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Se barrer or partir: eight questions on leaving in French

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Practise se barrer and partir with eight questions on tone, reflexive pronouns and past forms. Compare a friendly departure with a neutral work farewell.

In short

Se barrer is very informal French for leaving: Je me barre means “I’m off” or “I’m leaving”. Partir is neutral: Je pars. Among friends, On se barre ? can suggest leaving together; Barre-toi ! is a blunt “Get lost!”

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Après le film
  1. Hugo

    On se barre ? Le dernier bus passe dans dix minutes.

    Shall we head off? The last bus comes in ten minutes.

  2. Inès

    Oui, j’attrape mon manteau. Tu as ton sac ?

    Yes, I’ll grab my coat. Have you got your bag?

  3. Hugo

    Oui, et mon ticket. On y va.

    Yes, and my ticket. Let’s go.

Hugo gives a practical reason: the last bus. Between these friends, the question proposes leaving together. At work, Je pars, à demain ! gives a neutral farewell. The imperative Barre-toi ! tells another person to go away and can sound hostile. The question, statement and command do different jobs.

Ready to leave

Study first: two ways to describe leaving
PersonFamiliarNeutral
jeje me barreje pars
nousnous nous barronsnous partons
elle, au passéelle s’est barréeelle est partie

Keep the reflexive pronoun in se barrer. Bare barrer has other meanings: barrer un mot is to cross out a word. For a departure point, use de: partir de la gare. For a destination, pour works in partir pour Lyon. These details describe the trip; the informal verb supplies the tone.

  1. Question 1No account needed
    Which line says “I’m off” in very informal French?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je me barre.. Je me barre contains the reflexive pronoun and means I’m leaving.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    You are saying goodbye to colleagues in a neutral tone. Choose the best fit.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je pars, à demain !. Je pars, à demain ! gives a neutral departure and a friendly goodbye.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Complete the present form.Nous nous ___ après le film.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    barrons. With nous, the verb takes -ons: nous nous barrons.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Choose the correct past form for Inès.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Inès s’est barrée.. The pronominal verb uses être and the participle agrees with Inès: barrée.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    What makes Hugo leave soon in the scene?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    The last bus is coming soon.. Hugo mentions the last bus in ten minutes; that is his stated reason.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    What does bare barrer mean here?Elle barre un mot dans son message.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Cross out.. Barrer un mot means cross out a word. The leaving expression is se barrer.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Which sentence names the departure point?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je pars de Lyon.. De Lyon names where the journey starts; pour Lyon gives its destination.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Which line bluntly tells someone else to go away?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Barre-toi !. The imperative Barre-toi ! addresses another person directly and can be harsh.

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