How To Say On In French

Learning a new language can be exciting, especially when you begin with common words. In French, “on” is a simple yet powerful word used in everyday conversations. Understanding how to use it correctly can help you speak more naturally.

In this article, you will learn how to say “on” in French, explore its meanings, discover similar expressions, and practice with exercises. By the end, you will feel more confident using this important word in real-life conversations.

Ways to Say “On” in French

The word “on” in French is versatile and commonly used in conversation. It can mean “we,” “one,” or even “people” depending on the context. Below are different ways to say and use “on” in French, along with their meanings and example sentences.

1. On (awn)

Meaning: Used as “we,” “one,” or “people” in general.
In a Sentence:

On va au cinéma ce soir. (We are going to the movies tonight.)
En France, on mange beaucoup de fromage. (In France, people eat a lot of cheese.)

2. Nous (noo)

Meaning: Formal version of “we.”
In a Sentence:

Nous allons à la plage demain. (We are going to the beach tomorrow.)
Nous aimons les chiens. (We love dogs.)

3. Quelqu’un (kel-kan)

Meaning: Someone or somebody.
In a Sentence:

Quelqu’un frappe à la porte. (Someone is knocking at the door.)
J’attends quelqu’un. (I’m waiting for someone.)

4. Chacun(e) (sha-kan)

Meaning: Each one or everyone.
In a Sentence:

Chacun a son avis. (Everyone has their own opinion.)
Chacune des filles est gentille. (Each of the girls is nice.)

5. Tout le monde (too luh mond)

Meaning: Everyone or everybody.
In a Sentence:

Tout le monde est prêt pour le voyage. (Everyone is ready for the trip.)
Tout le monde aime cette chanson. (Everyone loves this song.)

6. Quelque part (kel-kuh par)

Meaning: Somewhere.
In a Sentence:

Il doit être quelque part ici. (He must be somewhere here.)
Allons quelque part tranquille. (Let’s go somewhere quiet.)

7. N’importe qui (nahm-port kee)

Meaning: Anyone.
In a Sentence:

N’importe qui peut participer au jeu. (Anyone can join the game.)
Je ne parle pas à n’importe qui. (I don’t talk to just anyone.)

8. N’importe où (nahm-port oo)

Meaning: Anywhere.
In a Sentence:

Tu peux t’asseoir n’importe où. (You can sit anywhere.)
Je voyagerais n’importe où avec toi. (I would travel anywhere with you.)

9. Quelqu’un de spécial (kel-kan duh spay-see-al)

Meaning: Someone special.
In a Sentence:

Elle est quelqu’un de spécial pour moi. (She is someone special to me.)
Il cherche quelqu’un de spécial dans sa vie. (He is looking for someone special in his life.)

10. On y va (awn ee vah)

Meaning: Let’s go.
In a Sentence:

On y va au parc maintenant! (Let’s go to the park now!)
On y va avant qu’il pleuve. (Let’s go before it rains.)

11. On se voit (awn suh vwah)

Meaning: See each other.
In a Sentence:

On se voit demain? (Shall we see each other tomorrow?)
On se voit après l’école. (We’ll see each other after school.)

12. On mange (awn mahnj)

Meaning: We eat.
In a Sentence:

On mange à midi. (We eat at noon.)
On mange ensemble ce soir. (We are eating together tonight.)

13. On parle (awn parl)

Meaning: We talk or people talk.
In a Sentence:

On parle de toi! (We are talking about you!)
On parle souvent de ses voyages. (People often talk about his trips.)

14. On peut (awn puh)

Meaning: We can or one can.
In a Sentence:

On peut visiter le musée demain. (We can visit the museum tomorrow.)
On peut apprendre beaucoup ici. (One can learn a lot here.)

15. On doit (awn dwah)

Meaning: We must or one must.
In a Sentence:

On doit finir les devoirs. (We must finish the homework.)
On doit respecter les règles. (One must respect the rules.)

16. On va (awn vah)

Meaning: We go or one goes.
In a Sentence:

On va à l’école à pied. (We go to school on foot.)
On va souvent au parc le dimanche. (People often go to the park on Sundays.)

17. On fait (awn feh)

Meaning: We do or one does.
In a Sentence:

On fait du sport le week-end. (We play sports on weekends.)
On fait des courses le samedi. (People go shopping on Saturdays.)

18. On prend (awn prahn)

Meaning: We take or one takes.
In a Sentence:

On prend le bus pour aller en ville. (We take the bus to go downtown.)
On prend un café après le déjeuner. (People have coffee after lunch.)

19. On dit (awn dee)

Meaning: We say or one says.
In a Sentence:

On dit que le temps va changer. (They say the weather will change.)
On dit bonjour à tout le monde. (We say hello to everyone.)

20. On pense (awn pahns)

Meaning: We think or one thinks.
In a Sentence:

On pense souvent à ses vacances. (We often think about our vacation.)
On pense que c’est une bonne idée. (People think it’s a good idea.)

21. On travaille (awn trah-vai)

Meaning: We work or one works.
In a Sentence:

On travaille dur avant les examens. (We work hard before exams.)
On travaille ensemble sur ce projet. (People work together on this project.)

22. On arrive (awn ah-reev)

Meaning: We arrive or one arrives.
In a Sentence:

On arrive bientôt à la gare. (We are arriving at the station soon.)
On arrive toujours à l’heure. (People always arrive on time.)

23. On écoute (awn ay-koot)

Meaning: We listen or one listens.
In a Sentence:

On écoute la radio le matin. (We listen to the radio in the morning.)
On écoute attentivement le professeur. (People listen carefully to the teacher.)

24. On regarde (awn ruh-gard)

Meaning: We watch or one watches.
In a Sentence:

On regarde un film ce soir. (We are watching a movie tonight.)
On regarde souvent des documentaires. (People often watch documentaries.)

25. On joue (awn joo)

Meaning: We play or one plays.
In a Sentence:

On joue au football après l’école. (We play soccer after school.)
On joue ensemble le week-end. (People play together on the weekend.)

26. On apprend (awn ah-prahn)

Meaning: We learn or one learns.
In a Sentence:

On apprend le français à l’école. (We learn French at school.)
On apprend beaucoup en voyageant. (One learns a lot by traveling.)

27. On visite (awn vee-zeet)

Meaning: We visit or one visits.
In a Sentence:

On visite le musée cet après-midi. (We are visiting the museum this afternoon.)
On visite souvent nos grands-parents. (People often visit their grandparents.)

28. On étudie (awn ay-too-dee)

Meaning: We study or one studies.
In a Sentence:

On étudie pour l’examen de mathématiques. (We are studying for the math exam.)
On étudie toujours avant un test important. (People always study before a big test.)

29. On célèbre (awn seh-leh-bruh)

Meaning: We celebrate or one celebrates.
In a Sentence:

On célèbre Noël en famille. (We celebrate Christmas with family.)
On célèbre les anniversaires avec des amis. (People celebrate birthdays with friends.)

30. On espère (awn es-pehr)

Meaning: We hope or one hopes.
In a Sentence:

On espère avoir du beau temps demain. (We hope for good weather tomorrow.)
On espère réussir à l’examen. (One hopes to pass the exam.)

Other Ways to Say “On” in French

Here’s a table of other ways to express “on” in French, along with their meanings and examples:

Other Ways to Say	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentences
Chacun(e)	sha-kan	Each one, everyone	Chacun a une chance. (Everyone has a chance.)
Tout le monde	too luh mond	Everyone	Tout le monde est là. (Everyone is here.)
N’importe qui	nahm-port kee	Anyone	N’importe qui peut venir. (Anyone can come.)
Nous	noo	We (formal)	Nous allons au marché. (We are going to the market.)
Quelqu’un	kel-kan	Someone, somebody	Quelqu’un a téléphoné. (Someone called.)
N’importe où	nahm-port oo	Anywhere	Tu peux aller n’importe où. (You can go anywhere.)
On y va	awn ee vah	Let’s go	On y va maintenant! (Let’s go now!)
On se voit	awn suh vwah	See each other	On se voit demain. (We’ll see each other tomorrow.)
On peut	awn puh	We can, one can	On peut essayer encore. (We can try again.)
On doit	awn dwah	We must, one must	On doit partir bientôt. (We must leave soon.)

Responses to “On” in French

When someone uses “on” in French, you can respond in different ways based on the context. Here are some common responses:

1. Oui, bien sûr (wee, byan soor)

Meaning: Yes, of course.
In a Sentence:

On peut venir à la fête? (Can we come to the party?)
Oui, bien sûr. (Yes, of course.)

2. Pas de problème (pah duh proh-blem)

Meaning: No problem.
In a Sentence:

On peut emprunter ton livre? (Can we borrow your book?)
Pas de problème. (No problem.)

3. D’accord (dah-kor)

Meaning: Okay, agreed.
In a Sentence:

On va au cinéma ce soir? (Shall we go to the movies tonight?)
D’accord! (Okay!)

4. Je ne sais pas (zhuh nuh say pah)

Meaning: I don’t know.
In a Sentence:

On peut réussir cet examen? (Can we pass this exam?)
Je ne sais pas. (I don’t know.)

5. Peut-être (puh-teh-truh)

Meaning: Maybe.
In a Sentence:

On va gagner le match? (Will we win the game?)
Peut-être. (Maybe.)

6. Pourquoi pas? (poor-kwah pah)

Meaning: Why not?
In a Sentence:

On peut partir maintenant? (Can we leave now?)
Pourquoi pas? (Why not?)

7. C’est une bonne idée (say oon bon ee-day)

Meaning: That’s a good idea.
In a Sentence:

On devrait faire un pique-nique. (We should have a picnic.)
C’est une bonne idée! (That’s a good idea!)

8. Non, désolé(e) (non, day-zoh-lay)

Meaning: No, sorry.
In a Sentence:

On peut emprunter ta voiture? (Can we borrow your car?)
Non, désolé. (No, sorry.)

9. Avec plaisir (ah-vek pleh-zeer)

Meaning: With pleasure.
In a Sentence:

On peut venir dîner chez toi? (Can we come to dinner at your place?)
Avec plaisir! (With pleasure!)

10. Je suis d’accord (zhuh swee dah-kor)

Meaning: I agree.
In a Sentence:

On devrait partir plus tôt. (We should leave earlier.)
Je suis d’accord. (I agree.)

11. Bien sûr que oui (byan soor kuh wee)

Meaning: Of course, yes.
In a Sentence:

On peut rester plus longtemps? (Can we stay longer?)
Bien sûr que oui! (Of course, yes!)

12. Absolument (ab-so-lu-mahn)

Meaning: Absolutely.
In a Sentence:

On doit terminer ce projet aujourd’hui? (Do we have to finish this project today?)
Absolument! (Absolutely!)

13. Ça dépend (sah day-pahn)

Meaning: It depends.
In a Sentence:

On peut aller à la plage ce week-end? (Can we go to the beach this weekend?)
Ça dépend du temps. (It depends on the weather.)

14. Je pense que oui (zhuh pahns kuh wee)

Meaning: I think so.
In a Sentence:

On aura assez de temps? (Will we have enough time?)
Je pense que oui. (I think so.)

15. Je crois que non (zhuh krwah kuh non)

Meaning: I don’t think so.
In a Sentence:

On peut finir avant midi? (Can we finish before noon?)
Je crois que non. (I don’t think so.)

Exercise to Practice “On” in French

Complete the sentences below by filling in the blanks with the correct form of “on” in French from the previous sections. The sentences reflect real-life situations to make learning easier.

Fill-in-the-Blanks

_______ va au parc après l’école. (We are going to the park after school.)
_______ peut regarder un film ce soir. (We can watch a movie tonight.)
_______ doit faire les devoirs avant de sortir. (We must do homework before going out.)
_______ écoute de la musique en voiture. (We listen to music in the car.)
_______ joue au basketball le week-end. (We play basketball on weekends.)
_______ arrive à l’heure pour le dîner. (We arrive on time for dinner.)
_______ parle souvent de nos vacances. (We often talk about our vacations.)
_______ travaille dur pour réussir l’examen. (We work hard to pass the exam.)
_______ espère avoir de bonnes notes. (We hope to get good grades.)
_______ visite le musée le samedi matin. (We visit the museum on Saturday morning.)
_______ célèbre les fêtes avec la famille. (We celebrate holidays with family.)
_______ apprend le français à l’école. (We learn French at school.)

Answers

On va au parc après l’école. (We are going to the park after school.)
On peut regarder un film ce soir. (We can watch a movie tonight.)
On doit faire les devoirs avant de sortir. (We must do homework before going out.)
On écoute de la musique en voiture. (We listen to music in the car.)
On joue au basketball le week-end. (We play basketball on weekends.)
On arrive à l’heure pour le dîner. (We arrive on time for dinner.)
On parle souvent de nos vacances. (We often talk about our vacations.)
On travaille dur pour réussir l’examen. (We work hard to pass the exam.)
On espère avoir de bonnes notes. (We hope to get good grades.)
On visite le musée le samedi matin. (We visit the museum on Saturday morning.)
On célèbre les fêtes avec la famille. (We celebrate holidays with family.)
On apprend le français à l’école. (We learn French at school.)

Conclusion

Learning how to use “on” in French can make speaking the language much easier. This small word has many meanings, such as “we,” “one,” or “people,” depending on the context. It helps express actions, plans, and even general truths in everyday conversations.

By practicing different phrases and responses, you can better understand how “on” fits into French sentences. Keep using it when talking about shared activities or making polite statements. With time, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident speaking French naturally.