rendre in literary & formal French

« rendre » — jump to your level:A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Native

Homage, verdicts and accounts.

Rendre in formal French

Formal French is full of this verb: rendre hommage à (to pay tribute), rendre un verdict, rendre des comptes (to be accountable), rendre publique (to make public). Each is fixed.

The construction rendre + adjective also survives formally: « rendre obligatoire », « rendre caduc ». Administrative French uses it constantly to describe what a decree does.

💡 Focus at this level: Literary & formal

👨‍🏫 How to use « rendre » at this level

1. « Rendre hommage à » for tributes.

2. « Rendre des comptes » = to be accountable.

3. Recognise « il rendit ». Past historic of an -RE verb.

Le tribunal a rendu son verdict.The court delivered its verdict.

Nous rendons hommage aux victimes.We pay tribute to the victims.

Il doit rendre des comptes.He has to answer for it.

La loi rend la mesure obligatoire.The law makes the measure compulsory.

🎮 Practise « rendre »

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