Common mistakes
Restituer or rendre: give back, make, or recreate?
Give an object back with rendre or restituer, then separate rendre service, rendre plus clair and restituer une atmosphère through examples and a quiz.
- B2
- 4 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
For giving something back, rendre is everyday and restituer is more formal: Elle rend les clés / Elle restitue les clés. Keep the full phrase for other meanings: rendre un texte plus clair means make it clearer, while restituer une atmosphère means recreate or convey an atmosphere.
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What is the difference between restituer and rendre?
- rendre un livrego back to a bookshopgive a book back
Je rends le livre à Inès demain.I’m giving the book back to Inès tomorrow.
The book goes from me to Inès. To say “I’m going back”, use a movement verb such as retourner.
- rendre servicereturn a service as an objectdo someone a favour; help
Tu me rends service en relisant ce message.You’re doing me a favour by proofreading this message.
Keep rendre service à quelqu’un as a whole phrase.
- rendre plus clairgive a clearer object backmake clearer
Cet exemple rend la règle plus claire.This example makes the rule clearer.
Rendre + object + adjective expresses a change or result.
- restituer une atmosphèregive physical air backrecreate or convey an atmosphere
Son récit restitue l’atmosphère de la soirée.Her account recreates the atmosphere of the evening.
Here the account conveys an impression. The object is an atmosphere, rather than borrowed property.
- Inès
Tu as encore mon dictionnaire ?
Have you still got my dictionary?
- Hugo
Oui. Je te le rends maintenant. Merci de me l’avoir prêté.
Yes. I’ll give it back to you now. Thanks for lending it to me.
- Inès
Et les clés de la salle ?
And the room keys?
- Hugo
Je les ai rendues à l’accueil.
I gave them back at reception.
In a written summary, the last answer could become Les clés ont été restituées à l’accueil. The handover stays the same; the wording becomes more formal. In Hugo’s sentence, rendues agrees with the preceding object les, which stands for feminine plural les clés.
What are you giving back?
Find:
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| rendre / restituer + objet + à | Elle restitue le sac à Hugo. | Give it back to Hugo. |
| rendre + objet + adjectif | La lumière rend la pièce agréable. | Make the room pleasant. |
| rendre service à | Elle rend service à Hugo. | Do Hugo a favour. |
| restituer + impression | Le texte restitue une ambiance joyeuse. | Convey a cheerful atmosphere. |