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B1 verb 9 min read

se mettre à jour

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips se mettre à jour in 30 Seconds
Explanation se mettre à jour in your Level:
At the A1 level, you might not use the full reflexive phrase 'se mettre à jour' very often, as reflexive verbs and irregular 'mettre' are usually introduced later. However, you can understand it as a way to say 'I am learning new things.' Imagine you have a book and you missed some pages; 'se mettre à jour' is like reading those pages to catch up with the class. At this level, focus on the idea of 'today' (le jour) and 'putting' (mettre). You are 'putting yourself in today.' Use it simply: 'Je me mets à jour' (I update myself). It is a good phrase to know if you want to tell your teacher that you are doing your homework after being sick. Even if the grammar is a bit hard, the meaning is clear: 'I am not behind anymore.'
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At the A2 level, you are starting to learn reflexive verbs like 'se laver' or 'se réveiller.' 'Se mettre à jour' follows the same pattern. You can use it to talk about your hobbies or your studies. For example, if you like technology, you can say 'Je me mets à jour sur les nouveaux téléphones.' This means you are reading about the new phones so you know what is happening now. You should also recognize the past tense: 'Je me suis mis à jour.' Remember that 'mis' is the past participle of 'mettre.' It is a very useful phrase for the workplace, even at a basic level, to show that you are trying to learn and improve your French or your professional skills. It shows you are an active learner.
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At the B1 level, 'se mettre à jour' is a key expression for professional and social life. You are expected to handle topics related to work and current events. This phrase is perfect for explaining how you manage information. You should be able to use it with prepositions like 'sur' (on) or 'dans' (in). For example: 'Il est important de se mettre à jour sur l'actualité.' You also need to be careful with the distinction between 'mettre à jour' (updating a thing) and 'se mettre à jour' (updating yourself). At this level, you should be comfortable using it in the conditional to give advice: 'Tu devrais te mettre à jour.' It is a sign of intermediate proficiency to use this phrase instead of just saying 'j'apprends' (I am learning).
At the B2 level, you should use 'se mettre à jour' with nuance. You can use it to discuss complex societal changes or professional evolution. You should understand the difference between this and 'se tenir au courant' (staying informed) or 'se recycler' (retraining). You can use it in more complex sentence structures, such as using it in the subjunctive: 'Il est nécessaire que vous vous mettiez à jour.' You should also be able to use it in the context of 'mise à niveau' (leveling up skills). At B2, you are expected to argue for the importance of lifelong learning, and 'se mettre à jour' is the central verb for this topic. It implies a conscious effort to adapt to a changing environment, which is a common theme in B2 exams and discussions.
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At the C1 level, 'se mettre à jour' is used in sophisticated ways to describe intellectual and professional agility. You might use it to describe the process of 'updating' one's worldview or internal database of knowledge in response to new evidence. You should be able to integrate it into formal reports or academic discussions. For example, 'L'entreprise doit inciter ses cadres à se mettre à jour continuellement pour faire face à la concurrence.' You can also use it metaphorically or in more abstract contexts, such as 'se mettre à jour avec sa propre conscience.' At this level, the focus is on the precision of the verb choice—choosing 'se mettre à jour' over 's'informer' to emphasize the bridging of a knowledge gap rather than just the reception of information.
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At the C2 level, you have complete mastery of 'se mettre à jour' and its various connotations. You can use it in highly formal or even philosophical contexts. You might discuss the 'mise à jour' of a legal system or a linguistic paradigm. You understand the subtle irony if someone uses it in an inappropriate context. You can use it in complex literary structures, such as 'S'étant mis à jour sur les dernières avancées, il put enfin participer au débat.' You are aware of its historical development from the literal 'bringing to light' to the modern 'updating.' At this level, the phrase is a tool for expressing precise concepts of adaptation, synchronization, and the temporal relationship between the individual and the collective body of knowledge.
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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

se mettre à jour in 30 Seconds

  • Reflexive verb meaning to catch up or update one's personal knowledge.
  • Essential for professional growth and staying current with news and trends.
  • Differs from 'mettre à jour' which is used for objects like files.
  • Commonly used with prepositions 'sur' (on) and 'dans' (in).

The French expression se mettre à jour is a versatile reflexive verb phrase that literally translates to 'to put oneself to day.' In a practical sense, it means to catch up, to update one's knowledge, or to acquire the latest information or skills necessary to be current in a specific field or situation. This isn't just about reading a single news article; it implies a process of realignment where an individual moves from a state of being 'behind' or 'outdated' to being fully synchronized with contemporary standards or developments. In the modern world, this often refers to professional skills—learning a new software, understanding a new regulation, or mastering a new technique—but it also applies to social contexts, such as catching up on a television series or understanding the latest gossip within a friend group.

Professional Context
In the workplace, it signifies the proactive effort to maintain employability and competence. When an industry evolves, an employee must se mettre à jour to remain relevant.

Il est essentiel de se mettre à jour sur les nouvelles réglementations fiscales avant la fin de l'année.

The nuance of the reflexive 'se' is crucial. While mettre à jour (without the 'se') refers to updating an object—like a computer program, a file, or a list—the reflexive version se mettre à jour focuses on the person. It suggests an internal change or an acquisition of knowledge. It is the human equivalent of a software update. People use this phrase when they feel they have missed a period of time or a series of events. For example, after returning from a long vacation, a manager might spend the first day 'se mettant à jour' on all the projects that progressed while they were away. It conveys a sense of responsibility and the active pursuit of clarity.

Personal Context
Socially, if you haven't seen a friend in months, you might meet for coffee to vous mettre à jour on each other's lives, though 'se donner des nouvelles' is also common.

Je dois me mettre à jour dans mes lectures pour l'examen de lundi.

Furthermore, the term carries a connotation of necessity. In a rapidly changing digital landscape, se mettre à jour is not optional; it is a survival mechanism. Whether it is a doctor learning about a new medical breakthrough or a grandmother learning how to use a smartphone to see photos of her grandchildren, the action involves closing a gap between what was known and what is now the reality. It is often followed by the preposition 'sur' (on) to specify the topic, or 'dans' (in) to specify the field of study. Without this effort, one becomes 'dépassé' (outdated or overwhelmed). Thus, the phrase is frequently associated with lifelong learning and adaptability.

Grammatically, se mettre à jour follows the conjugation patterns of the verb mettre, which is an irregular third-group verb. Because it is reflexive, the pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) must always match the subject. In compound tenses like the passé composé, it always takes the auxiliary verb être. For example, 'I updated myself' is 'Je me suis mis à jour.' Note that the past participle 'mis' must agree in gender and number with the subject if the reflexive pronoun is the direct object, which it usually is in this context.

Reflexive Agreement
Elle s'est mise à jour (She caught up/updated herself). The 'e' is added to 'mis' because the subject is feminine.

Nous nous sommes mis à jour concernant les derniers protocoles de sécurité.

When you want to specify what you are updating yourself about, you typically use the preposition sur. For instance, 'se mettre à jour sur les dossiers' (to catch up on the files). Alternatively, if you are catching up on missed work or reading, you might use dans, as in 'se mettre à jour dans son travail.' The choice of preposition can subtly change the focus: 'sur' is more about the information/topic, while 'dans' is more about the volume of work or a specific field of activity.

Tu devrais te mettre à jour avec les nouvelles technologies si tu veux ce poste.

In the imperative mood (commands), the pronoun follows the verb and is attached with a hyphen: 'Mets-toi à jour !' (Update yourself / Catch up!). In the negative imperative, it returns to the front: 'Ne te mets pas à jour.' This phrase is also frequently used in the infinitive after modal verbs like devoir (must), pouvoir (can), or vouloir (want). For example, 'Je dois me mettre à jour' is a very common way to express that one has work or learning to catch up on. It implies a sense of obligation to the current moment.

You will encounter se mettre à jour in almost every professional environment in France and other French-speaking countries. In an office setting, it is the standard way to talk about professional development (la formation continue). If a company introduces a new CRM system, the manager will tell the team they need to se mettre à jour on the new software. It is also common in academic settings; a student who missed a week of classes will tell their professor they are working to se mettre à jour on the lessons. It sounds industrious and responsible.

The News and Media
Journalists often use this phrase when discussing the public's need to understand complex ongoing issues, like climate change or geopolitical shifts.

Les experts recommandent aux citoyens de se mettre à jour sur les gestes barrières.

Beyond the professional sphere, you'll hear it in the tech world. While we usually talk about software updates (mises à jour), the human element—learning how to use the update—uses the reflexive form. If you're talking to a friend about a new video game or a social media trend you don't understand, you might say, 'Il faut que je me mette à jour, je ne comprends rien à TikTok.' This shows a lighter, more colloquial use of the term, where it simply means 'to get with the times.'

Après mon congé maternité, j'ai pris une semaine pour me mettre à jour sur les projets en cours.

In more formal or literary contexts, the phrase might be replaced by se tenir au courant (to keep oneself informed) or s'informer, but se mettre à jour remains the most common choice for the specific act of catching up after a period of absence or stagnation. It is a bridge between the past state of ignorance and the present state of knowledge. You might also hear it in the context of administration—getting your papers and legal status 'up to date' with the latest laws.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make is forgetting the reflexive pronoun se. In English, we say 'I need to update,' which can be either transitive (update a file) or intransitive (update myself). In French, mettre à jour without the 'se' must have a direct object. You cannot say 'Je dois mettre à jour' to mean 'I need to catch up.' You must say 'Je dois me mettre à jour.' Without the pronoun, the listener will be waiting for you to say what you are updating (your computer? your app?).

Confusing with 'Actualiser'
While 'actualiser' means to refresh or update, it is almost exclusively used for web pages or data. Avoid saying 'Je dois m'actualiser.'

Incorrect: Je vais mettre à jour sur ce sujet.
Correct: Je vais me mettre à jour sur ce sujet.

Another common error involves the preposition. Many learners try to use 'avec' (with) because of the English 'to catch up with.' While 'se mettre à jour avec' is occasionally heard, the standard and more 'French' way to express this is using sur or dans. Using 'avec' can sometimes sound like a direct translation from English (an anglicism). Stick to 'sur' for topics and 'dans' for tasks.

Il s'est mis à jour (Correct) vs. Il a mis à jour (Incorrect if he is the one catching up).

Finally, watch out for the conjugation of mettre. Because it is irregular, learners often struggle with the past participle or the 'nous' form. Remember: je mets, tu mets, il met, nous mettons, vous mettez, ils mettent. The past participle is mis. Forgetting the double 't' in the plural forms or using a regular ending like 'metté' are common pitfalls for B1 learners. Precision in these irregular forms is what separates an intermediate learner from a beginner.

Depending on the context, you might want to use a different expression to sound more precise. Se tenir au courant is perhaps the closest synonym. It means 'to keep oneself informed.' The difference is subtle: se mettre à jour implies a one-time action of catching up after being behind, whereas se tenir au courant implies a continuous effort to stay informed as things happen.

Comparison: Se mettre à jour vs. Se tenir au courant
Se mettre à jour: I was behind, now I am catching up.
Se tenir au courant: I am currently informed and intend to stay that way.

Je me tiens au courant de l'actualité chaque matin, donc je n'ai pas besoin de me mettre à jour.

Another alternative is se recycler. This is specifically used in professional contexts to mean 'to retrain' or 'to update one's professional skills.' It's a bit stronger than se mettre à jour and often implies a more significant shift or a formal training program. If you are a developer learning a completely new programming language because your old one is obsolete, you are recycling yourself.

Rattraper le temps perdu
This means 'to make up for lost time.' It is more emotional and general than the technical 'se mettre à jour.'

In informal speech, you might hear se mettre à la page. This is a slightly more 'cool' or trendy way of saying 'to get with the times' or 'to be fashionable/informed.' It literally means 'to put oneself on the page' (as in a book or magazine). If someone doesn't know about a popular new meme, you might tell them 'Mets-toi à la page !' It's less professional than se mettre à jour but very common in casual conversation among friends or in the fashion and media industries.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"Il convient de se mettre à jour sur les dispositions législatives."

Neutral

"Je dois me mettre à jour sur mes dossiers."

Informal

"Faut que je me mette à jour sur la série."

Child friendly

"Tu dois te mettre à jour pour l'école !"

Slang

"Mets-toi à la page, gros !"

Fun Fact

The phrase 'mettre à jour' originally meant to create openings (holes) in something to let light in (ajourer). The modern sense of 'updating' only became dominant in the 20th century.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /sə mɛtʁ a ʒuʁ/
US /sə mɛtʁ a ʒʊr/
The stress falls on the final syllable 'jour'.
Rhymes With
toujours amour cour tour four secours parcours séjour
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing the 't' at the end of 'met' (it's silent).
  • Pronouncing 'jour' like the English 'jaw'.
  • Forgetting to pronounce the 'r' at the end of 'jour'.
  • Treating 'se' like 'see' instead of a schwa sound.
  • Mixing up the 'u' sound in 'jour' (should be like 'boot', not 'but').

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize if you know 'mettre' and 'jour'.

Writing 5/5

Reflexive conjugation of irregular 'mettre' can be tricky.

Speaking 4/5

Requires correct pronoun placement and rhythm.

Listening 3/5

Usually clear, but 'se' can be swallowed in fast speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

mettre jour se sur dans

Learn Next

se tenir au courant actualiser la veille formation continue compétence

Advanced

obsolescence pérennité innovation adaptation synchronisation

Grammar to Know

Reflexive Verbs in Passé Composé

Je me suis mis à jour (I updated myself).

Irregular Verb 'Mettre'

Nous mettons (We put), Ils mettent (They put).

Agreement of Past Participle with Reflexive Pronoun

Elle s'est mise à jour (She caught up).

Prepositional usage of 'Sur'

Se mettre à jour sur un sujet.

Imperative of Reflexive Verbs

Mets-toi à jour ! (Update yourself!)

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Examples by Level

1

Je me mets à jour.

I am updating myself.

Simple present of a reflexive verb.

2

Tu te mets à jour aujourd'hui ?

Are you catching up today?

Question form of reflexive verb.

3

Il se met à jour pour l'école.

He is catching up for school.

Third person singular.

4

Nous nous mettons à jour.

We are catching up.

First person plural reflexive.

5

Vous vous mettez à jour ?

Are you (plural) updating yourselves?

Second person plural reflexive.

6

Elles se mettent à jour.

They (f) are catching up.

Third person plural feminine.

7

Je dois me mettre à jour.

I must catch up.

Infinitive after 'devoir'.

8

Mets-toi à jour !

Catch up! / Update yourself!

Imperative form.

1

Je me suis mis à jour sur le projet.

I caught up on the project.

Passé composé with 'être'.

2

Elle s'est mise à jour hier soir.

She caught up last night.

Feminine agreement on the past participle 'mise'.

3

Ils se mettent à jour avec le prof.

They are catching up with the teacher.

Present tense with 'avec' (informal).

4

Voulez-vous vous mettre à jour ?

Do you want to update yourselves?

Infinitive after 'vouloir'.

5

Je ne me mets pas à jour souvent.

I don't update myself often.

Negative reflexive form.

6

On se met à jour demain.

We'll catch up tomorrow.

Informal 'on' for 'we'.

7

Tu t'es mis à jour sur les nouvelles ?

Did you catch up on the news?

Passé composé question.

8

Il faut se mettre à jour.

It is necessary to catch up.

Impersonal 'il faut' + infinitive.

1

Je dois me mettre à jour sur les logiciels.

I need to update myself on the software.

Use of 'sur' for topics.

2

Elle se met à jour dans ses dossiers.

She is catching up in her files.

Use of 'dans' for work volume.

3

Nous nous sommes enfin mis à jour.

We finally caught up.

Placement of adverb 'enfin'.

4

Il est temps de se mettre à jour.

It's time to catch up.

Expression 'il est temps de' + infinitive.

5

Je me mettrai à jour pendant les vacances.

I will catch up during the holidays.

Future tense.

6

Si je ne me mets pas à jour, je vais échouer.

If I don't catch up, I will fail.

Conditional 'if' clause (si + present).

7

Vous devriez vous mettre à jour sur ce sujet.

You should update yourself on this subject.

Conditional for advice.

8

Elle s'était déjà mise à jour avant la réunion.

She had already caught up before the meeting.

Plus-que-parfait (past perfect).

1

Il est impératif que l'équipe se mette à jour.

It is imperative that the team updates itself.

Subjunctive mood after 'il est impératif que'.

2

En me mettant à jour, j'ai découvert des erreurs.

By updating myself, I discovered errors.

Gérondif (en + participle).

3

Elle a décidé de se mettre à jour professionnellement.

She decided to update herself professionally.

Adverbial usage.

4

Se mettre à jour est une nécessité constante.

Updating oneself is a constant necessity.

Infinitive as a subject.

5

Bien qu'il se soit mis à jour, il reste confus.

Although he caught up, he remains confused.

Subjunctive past after 'bien que'.

6

Je me suis mis à jour sur les dernières tendances.

I caught up on the latest trends.

Reflexive with complex object.

7

Ils ne se sont pas mis à jour malgré les avertissements.

They didn't update themselves despite the warnings.

Negative passé composé with 'malgré'.

8

Pourriez-vous m'aider à me mettre à jour ?

Could you help me catch up?

Infinitive with 'aider à'.

1

L'exigence de se mettre à jour pèse sur les salariés.

The requirement to update oneself weighs on employees.

Abstract noun phrase subject.

2

Elle s'efforce de se mettre à jour sur les enjeux mondiaux.

She strives to update herself on global issues.

Verb 's'efforcer de' + reflexive infinitive.

3

Faute de se mettre à jour, il a perdu sa crédibilité.

For lack of updating himself, he lost his credibility.

Prepositional phrase 'faute de'.

4

Il importe que chacun se mette à jour individuellement.

It is important that everyone updates themselves individually.

Formal 'il importe que' + subjunctive.

5

Après s'être mis à jour, il a rédigé son rapport.

After having updated himself, he wrote his report.

Infinitif passé (after 'après').

6

Elle ne cesse de se mettre à jour sur les lois.

She never stops updating herself on the laws.

Literary 'ne cesse de' (without 'pas').

7

Se mettre à jour demande une grande rigueur.

Updating oneself requires great rigor.

Abstract subject with quality.

8

Nul ne peut se prétendre expert sans se mettre à jour.

No one can claim to be an expert without updating themselves.

Formal 'nul' + 'sans' + infinitive.

1

L'impératif catégorique de se mettre à jour s'impose à tous.

The categorical imperative to update oneself is imposed on everyone.

Philosophical register.

2

Quiconque omet de se mettre à jour risque l'obsolescence.

Whoever fails to update themselves risks obsolescence.

Formal relative 'quiconque'.

3

Elle s'est mise à jour, non sans quelques difficultés.

She updated herself, not without some difficulties.

Double negation 'non sans'.

4

Il est vain de vouloir se mettre à jour sans méthode.

It is futile to want to update oneself without a method.

Formal 'il est vain de'.

5

S'étant mis à jour, il put appréhender la complexité du cas.

Having updated himself, he was able to grasp the complexity of the case.

Participial clause with past participle.

6

On ne saurait se mettre à jour sans une veille constante.

One cannot update oneself without constant monitoring.

Formal 'on ne saurait' (cannot).

7

La nécessité de se mettre à jour transcende les générations.

The necessity to update oneself transcends generations.

Abstract philosophical subject.

8

Puisse-t-il se mettre à jour avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.

May he update himself before it is too late.

Subjunctive of desire (optative).

Common Collocations

se mettre à jour sur un sujet
se mettre à jour dans son travail
se mettre à jour professionnellement
se mettre à jour régulièrement
se mettre à jour techniquement
se mettre à jour concernant...
se mettre à jour avec les dernières nouvelles
se mettre à jour avant...
se mettre à jour sur les réseaux sociaux
se mettre à jour sur la réglementation

Common Phrases

Il faut que je me mette à jour.

— I really need to catch up. Used when feeling behind.

J'ai manqué trois épisodes, il faut que je me mette à jour.

Je suis en train de me mettre à jour.

— I am currently in the process of catching up.

Ne me dérange pas, je suis en train de me mettre à jour.

Prendre le temps de se mettre à jour.

— To dedicate time to catching up.

Il est crucial de prendre le temps de se mettre à jour.

Se mettre à jour sur tout.

— To catch up on everything.

Après mon voyage, je dois me mettre à jour sur tout.

Se mettre à jour pour l'examen.

— To study specifically to catch up for a test.

Il se met à jour pour l'examen de demain.

Mets-toi à jour !

— Get with it! / Catch up!

Le monde change, mets-toi à jour !

Se mettre à jour mutuellement.

— To update each other on personal news.

On va déjeuner pour se mettre à jour mutuellement.

Se mettre à jour informatiquement.

— To update one's computer skills.

Elle doit se mettre à jour informatiquement.

Difficulté à se mettre à jour.

— Finding it hard to stay current.

Il a de la difficulté à se mettre à jour avec l'IA.

Besoin de se mettre à jour.

— A requirement to catch up.

Le personnel a besoin de se mettre à jour.

Often Confused With

se mettre à jour vs mettre à jour

This is transitive and used for objects (files, software). 'Se mettre à jour' is for people.

se mettre à jour vs mettre au jour

Means 'to bring to light' or 'to reveal'. Used for secrets or archaeological finds.

se mettre à jour vs actualiser

Usually for data or web pages. Using it for a person ('je m'actualise') sounds like you are a robot.

Idioms & Expressions

"Vivre avec son temps"

— To live in the present, to be up to date with modern life.

Il faut vivre avec son temps et se mettre à jour sur le numérique.

neutral
"Être à la page"

— To be well-informed or fashionable.

Elle est toujours à la page concernant la mode.

informal
"Ne pas être né de la dernière pluie"

— To not be naive, to have experience (indirectly related to being 'up to date').

Je me suis mis à jour, je ne suis pas né de la dernière pluie.

informal
"Remettre les pendules à l'heure"

— To set the record straight or to sync up.

On va se mettre à jour et remettre les pendules à l'heure.

neutral
"Être au parfum"

— To be in the know.

Je me suis mis à jour, maintenant je suis au parfum.

slang
"Prendre le train en marche"

— To join something that is already in progress.

Je me suis mis à jour pour prendre le train en marche.

neutral
"Être branché"

— To be 'plugged in' or trendy.

Il se met à jour pour rester branché.

informal
"Suivre le mouvement"

— To go with the flow or keep up with trends.

Il se met à jour simplement pour suivre le mouvement.

neutral
"Avoir une longueur d'avance"

— To be one step ahead (the result of updating well).

Elle se met à jour pour avoir une longueur d'avance.

neutral
"Ne pas rester sur le carreau"

— To not be left behind.

Il faut se mettre à jour pour ne pas rester sur le carreau.

informal

Easily Confused

se mettre à jour vs Actualiser

Both mean 'to update'.

Actualiser is for data; Se mettre à jour is for personal knowledge.

J'actualise la page web, puis je me mets à jour sur l'article.

se mettre à jour vs Rattraper

Both mean 'to catch up'.

Rattraper is for physical distance or a delay; Se mettre à jour is for information.

Je rattrape mon retard en me mettant à jour sur les dossiers.

se mettre à jour vs S'informer

Both involve getting information.

S'informer is the general act; Se mettre à jour implies catching up from a point of being behind.

Je m'informe tous les jours pour ne pas avoir à me mettre à jour brusquement.

se mettre à jour vs Se recycler

Both involve learning new things for work.

Se recycler is more intensive (retraining); Se mettre à jour is simpler (updating knowledge).

Il se recycle en informatique en se mettant à jour sur le codage.

se mettre à jour vs Se tenir au courant

Both mean staying informed.

Se tenir au courant is ongoing; Se mettre à jour is a specific corrective action.

Je me suis mis à jour, maintenant je me tiens au courant.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Je me mets à jour.

Je me mets à jour.

A2

Je me suis mis à jour sur [nom].

Je me suis mis à jour sur le film.

B1

Il est nécessaire de se mettre à jour.

Il est nécessaire de se mettre à jour régulièrement.

B1

Je dois me mettre à jour dans [nom].

Je dois me mettre à jour dans mes mails.

B2

Il faut que je me mette à jour sur [nom].

Il faut que je me mette à jour sur les nouvelles lois.

B2

En se mettant à jour, [sujet] [verbe].

En se mettant à jour, il a compris son erreur.

C1

S'être mis à jour permet de [verbe].

S'être mis à jour permet de mieux décider.

C2

Nul ne saurait ignorer l'importance de se mettre à jour.

Nul ne saurait ignorer l'importance de se mettre à jour.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

Related

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How to Use It

frequency

Very common in daily life and business.

Common Mistakes
  • Je dois mettre à jour sur ce sujet. → Je dois me mettre à jour sur ce sujet.

    Missing the reflexive pronoun 'me'. 'Mettre à jour' requires an object; 'se mettre à jour' refers to the subject.

  • Je me mets à jour avec les nouvelles. → Je me mets à jour sur les nouvelles.

    Using 'avec' (a literal translation of 'with') instead of the standard preposition 'sur'.

  • Elle s'est mis à jour. → Elle s'est mise à jour.

    Failure to agree the past participle 'mis' with the feminine subject 'elle'.

  • Je m'actualise sur le projet. → Je me mets à jour sur le projet.

    'Actualiser' is for data or web pages, not for people updating their own knowledge.

  • Je vais me mettre au jour. → Je vais me mettre à jour.

    'Au jour' means 'to light' (as in revealing a secret); 'à jour' means 'up to date'.

Tips

Watch the reflexive pronoun

Always match the pronoun to the subject: Je ME mets, Tu TE mets, etc. It's the most common mistake for beginners.

Use 'sur' for subjects

Whenever you update yourself ON something, use 'sur'. It's the most natural preposition for topics like news or science.

Great for CVs

Using 'Capacité à se mettre à jour rapidement' on a resume shows you are a quick learner and adaptable.

Catching up with friends

Use 'se mettre à jour' when you want to hear about what has happened in a friend's life since you last met.

Silent letters

The 's' in 'mis' is silent in the masculine form. In the feminine 'mise', the 's' sounds like a 'z'.

Universal usage

This phrase works in all French-speaking countries and is understood by everyone from children to business executives.

The 'mettre' family

Since you have to learn 'mettre' anyway, learning this phrase helps you master one of the most important irregular verbs.

Human vs Machine

Always remember: Machines are 'mises à jour' (passive/transitive), humans 'se mettent à jour' (reflexive).

Adverb placement

Place adverbs like 'enfin' or 'complètement' after the auxiliary verb: 'Je me suis enfin mis à jour'.

A growth mindset

Use this phrase to describe your French learning journey: 'Je me mets à jour sur la grammaire française chaque jour'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'se mettre' as 'putting yourself' and 'à jour' as 'to the day'. You are putting yourself into today's world.

Visual Association

Imagine yourself standing on a timeline. You are standing on 'Yesterday'. Step forward onto 'Today'. That step is 'se mettre à jour'.

Word Web

Mise à jour Se tenir au courant Nouveauté Apprendre Progrès Aujourd'hui Compétence Information

Challenge

Try to use 'se mettre à jour' in a sentence about your favorite hobby. For example: 'Je me mets à jour sur les nouveaux jeux vidéo.'

Word Origin

Derived from the verb 'mettre' (Latin 'mittere', to send/put) and the noun 'jour' (Latin 'diurnus', of the day).

Original meaning: Literally, to bring into the light of day or to align with the current day.

Romance (French).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, but ensure you use the reflexive form for people to avoid sounding like you are treating a person as an object (a file).

English speakers often say 'to catch up' or 'to update', but rarely 'to update oneself' unless speaking about software. 'Se mettre à jour' is more common in French than 'to update oneself' is in English.

Commonly used in French business news (Les Échos, BFM Business). Found in educational slogans like 'Se mettre à jour pour réussir'. Mentioned in tech podcasts like 'Le Rendez-vous Tech'.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Workplace

  • Se mettre à jour sur les logiciels
  • Se mettre à jour sur les procédures
  • Formation pour se mettre à jour
  • Se mettre à jour après un congé

Education

  • Se mettre à jour sur les cours
  • Se mettre à jour pour l'examen
  • Aider un ami à se mettre à jour
  • Se mettre à jour dans ses lectures

Social/News

  • Se mettre à jour sur l'actualité
  • Se mettre à jour sur les potins
  • Se mettre à jour sur une série
  • Se mettre à jour avec ses amis

Technology

  • Se mettre à jour sur les nouvelles technologies
  • Se mettre à jour informatiquement
  • Se mettre à jour sur l'IA
  • Se mettre à jour sur les applis

Legal/Admin

  • Se mettre à jour sur la loi
  • Se mettre à jour administrativement
  • Se mettre à jour sur les taxes
  • Se mettre à jour sur ses droits

Conversation Starters

"Comment fais-tu pour te mettre à jour sur l'actualité ?"

"Est-ce que tu penses qu'il est difficile de se mettre à jour avec les nouvelles technologies ?"

"Sur quel sujet aimerais-tu te mettre à jour cette semaine ?"

"Est-ce que ton entreprise t'aide à te mettre à jour professionnellement ?"

"Quand as-tu dû te mettre à jour pour la dernière fois après une longue absence ?"

Journal Prompts

Décris un domaine où tu as dû te mettre à jour récemment. Quelles étapes as-tu suivies ?

Pourquoi est-il important, selon toi, de se mettre à jour régulièrement dans le monde moderne ?

Imagine que tu reviens d'un voyage d'un an sans internet. Comment ferais-tu pour te mettre à jour ?

Quels sont les défis de se mettre à jour quand on a un emploi du temps très chargé ?

Réfléchis à une compétence que tu aimerais acquérir pour te mettre à jour professionnellement.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, for a computer or software, you use the non-reflexive 'mettre à jour'. For example: 'Je mets à jour mon ordinateur.' Use 'se mettre à jour' only when the person is the one learning or catching up.

Use 'sur' for a specific topic or subject (e.g., 'se mettre à jour sur la finance'). Use 'dans' for a workload or a field you are immersed in (e.g., 'se mettre à jour dans son travail' or 'dans ses études').

It is neutral and very common in professional settings. It is appropriate for office meetings, emails, and academic contexts. For very formal writing, you might use 'actualiser ses connaissances'.

While you can say 'Je dois me mettre à jour avec toi', it's more common to say 'On doit se donner des nouvelles' or 'On doit se raconter nos vies' in a social context.

Yes, because it uses the auxiliary 'être', the past participle agrees with the subject. 'Elle s'est mise à jour', 'Ils se sont mis à jour', 'Elles se sont mises à jour'.

Yes, it can be used in a financial context to mean 'to get current' on payments. 'Il s'est mis à jour dans ses cotisations' (He got current on his contributions).

The most common opposite is 'se laisser dépasser' (to let oneself be overtaken/outdated) or simply 'être en retard' (to be late/behind).

It is 'à jour'. 'Au jour' is part of the expression 'mettre au jour' (to bring to light), which is different. Always use 'à' for updating.

Yes! 'Je dois me mettre à jour sur la saison 4' is perfectly natural and common among friends.

No, it is a phrase consisting of three words. However, the noun form 'mise à jour' is often treated as a single concept.

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Test Yourself 180 questions

writing

Write: 'I must catch up on the news.'

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writing

Write: 'Update yourself!' (informal)

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writing

Write: 'She caught up yesterday.'

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writing

Write: 'We are catching up on the project.'

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writing

Write: 'He needs to update his skills.'

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writing

Write: 'It is time to catch up.'

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writing

Write: 'They (m) finally caught up.'

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writing

Write: 'I will catch up tomorrow.'

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writing

Write: 'Stop lagging, update yourself!'

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writing

Write: 'I update myself every week.'

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writing

Write: 'Have you (plural) caught up?'

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writing

Write: 'By catching up, I learned a lot.'

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writing

Write: 'She strives to catch up.'

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writing

Write: 'I am catching up in my emails.'

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writing

Write: 'They (f) had already caught up.'

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writing

Write: 'One must update oneself.'

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writing

Write: 'I am currently catching up.'

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writing

Write: 'Don't update yourself yet.'

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writing

Write: 'We caught up on the laws.'

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writing

Write: 'Catching up is necessary.'

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speaking

Pronounce: 'Je me mets à jour.'

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speaking

Pronounce: 'Mets-toi à jour !'

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speaking

Pronounce: 'Elle s'est mise à jour.'

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speaking

Pronounce: 'Nous nous sommes mis à jour.'

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speaking

Say: 'I need to catch up on the project.'

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speaking

Say: 'Are you updating yourself?'

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speaking

Say: 'We caught up yesterday.'

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speaking

Say: 'It is important to update oneself.'

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speaking

Say: 'I will update myself on the news.'

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speaking

Say: 'Get with the times!'

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speaking

Say: 'They (m) are catching up.'

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speaking

Say: 'I haven't caught up yet.'

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speaking

Say: 'She is catching up in her work.'

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speaking

Say: 'Could you help me catch up?'

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speaking

Say: 'I update myself every day.'

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speaking

Say: 'He had to catch up.'

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speaking

Say: 'By catching up, he succeeded.'

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speaking

Say: 'We should catch up soon.'

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speaking

Say: 'I am catching up on my reading.'

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speaking

Say: 'Update yourself on the new rules.'

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Je me mets à jour]

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Mets-toi à jour !]

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Elle s'est mise à jour]

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Il faut se mettre à jour]

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Nous nous mettons à jour]

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listening

Listen: 'Je me mets à jour sur le dossier.' What is being updated?

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listening

Listen: 'Mets-toi à jour sur TikTok.' What platform is mentioned?

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listening

Listen: 'On se met à jour demain.' When will they catch up?

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listening

Listen: 'Je me suis mis à jour hier soir.' When did it happen?

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listening

Listen: 'Il est important de se mettre à jour techniquement.' What kind of update?

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Tu devrais te mettre à jour]

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listening

Listen and write the phrase: [Audio: Ils se sont mis à jour]

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listening

Listen: 'Je me mets à jour dans mes mails.' What is the person doing?

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listening

Listen: 'Elle se met à jour sur la mode.' What is the topic?

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listening

Listen: 'On doit se mettre à jour mutuellement.' What is the goal?

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