French · Everyday Verbs
"to arrive" in French: arriver
arriver
To arrive in French is arriver. Present forms include j'arrive, tu arrives, il/elle arrive, nous arrivons. Arriver à means to arrive at a place. On arrive ! signals you're almost there.
Texting from the metro
J'arrive dans cinq minutes.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce arriver
Say it
ah-ree-VAY
/a.ʁi.ve/
ah-ree-VAY. Arrive is ah-REEV. Arrivons is ah-ree-VOHN. Soft French r.
"to arrive" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| arriver | to arrive Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'arrive / tu arrives | I arrive / you arrive Present; also I'm on my way. | Present; also I'm on my way. |
| on arrive | we're arriving / almost there Texting and doorways. | Texting and doorways. |
| arriver à | to arrive at Place. | Place. |
How to use arriver in real life
- 1Texting from the metro
J'arrive dans cinq minutes.
I'll arrive in five minutes.
J'arrive.
- 2Airport pickup
Son vol arrive à vingt-deux heures.
Her flight arrives at ten p.m.
Arrive for third person.
- 3Meeting point
Nous arrivons devant la gare.
We're arriving in front of the station.
Arrivons.
Mistakes English speakers make with arriver
Incorrect: J'arriver à Paris demain.
Correct: J'arrive à Paris demain.
Conjugate: j'arrive.
Incorrect: Je suis arrive hier.
Correct: Je suis arrivé hier. / Je suis arrivée hier.
Past participle needs the accent: arrivé/arrivée, and agree for gender.
Good to know
French texts are full of J'arrive ! when someone is en route. Station boards use arrive / arrivé for train status.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a café
ChatPal
Tu arrives bientôt ?
Are you arriving soon?
You
Oui, j'arrive, je suis au coin de la rue.
Yes, I'm arriving; I'm at the corner.
ChatPal
Je commande déjà ?
Shall I order already?
You
Oui, un café pour moi.
Yes, a coffee for me.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to arrive" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to arrive" in French
How do you say to arrive in French?
Arriver.
What does j'arrive mean?
I'm arriving / I'm on my way.
Arriver à or arriver en?
Arriver à + city/place is common; arriver en + feminine country also appears.
How do you pronounce arriver?
ah-ree-VAY.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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