French · Everyday Verbs
"to stay" in French: rester
rester
To stay in French is rester. Je reste à l'hôtel tonight; on reste ici means we're staying here. Don't confuse rester with the noun le reste.
Hotel night
Ce soir je reste à l'auberge.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce rester
Say it
res-TAY / zhuh REST
/ʁɛs.te/
Rester: res-TAY. Je reste: zhuh REST. Clear e in reste like short eh.
"to stay" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| rester | to stay Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je reste | I stay / I'm staying Everyday present. | Everyday present. |
| on reste | we stay Informal we. | Informal we. |
| rester à | to stay in/at Place: rester à Paris. | Place: rester à Paris. |
How to use rester in real life
- 1Hotel night
Ce soir je reste à l'auberge.
Tonight I'm staying at the inn.
Je reste + place.
- 2Party invitation
Tu peux rester encore une heure ?
Can you stay another hour?
Infinitive after modal.
- 3Rainy afternoon
On reste à la maison, il pleut trop.
We're staying home—it's raining too much.
On reste.
Mistakes English speakers make with rester
Incorrect: Je reste le restaurant.
Correct: Je reste au restaurant.
Use à/au for place; le restaurant alone is not the verb pattern.
Incorrect: Je suis rester.
Correct: Je reste.
Present is je reste, not être + infinitive.
Good to know
Rester covers staying put and overnight stays. Hotels ask vous restez combien de nuits ? For visiting a person, use rendre visite — not rester chez for a short visit unless you sleep there.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding whether to leave a café
ChatPal
On part, ou on reste encore ?
Shall we leave, or stay longer?
You
Je reste — mon café n'est pas fini.
I'm staying—my coffee isn't finished.
ChatPal
D'accord, je reste avec toi.
Okay, I'll stay with you.
You
Parfait, on commande un dessert ?
Perfect—shall we order a dessert?
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 stay" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to stay" in French
How do you say to stay in French?
Rester.
How do you say I'm staying?
Je reste.
Is le reste the same?
No — le reste means the rest (what's left).
How do you pronounce reste?
REST (short eh).
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
Keep reading
- Ordering Food in French: Essential Phrases for 2026Ordering food in french - Learn how to confidently order food in French with real-life phrases and tips for 2026 travelers
- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
