific synonym. While 'remettre' is a great all-purpose verb, French rewards precision. By comparing it with its cousins, you can fine-tune your meaning and sound more like a native speaker who understands the nuances of the language.

Reporter vs. Différer: When you want to say 'postpone', remettre is the most common. However, reporter is used for specific dates ('reporter au 15 mars'). Différer is much more formal, often used in legal or official administrative contexts, like 'différer le paiement' (to defer payment). If you are talking to a friend about a lunch date, stick to 'remettre'.

Le match a été reporté à cause de la pluie, nous allons le remettre à la semaine prochaine.

Rendre vs. Restituer: As discussed, rendre is for returning borrowed items. Restituer is even more formal, often used for returning stolen property or historical artifacts (e.g., 'restituer des œuvres d'art'). Remettre remains the best choice for the physical act of handing something over in person, like a trophy or a letter.

Guérir vs. Se Rétablir: When talking about health, se remettre is casual and common. Guérir means to be cured or to heal completely. Se rétablir is the formal equivalent of 'se remettre'. In a card to a sick colleague, you would write 'Je vous souhaite un prompt rétablissement' (I wish you a speedy recovery), but to a friend, you'd say 'J'espère que tu vas vite te remettre'.

Elle se remet doucement de son opération, elle sera bientôt guérie.

Finally, consider the verb ajourner. This is a very high-level synonym for 'remettre' in the sense of postponing, specifically used for parliamentary sessions or trials. As a learner, you don't need to use 'ajourner' often, but recognizing it as a relative of 'remettre' will help you understand news reports and formal documents. By mapping out these alternatives, you see 'remettre' as the versatile middle ground—not too formal, not too slangy, and always useful.

Le juge a décidé d'ajourner le procès à la semaine prochaine.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The English word 'remit' (as in remitting a payment) comes from the same Latin root as 'remettre', which explains why 'remettre' can mean handing over money or documents.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ʁə.mɛtʁ/

US /ʁə.mɛtʁ/

French typically has stress on the final syllable of a word or phrase, so the 'mettre' part is slightly more emphasized.

Rhymes With

Mettre Permettre Admettre Transmettre Promettre Compromettre Émettre Lettre

Common Errors

Pronouncing the final 'e' in 'remettre' (it should be silent).
Making the 're' sound like 'ray' (it should be a neutral schwa).
Hard 'r' like in English (should be from the throat).
Missing the double 't' sound (it's short but crisp).
Over-emphasizing the first syllable.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize but context is key to meaning.

Writing 3/5

Irregular conjugation requires practice.

Speaking 3/5

Common in idioms which can be tricky.

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation but used frequently.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Mettre Prendre Donner Lieu Temps

Learn Next

Permettre Promettre Reporter Rendre Rétablir

Advanced

Ajourner Différer Restituer Se rétablir Transmettre

Grammar to Know

Irregular conjugation of 'mettre' verbs.

Je remets, nous remettons, j'ai remis.

Pronominal verbs with 'de' for recovery.

Se remettre de la fatigue.

Preposition 'à' for postponement.

Remettre à demain.

Direct vs Indirect object pronouns.

Je le lui remets.

Imperative of pronominal verbs.

Remets-toi au travail !

Examples by Level

Je remets mon livre dans mon sac.

I am putting my book back in my bag.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

Tu remets ton manteau ?

Are you putting your coat back on?

Present tense, 2nd person singular.

Il remet le lait au frigo.

He is putting the milk back in the fridge.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Nous remettons les chaises à leur place.

We are putting the chairs back in their place.

Present tense, 1st person plural.

Vous remettez vos chaussures.

You are putting your shoes back on.

Present tense, 2nd person plural.

Elles remettent les fleurs dans le vase.

They are putting the flowers back in the vase.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

Remets le stylo ici, s'il te plaît.

Put the pen back here, please.

Imperative mood.

Je vais remettre mon chapeau.

I am going to put my hat back on.

Futur proche (aller + infinitive).

Je dois remettre mon devoir demain.

I have to hand in my homework tomorrow.

Remettre used as 'to hand in'.

Elle a remis le rendez-vous à lundi.

She postponed the meeting to Monday.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

Le facteur remet un colis à ma mère.

The mailman hands a package to my mother.

Indirect object structure (remettre quelque chose à quelqu'un).

Peux-tu remettre de l'ordre dans ta chambre ?

Can you tidy up your room?

Expression 'remettre de l'ordre'.

Nous avons remis la fête à plus tard.

We postponed the party until later.

Usage for postponing events.

Il remet son écharpe car il fait froid.

He is putting his scarf back on because it is cold.

Remettre meaning 'to put back on'.

Vous devez remettre les clés à l'accueil.

You must hand in the keys at the reception.

Formal instruction.

J'ai remis le dossier sur ton bureau.

I put the file back on your desk.

Passé composé indicating physical placement.

Je me remets doucement de ma grippe.

I am slowly recovering from my flu.

Pronominal verb 'se remettre de'.

Il remet toujours en question mes idées.

He is always questioning my ideas.

Idiomatic expression 'remettre en question'.

On remet ça samedi prochain ?

Shall we do that again next Saturday?

Informal expression 'remettre ça'.

Elle s'est remise au piano après dix ans.

She started playing the piano again after ten years.

Pronominal verb 'se remettre à' (to start again).

Le maire va remettre les médailles aux gagnants.

The mayor is going to present the medals to the winners.

Formal presentation context.

Je n'arrive pas à m'en remettre.

I can't get over it.

Usage with the pronoun 'en'.

Nous remettons le projet à la semaine prochaine.

We are postponing the project until next week.

Business context for delay.

Il faut remettre les pendules à l'heure.

We need to set the record straight.

Idiomatic expression.

Le gouvernement remet en cause la réforme.

The government is challenging the reform.

Political/Abstract usage of 'remettre en cause'.

Elle a dû se remettre de ses émotions avant de parler.

She had to recover from her emotions before speaking.

Emotional recovery context.

Je vous remets le document en mains propres.

I am handing you the document in person.

Formal expression 'en mains propres'.

Le compteur a été remis à zéro.

The meter has been reset to zero.

Passive voice with 'remis à zéro'.

Il s'en remet totalement à son avocat.

He is relying entirely on his lawyer.

Expression 's'en remettre à quelqu'un'.

Nous ne pouvons plus remettre cette décision.

We can no longer postpone this decision.

Usage for critical delays.

Le prix lui a été remis par le président.

The prize was presented to him by the president.

Passive voice structure.

Remettez-vous au travail immédiatement !

Get back to work immediately!

Imperative of a pronominal verb.

Cette découverte remet en question nos théories.

This discovery challenges our theories.

Intellectual/Scientific challenge.

Il s'est remis de cette épreuve avec courage.

He recovered from this ordeal with courage.

Abstract 'épreuve' (ordeal).

La remise des lettres de créance a eu lieu hier.

The presentation of credentials took place yesterday.

Noun form 'remise' in a diplomatic context.

Je m'en remets à votre jugement éclairé.

I defer to your enlightened judgment.

High-register formal expression.

Le suspect a remis les objets volés à la police.

The suspect handed over the stolen objects to the police.

Legal/Criminal context.

Elle a remis de l'huile sur le feu par ses propos.

She added fuel to the fire with her comments.

Idiom 'remettre de l'huile sur le feu'.

Le tribunal a remis le délibéré à quinzaine.

The court postponed the verdict for two weeks.

Legal term 'à quinzaine' (in two weeks).

Il ne s'est jamais remis de la perte de son ami.

He never recovered from the loss of his friend.

Deep emotional context.

Le condamné a remis son âme à Dieu.

The condemned man commended his soul to God.

Archaic/Literary expression.

Le créancier a accepté de lui remettre sa dette.

The creditor agreed to forgive his debt.

Legal sense of 'remettre' (to forgive a debt).

On ne saurait remettre en cause l'intégrité de ce savant.

One cannot challenge the integrity of this scholar.

Formal 'on ne saurait' + infinitive.

Sa remise en liberté conditionnelle a été refusée.

His release on parole was denied.

Noun 'remise en liberté'.

Elle s'en remet aux bons soins de son personnel.

She entrusts herself to the good care of her staff.

Nuanced pronominal usage.

L'ouvrage fut remis sur le métier cent fois.

The work was put back on the loom a hundred times.

Literary reference to Boileau (refining work).

Le diplomate a remis une note de protestation.

The diplomat delivered a note of protest.

Diplomatic terminology.

Il a remis ses pouvoirs entre les mains du peuple.

He placed his powers in the hands of the people.

Metaphorical handover of power.

Common Collocations

Remettre en question

Remettre à plus tard

Remettre les clés

Remettre à zéro

Remettre un prix

Remettre de l'ordre

Se remettre au travail

Remettre en cause

Remettre sa veste

Remettre une lettre

Common Phrases

S'en remettre à quelqu'un

— To rely on someone or leave a decision to them.

Je m'en remets à votre avis.

Remettre le couvert

— To do something again, often used for arguments or repeating a task.

Ils ont encore remis le couvert sur ce sujet.

Remettre les pendules à l'heure

— To clarify a situation or set the record straight.

Il est temps de remettre les pendules à l'heure.

Remettre le pied à l'étrier

— To help someone get started again after a break or failure.

Ce stage m'a remis le pied à l'étrier.

Remettre ça

— To do the same thing again (usually something fun).

C'était génial, on remet ça demain ?

Remettre les gaz

— To speed up or increase efforts.

Le pilote a dû remettre les gaz.

Remettre en place

— To put someone in their place (reprimand) or put an object back.

Elle l'a bien remis en place après son insulte.

Remettre à demain

— To procrastinate or delay until the next day.

Ne remets pas à demain ce que tu peux faire aujourd'hui.

Remettre le courant

— To turn the power back on.

L'électricien a remis le courant.

Remettre les choses au point

— To clarify details or rectify a misunderstanding.

Je voudrais remettre les choses au point concernant mon retard.

Often Confused With

Remettre vs Rendre

Rendre is for returning borrowed items; remettre is for putting things back in their place.

Remettre vs Reporter

Reporter is specific to dates; remettre is more general for postponing.

Remettre vs Reposer

Reposer means to rest or to put down; it does not mean to put back in place.

Idioms & Expressions

"Remettre de l'huile sur le feu"

— To aggravate a situation or make a conflict worse.

Ses critiques n'ont fait que remettre de l'huile sur le feu.

Informal

"Remettre le cœur à l'ouvrage"

— To get back to work with renewed energy.

Après les vacances, il faut remettre le cœur à l'ouvrage.

Neutral

"Remettre le nez dehors"

— To go outside again after being sick or stuck inside.

Il fait beau, je vais enfin remettre le nez dehors.

Casual

"S'en remettre à la providence"

— To leave things to fate or luck.

Nous avons fait notre possible, maintenant on s'en remet à la providence.

Formal

"Remettre la main sur quelque chose"

— To find something that was lost.

J'ai enfin remis la main sur mes clés de voiture.

Neutral

"Remettre au goût du jour"

— To bring something back into fashion or update it.

Ce créateur a remis les robes longues au goût du jour.

Neutral

"Remettre le couvert (2)"

— To start eating again or to restart a romantic relationship.

Ils ont décidé de remettre le couvert après leur séparation.

Casual

"Remettre les idées en place"

— To clear one's head or rethink a situation.

Une bonne nuit de sommeil me remettra les idées en place.

Neutral

"Remettre sur pied"

— To help someone recover or to get a business running again.

Ce médicament m'a remis sur pied en deux jours.

Neutral

"Remettre la balle au centre"

— To start over or to balance the scores/arguments.

Après ce débat, remettons la balle au centre.

Casual

Easily Confused

Remettre vs Rentrer

Both start with 're-' and involve returning.

Rentrer means for a person to go back home or go inside. Remettre is for objects.

Je rentre à la maison mais je remets mes clés dans mon sac.

Remettre vs Remonter

Both start with 're-' and mean 'back'.

Remonter means to go back up or to reassemble. Remettre is just to put back.

Il remonte l'horloge et remet le tournevis dans la boîte.

Remettre vs Remplacer

Often used when changing items.

Remplacer is putting a *new* thing in place. Remettre is putting the *old* thing back.

Je remplace l'ampoule cassée, puis je remets l'échelle au garage.

Remettre vs Rétablir

Both mean to restore.

Rétablir is for systems or health in a formal sense. Remettre is more common/physical.

Le médecin veut rétablir sa santé; il l'aide à se remettre.

Remettre vs Remanier

Both involve changing a state.

Remanier means to overhaul or reshuffle (like a government). Remettre is simpler.

Le ministre remanie son cabinet et remet ses projets à plus tard.

Sentence Patterns

Je remets [objet] dans [lieu].

Je remets le livre dans l'étagère.

Il faut remettre [objet] à [personne].

Il faut remettre les clés au voisin.

On remet [événement] à [temps].

On remet le dîner à samedi.

Je me remets de [problème].

Je me remets de ma maladie.

Remettre en question [idée].

Il remet en question ma décision.

S'en remettre à [quelqu'un].

Je m'en remets à votre expertise.

Remettre [chose] entre les mains de [personne].

Il a remis son destin entre les mains du juge.

Remettre [dette/peine].

Le roi a décidé de lui remettre sa peine.

Word Family

Nouns

Remise (delivery, discount, postponement)

Émetteur (transmitter)

Transmetteur (transmitter)

Verbs

Mettre (to put)

Permettre (to allow)

Promettre (to promise)

Admettre (to admit)

Adjectives

Remissible (forgivable - rare)

Remis (past participle used as adj: recovered)

Mission

Message

Messager

Mise

Admissibilité

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in both spoken and written French.

Common Mistakes

Using 'remettre' for returning a person. → Je reviens demain.
'Remettre' is for objects or events. For people, use 'revenir' or 'retourner'.
Saying 'Je remets le livre à la bibliothèque'. → Je rends le livre à la bibliothèque.
Use 'rendre' for returning borrowed items. 'Remettre' implies an official handover.
Forgetting the 's' in 'remis' in the masculine singular. → Il a remis son manteau.
The past participle 'remis' always ends in 's' unless it's feminine ('remise').
Using 'remettre' instead of 'reposer'. → Je repose le verre.
'Reposer' means to put down. 'Remettre' means to put back in its original place.
Confusing 'se remettre à' and 'se remettre de'. → Il se remet au travail / Il se remet de sa grippe.
'À' is for starting an activity again; 'de' is for recovering from something.

Tips

Master the Past Participle

The past participle 'remis' is used in the passé composé. Remember it ends in 's' even in the masculine singular: 'J'ai remis'.

Handing in vs. Giving

Use 'remettre' for homework, reports, and official documents. It sounds much more natural to a French teacher or boss than 'donner'.

Polite Postponing

When you need to cancel a meeting, 'Est-ce qu'on peut remettre ?' is a polite way to suggest you still want to meet later.

Challenge Everything

Use 'remettre en question' to express doubt or critical thinking. It is a very common phrase in academic and political discussions.

Tidying Up

When cleaning, 'remettre' is the verb for putting objects back where they belong. 'Remets tes chaussures dans le placard !'

Getting Better

Use 'se remettre' to talk about recovery. 'Il se remet bien' is a standard way to say someone is getting better after an illness.

The Office Verb

In an office, 'remettre' is everywhere. From 'remettre un dossier' to 'remettre une réunion', it's a core professional verb.

Resetting

If your phone is acting up, you might need to 'le remettre à zéro'. This means a factory reset.

Back in Play

Watch for 'remise en jeu' in sports. It's the moment the ball is brought back into the field of play.

The 'RE' Rule

The 're-' prefix almost always means 'back' or 'again'. Combine it with 'mettre' (to put) and you have the core meaning of 'put back'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Remettre' as 'Re-Metal': You are putting the metal back in the forge to reshape it (reset) or sending it back to the supplier (handing over).

Visual Association

Visualize a hand putting a book back on a shelf, then the same hand handing a trophy to a winner, then a clock being moved forward. All three are 'remettre'.

Word Web

Mettre Remis Remise Reporter Rendre Se remettre Question Zéro

Challenge

Try to use 'remettre' in three different ways today: once for a physical object, once for a time delay, and once for a social interaction.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin 'remittere', which is composed of 're-' (back) and 'mittere' (to send). In Latin, it meant to send back, release, or relax.

Original meaning: To send back or to let go.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, but 'se remettre' of a death or tragedy should be used with empathy.

English speakers often confuse 'remettre' with 'return'. English uses 'return' for both objects and people, but French uses 'remettre' for objects/tasks and 'revenir/retourner' for people.

Boileau: 'Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage' (Refine your work twenty times). The 'Remise des César' (The French Oscars). The 'Remise en question' of May 1968 protests.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Office/Work

Remettre un rapport
Remettre une réunion
Remettre en cause une décision
Remettre sa démission

Home/Daily Life

Remettre le lait au frigo
Remettre de l'ordre
Remettre son manteau
Remettre les clés

Health

Se remettre d'une maladie
Se remettre d'un choc
Se remettre sur pied
Remettre un membre (medical)

Social

On remet ça ?
Remettre un rendez-vous
Remettre les pendules à l'heure
Remettre au goût du jour

Technology

Remettre à zéro
Remettre les paramètres
Remettre en marche
Remettre à niveau

Conversation Starters

"Quand dois-tu remettre ton projet final pour le cours de français ?"

"Est-ce que tu as déjà dû remettre un voyage à cause d'un imprévu ?"

"Comment fais-tu pour te remettre rapidement d'un gros rhume ?"

"On a passé une super soirée, ça te dit qu'on remette ça bientôt ?"

"Penses-tu qu'il soit nécessaire de remettre en question les traditions ?"

Journal Prompts

Décrivez une situation où vous avez dû remettre un événement important. Quelles ont été les conséquences ?

Parlez d'une fois où vous avez dû vous remettre d'une grande déception. Comment avez-vous fait ?

Quelles sont les choses que vous remettez toujours à plus tard ? Pourquoi ?

Imaginez que vous recevez un prix. Qui vous le remet et que dites-vous dans votre discours ?

Réfléchissez à une habitude que vous aimeriez remettre au goût du jour dans votre vie quotidienne.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, that is 'rendre'. While 'remettre' involves 'putting back', it is not used for vomiting in standard French. 'Rendre son déjeuner' is the common expression for that unpleasant situation.

Yes, it follows the conjugation of 'mettre'. You must learn the stems (remet-, remett-) and the past participle (remis) to use it correctly in all tenses.

'Remis' is the masculine past participle. 'Remise' is the feminine past participle, but it is also a noun meaning a discount, a delivery, or a shed. Context will tell you which is which.

You can say 'réinitialiser mon mot de passe', but 'remettre à zéro' is also used for resetting systems in a more general sense.

Use 'se remettre à' when you are starting an activity again after a break, like 'se remettre au sport' (starting sports again).

Yes! In informal French, 'Je ne vous remets pas' means 'I don't quite place you' or 'I don't recognize you/remember where we met'.

It literally means 'to set the clocks to the right time'. Figuratively, it means to clarify a situation so everyone has the same information.

Not really. While 'remettre' can mean postpone on its own, 'à plus tard' is very common to specify that the delay is indefinite.

It is: que je remette, que tu remettes, qu'il remette, que nous remettions, que vous remettiez, qu'ils remettent.

It is a legal term for a reduction in a prison sentence, often granted for good behavior.