What does arriver in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word arriver in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use arriver in French.

The word arriver in French means arrive at, come, approach, come, happen to, happen, occur, get closer, reach, manage to do, reach, come to, sometimes do, arrive safe and sound, reach your destination, elapse, expire, expire, be fast approaching, manage to make ends meet, reach maturity, reach saturation point, achieve your aims, expire, come to an end, come to full term, come to a conclusion, miss the action, be the very last to arrive, turn up like clockwork, come at the worst possible moment, arrive like a bull in a china-shop, arrive last, arrive early, arrive in force, arrive in numbers, arrive late, come to, come to the conclusion that, it is possible that, cannot do, cannot hold a candle to, be timely, manage to do it. To learn more, please see the details below.

Listen to pronunciation

Meaning of the word arriver

arrive at

verbe intransitif (parvenir à destination) (place)

Nous arriverons à l'hôtel à 2 h.

We'll arrive at the hotel at 2 o'clock.

come

verbe intransitif (venir)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

Les touristes mexicains arrivent demain matin. Attends-moi, j'arrive !

The Mexican tourists arrive tomorrow morning.

approach

verbe intransitif (approcher de [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")

Le jeune homme arrivait vers moi d'un pas nonchalant.

The young man approached me at a leisurely pace.

come

verbe intransitif (parvenir à [qqn])

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

Une odeur de brûlé arrivait de la cuisine.

A burning smell reached us from the kitchen.

happen to

(survenir, se produire)

Il est arrivé une drôle d'histoire à Mathieu. Toi aussi tu as marché dans une crotte de chien ce matin ? Moi, ça m'est arrivé la semaine dernière.

happen, occur

verbe intransitif (se produire)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

Ce phénomène arrive une fois par siècle.

This phenomenon occurs once in every century.

get closer

verbe intransitif (être imminent)

Super, les vacances arrivent ! Le jour du mariage arrive à grands pas.

Excellent! The holidays are nearly here!

reach

(parvenir à un certain niveau)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")

Cet athlète a dû s'entraîner dur pour arriver à un tel niveau.

That athlete must have trained hard to reach that level.

manage to do

locution verbale (parvenir à faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

J'arrive enfin à bien prononcer l'espagnol.

I'm finally managing to pronounce Spanish properly.

reach

verbe intransitif (parvenir à un état)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")

Son grand-père est arrivé centenaire.

His grandfather has reached one hundred.

come to

(aborder : un sujet,...)

Nous arrivons à la question des licenciements. Et maintenant, j'en arrive à la question des primes.

Now I'm getting to the matter of bonuses.

sometimes do

(faire parfois [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Il m'arrive de me dire que mon travail est utile.

I sometimes think to myself that the work I do is useful.

arrive safe and sound

locution verbale (figuré (parvenir à destination sans encombre)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

reach your destination

locution verbale (arriver au lieu prévu)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

elapse, expire

verbe intransitif (s'approcher de la fin) (deadline)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

expire

locution verbale (n'être bientôt plus valide)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

be fast approaching

locution verbale (figuré (temps : se rapprocher très vite)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

manage to make ends meet

locution verbale (gagner assez d'argent)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

reach maturity

locution verbale (être prêt à être consommé)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

reach saturation point

locution verbale (figuré (ne plus en pouvoir, en avoir marre)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

L'employé chargé du travail de ses collègues, partis en vacances, arrivera à saturation.

achieve your aims

locution verbale (réussir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

expire, come to an end

locution verbale (se terminer)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

come to full term

locution verbale (naissance : après 9 mois de grossesse) (pregnancy)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

come to a conclusion

locution verbale (conclure)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

miss the action

locution verbale (figuré (se manifester trop tard)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

be the very last to arrive

locution verbale (venir après tout le monde)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Ils sont arrivés bons derniers au marathon, mais ils étaient très heureux de leur course.

turn up like clockwork

locution verbale (être inéluctable)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

come at the worst possible moment

locution verbale (figuré (être inattendu)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

Cette remarque arrive un peu comme un cheveu sur la soupe.

arrive like a bull in a china-shop

locution verbale (figuré (être mal reçu) (colloquial)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

arrive last

locution verbale (venir après tout le monde)

Je suis arrivée dernière, ils allaient trop vite.

arrive early

locution verbale (arriver plus tôt)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

arrive in force, arrive in numbers

locution verbale (venir en grand nombre)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Vu l'importance de l'évènement, la police arrivera en force pour éviter tout débordement.

arrive late

locution verbale (arriver plus tard)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")

come to

(finir par faire [qch])

(phrasal verb, transitive, inseparable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, not divisible--for example,"go with" [=combine nicely]: "Those red shoes don't go with my dress." NOT [S]"Those red shoes don't go my dress with."[/S])

J'en arrive à penser que cette expression est impossible à traduire.

I am coming to think that this expression is impossible to translate.

come to the conclusion that

locution conjonction (finir par conclure que)

it is possible that

(il est possible que)

cannot do

(ne pas réussir à)

Je n'arrive pas à me concentrer.

cannot hold a candle to

locution verbale (être bien moins bon que [qqn]) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Notre nouveau chef n'arrive pas à la cheville du précédent.

be timely

locution verbale (arriver au bon moment)

manage to do it

locution verbale (parvenir à faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of arriver in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

Related words of arriver

What does aboutir in French mean?

What does accoster in French mean?

What does advenir in French mean?

What does advienne que pourra in French mean?

What does amener in French mean?

What does approvisionnement in French mean?

What does appui in French mean?

What does appuyer in French mean?

What does après in French mean?

What does argent in French mean?