French · Everyday Verbs
"to wait" in French: attendre
attendre
To wait in French is attendre. J'attends means I wait / I'm waiting. Attends ! means wait! Attendre quelqu'un is to wait for someone—no extra for.
Bus stop
J'attends le bus depuis dix minutes.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce attendre
Say it
ah-TAHN-druh
/a.tɑ̃dʁ/
ah-TAHN-druh. Nasal an; soft dr.
"to wait" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| attendre | to wait / wait for Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'attends / tu attends | I wait / you wait Present. | Present. |
| attendu(e) | waited / expected Past participle. | Past participle. |
| salle d'attente | waiting room Related noun. | Related noun. |
How to use attendre in real life
- 1Bus stop
J'attends le bus depuis dix minutes.
I've been waiting for the bus for ten minutes.
Attendre + direct object.
- 2Impatient friend
Attends ! J'arrive.
Wait! I'm coming.
Imperative attends.
- 3Restaurant
On attend une table pour deux.
We're waiting for a table for two.
On attend.
Mistakes English speakers make with attendre
Incorrect: J'attends pour le bus.
Correct: J'attends le bus.
Attendre takes a direct object; no pour for the thing waited for.
Incorrect: Je wait ici.
Correct: J'attends ici.
Use attendre.
Good to know
French queues still use attendre son tour. Attends une seconde is everyday. English for after wait does not map: attendre le train, not attendre pour le train.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a café
ChatPal
Tu m'attends devant le café ?
Will you wait for me in front of the café?
You
Oui, j'attends sous l'auvent.
Yes, I'll wait under the awning.
ChatPal
Super. N'attends pas sous la pluie.
Great. Don't wait in the rain.
You
OK. À tout de suite.
OK. See you in a bit.
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 wait" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wait" in French
How do I say I wait?
J'attends.
How do I say wait for the bus?
Attendre le bus (no pour).
How do I say wait!?
Attends ! (tu) / Attendez ! (vous).
What is salle d'attente?
Waiting room.
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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