À la rentrée

À la rentrée !
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French Expression

Meaning See you in September!
Literally Until the return!
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Pronunciation French sound files [ah lah ra(n) tray]
IPA   [a la ʀã tʀe]

Usage notes: As anyone who’s ever been to France in late summer knows, the month of August isn’t the best time to visit. Schools and clubs are en congé, the government is all but shut down, and many businesses are closed. It’s family vacation time, when students, club members, and many employees know that they won’t be seeing each other for a while, so they use a special valediction: à la rentrée, which can be loosely translated as "see you in September."

Many cultures have "back to school" sales and activities, but la rentrée is much more than that – it marks the entire country’s return to normalcy after the summer break. It’s time to go not only back to school but also to work, as well as catch up with friends and clubs and choirs and teams. La rentrée refers to returning home and getting back to real life, and à la rentrée is a quick and easy way to say "good-bye, have a great vacation, see you in September!"

Par exemple…

Au revoir, Solange ! À la rentrée !   Bye, Solange! See you in September!

Somewhat synonymous: bonnes vacances

À la rentrée can also be used to talk about something that will happen during la rentrée.

Par exemple…

Je le ferai à la rentrée.   I’ll do it in September / after the summer break.

Somewhat synonymous: en septembre

Related expressions

  • les affaires de la rentrée – back-to-school deals/sales
  • la mode de la rentrée – autumn fashions
  • la rentrée de Noël – start of the new term after Christmas
  • la rentrée des classes – start of the new school year
  • la rentrée des théâtres – start of the theatrical season
  • la rentrée littéraire – start of the literary season
  • la rentrée parlementaire – start of the new session of parliament
  • la rentrée politique – start of the new political season
  • la rentrée scolaire – start of the new school year
  • la rentrée universitaire – start of the new school year/term

French listening comprehension Listening comprehension

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A la rentrée

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