French · Everyday Verbs
"to rest" in French: se reposer
se reposer
To rest in French is se reposer. Je me repose means I rest / I'm resting. Le repos is the noun rest — use the reflexive verb here.
After a hike
On s'assoit — je me repose cinq minutes.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce se reposer
Say it
suh ruh-poh-ZAY
/sə ʁə.po.ze/
Se reposer: suh ruh-poh-ZAY. Je me repose: zhuh muh ruh-POHZ. Soft final e.
"to rest" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| se reposer | to rest Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je me repose | I rest / I'm resting Present. | Present. |
| repose-toi | rest (imperative) Advice. | Advice. |
| se reposer un peu | to rest a bit Soft break. | Soft break. |
How to use se reposer in real life
- 1After a hike
On s'assoit — je me repose cinq minutes.
We sit—I'm resting five minutes.
Je me repose.
- 2Sick day
Aujourd'hui je me repose à la maison.
Today I'm resting at home.
Full day rest.
- 3Advice to a friend
Tu travailles trop. Repose-toi ce weekend.
You work too much. Rest this weekend.
Imperative.
Mistakes English speakers make with se reposer
Incorrect: Je repose maintenant.
Correct: Je me repose maintenant.
Keep the reflexive me.
Incorrect: Je prends le repos — only the noun.
Correct: Je me repose.
Le repos is the noun; use se reposer for the verb.
Good to know
Dimanche after-lunch se reposer is a cultural classic. Offices still value a real pause midi. Repose-toi is warm advice after illness or burnout talk.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After moving furniture
ChatPal
Stop. On se repose un peu ?
Stop. Shall we rest a bit?
You
Oui — je me repose sur le canapé.
Yes—I'm resting on the sofa.
ChatPal
Moi aussi je me repose. L'eau est dans le frigo.
I'm resting too. Water's in the fridge.
You
Parfait. On reprend dans dix minutes.
Perfect. We'll continue in ten minutes.
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 rest" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to rest" in French
How do you say to rest in French?
Se reposer.
How do you say I rest?
Je me repose.
What is le repos?
The noun rest — different from the verb.
How do you say rest! ?
Repose-toi !
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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