Type of prefix: verbal*
The French prefix re- can be added to hundreds if not thousands of verbs to make new verbs. Depending on the first letter of the word it's added to, re- has a few variations, and it also has some different meanings.
Re- and its variants
Re-
In general, re- is added to verbs that begin with a consonant or h aspiré:
remarier - to remarry
(added to marier - to marry)
rehausser - to heighten
(added to hausser - to raise)
Res-
Re- often changes to res- in front of a verb starting with s:
ressortir - to go out again
(added to sortir - to go out)
ressembler - to resemble
(added to sembler - to seem)
Ré- and r-
In front of a vowel or h muet, re- either takes on an accent (this is particularly common for Latin-based words) or contracts to r-. For some verbs, both spellings exist.
réapparaître - to reappear
(added to apparaître - to appear)
réélire - to re-elect
(added to élire - to elect)
rentrer - to return home
(added to entrer - to enter)
rhabiller - to dress again
(added to habiller - to dress)
récrire, réécrire - to rewrite
(added to écrire - to write)
Meanings of re- (and its variants)
1. To redo, to do again
rouvrir - to reopen
(added to ouvrir - to open)
ressaisir - to seize again
(added to saisir - to seize)
2. To go back to a previous location, condition, or state of being
revenir - to come back
(added to venir - to come)
réhabituer - to reaccustom (someone to something)
(added to habituer - to accustom [someone to something])
3. To emphasize or reinforce a verb.
redoubler - to increase, redouble
(added to doubler - to double)
remercier - to thank
(added to mercier (archaic) - to thank
Note Because the prefix re- has more than one possible meaning, some verbs do too - and sometimes they even have new meanings unrelated to the root verb:
rappeler - to call back, to call again; to recall, remember
(added to appeler - to call)
renvoyer - to send back, to send again; to fire, dismiss
(added to envoyer - to send)
rejoindre - to get back to, rejoin, reunite; to join (an organization)
(added to joindre - to link, combine, to join [two things together]; to contact)
Pronunciation notes:
- The e in both re- and res- is pronounced [ə] (as a schwa or e muet).
- Ré- is pronounced [re] (rhymes with né)
*I'll address re as a nominal prefix in a future lesson.
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