How do French people make plans with friends (if it’s not “prenons rendez-vous”)?
- Violaine Germain
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
There’s classroom French, and then there’s what actually lives on a phone screen between two metro stops. If you’re learning French in Paris or keeping up with francophone friends from abroad, you’ve likely felt the gap: the manual offers prenons rendez-vous; your intuition knows that’s for the prefecture, not for Thursday drinks. So how do French people make plans with friends—and sound warm, brief, and unmistakably natural?
The answer isn’t a rare verb. It’s a rhythm.
How do French people make plans with friends: the two-step rhythm
Friendly plans in French tend to unfold in two quick moves.
Availability — ask if they’re free. Libre demain ? · T’es dispo jeudi ? Tu fais quoi ce soir ?
The pin — offer a concrete time/place.On se retrouve à 19 h ? · Un café vers 15 h ? · On se dit samedi après-midi ?
That’s the choreography. Short questions, one decision per line. This is how to ask to meet in French without the bureaucratic aftertaste.
How do French people make plans with friends without sounding formal
Native speakers don’t usually announce “Prenons rendez-vous.” They start making them. Core lines that travel well:
Tu es libre ce week-end ? — (the dependable answer to how to say “are you free” in French)
T’es dispo mardi ?
On se voit cette semaine ?
On déjeune bientôt ? (so Parisian)
Dis-moi quand t’es dispo.
Each is light, friendly, and free of admin verbs. They’re the backbone of French texting with friends.
Note: eh bien softens speech nicely in conversation, but reads stiff in messages. Keep it for voice, not WhatsApp.
How do French people make plans with friends in texts (openers and closers)
A quietly Parisian trick is to open casual and close with a touch of elegance.
Openers
Coucou · Salut (and, yes, Hello + prénom is common in cities)
Closers
Je me réjouis ! · Avec plaisir. · Hâte de te voir !
Copy-ready examples:
Coucou Zoé, on déjeune bientôt ? Jeudi ou vendredi ? Je me réjouis !
Salut Thomas, t’es dispo jeudi vers 18 h ? On se retrouve à Odéon ?
Quel plaisir d’avoir de tes nouvelles ! On se voit bientôt ?
How do French people make plans with friends—and when “prenons rendez-vous” belongs
Keep prenons rendez-vous for formal or professional contexts; avoid it with friends.
Formal / professional
Merci pour votre message. Prenons rendez-vous la semaine prochaine.
Je vous propose que nous prenions rendez-vous afin d’avancer sur le dossier.
Friendly / informal
On se voit cette semaine ? · On déjeune vendredi ? · On se retrouve à 19 h ? Un apéro bientôt?
That nuance keeps your tone warm with friends and properly polished at work.
How do French people make plans with friends when they need to be decisive
Offer a binary choice, then pin the plan. It’s efficient without sounding pushy.
Mardi ou jeudi ?
Chez moi ou chez toi ?
Café ou verre ?
On se dit 18 h 30, devant la mairie ?
Two taps, plan locked.
How do French people make plans with friends and stay current (skip fast-aging slang)
Age, city, and circle shift the code. A teenager doesn’t sound like a thirty-something; a Parisian doesn’t sound like someone from Marseille. Slang burns fast—fashionable in spring, dated by autumn. The durable strategy is simple: pair clean, correct French with universally familiar phrasing. You’ll sound natural now—and six months from now.
How do French people make plans with friends: copy-ready messages (by register)
Friend (light + warm)
Coucou Jeanne, on déjeune bientôt ? Mercredi 12 h 45 près de République, ça t’irait ? Je me réjouis !
Colleague you like (semi-formal)
Bonjour Alex, un déjeuner cette semaine vous conviendrait-il ? Jeudi midi éventuel ?
Formal / professional (this is where “prenons rendez-vous” lives)
Bonjour Madame, je vous propose que nous prenions rendez-vous la semaine prochaine. Quelles sont vos disponibilités ?
These examples map the spectrum of tone—how French people make plans with friends versus with clients or institutions.
How do French people make plans with friends: the quiet takeaway
If you’re learning French in Paris, watch a plan take shape the way a text thread does on Line 8: one line to check dispo, one line to pin time and place, and a last line that leaves a trace of warmth.
That’s how do French people make plans with friends without announcing it. They don’t reach for ceremony; they reach for clarity.
If you want a single template to carry in your pocket, make it this:Coucou [prénom], on se voit cette semaine ? Jeudi 18 h te va ? Je me réjouis !
Two taps, a place, a promise. On y va !
Comments