When it's time to make your exit, saying "I'm leaving" in French can be more interesting than just a simple "Je pars" or "Je m'en vais".

Depending on the context – whether you're heading home, excusing yourself from a party, or making a more definitive departure – different phrases can convey your intentions with more nuance and naturalness.

Learning these variations will not only expand your vocabulary but also make your French sound much more authentic. Let's dive into 9 versatile ways to say "I'm leaving" in French!

The direct and most common way – Je pars

The most direct and common way to say "I'm leaving" or "I depart" in French is by using the verb partir, most often in the first-person singular form: Je pars.

Partir is an irregular verb belonging to the third group in French. It means "to leave," "to depart," or "to go away."

The conjugation for partir in the present tense for "I" is Je pars. It follows the pattern: je pars, tu pars, il/elle/on part, nous partons, vous partez, ils/elles partent.

You use Je pars to express that you are physically leaving a place or departing for a journey. It implies movement from one location to another.

To indicate where you are leaving for, you typically use the preposition pour followed by the destination. For example, Je pars pour Paris (I'm leaving for Paris).

To specify where you are leaving from, you use the preposition de (or d' before a vowel). For example, Je pars de la maison (I'm leaving from home).

Je pars is incredibly versatile and can be used in almost any context where you want to express leaving, whether it's from a party, a city, or for a trip. It's the standard go-to phrase.

While it's in the present tense, Je pars often implies an imminent departure or a planned action in the very near future, similar to "I'm leaving" in English.

💡 * Je pars. (I'm leaving.)

Je pars pour le travail. (I'm leaving for work.)

Nous partons de la gare à 8h. (We are leaving from the station at 8 AM.)

Quand pars-tu en vacances ? (When are you leaving for vacation?)

Je pars maintenant, à bientôt ! (I'm leaving now, see you soon!)

The emphatic 'I'm going away' – Je m'en vais

When you want to express a departure in French with a strong sense of finality, urgency, or even exasperation, the phrase Je m'en vais is your go-to. It's more than just 'I'm going'; it's 'I'm going away' or 'I'm off'.

Je m'en vais carries a much stronger emphasis than a simple Je pars (I'm leaving) or Je vais (I'm going). It implies a definitive exit, often with a feeling of determination, impatience, or even a dramatic flair. Think of it as 'I'm outta here!'

This pronominal verb phrase is built on the verb aller (to go), combined with the reflexive pronoun me (which becomes m' before a vowel) and the adverbial pronoun en. The en here signifies 'from there' or 'away,' adding the crucial emphatic element to the departure.

You'll often hear Je m'en vais when someone has made a firm decision to leave, perhaps after an argument, or when they're fed up with a situation. It conveys a sense of 'that's it, I'm done, I'm leaving.'

Beyond emotional contexts, it's also used for a clear, physical departure from a place, especially when you want to make it clear you're going away from here. For example, when leaving a party or a meeting definitively.

The verb s'en aller (to go away) conjugates like aller, but with the added reflexive pronoun and en. For example: Tu t'en vas (You're leaving), Il/Elle/On s'en va (He/She/One is leaving), Nous nous en allons (We're leaving), Vous vous en allez (You are leaving), Ils/Elles s'en vont (They are leaving).

While partir simply means 'to leave,' s'en aller adds that layer of 'away from here' or 'off to somewhere else,' making the departure more active and often more charged. It's the difference between 'I'm leaving' and 'I'm getting out of here'.

💡 * Je m'en vais, j'en ai marre! (I'm leaving, I've had enough!)

Il est tard, je m'en vais. (It's late, I'm going/I'm off.)

Elle s'en va demain matin. (She's leaving tomorrow morning.)

Nous nous en allons de cette ville. (We are leaving this city.)

Pourquoi t'en vas-tu si vite ? (Why are you leaving so quickly?)

The 'I'm leaving a place' – Je quitte

When you want to express the idea of 'leaving' a specific place, person, or situation in French, the verb to reach for is often quitter.

Unlike some other verbs for 'leaving,' quitter is always a transitive verb. This means it must be followed by a direct object – you always 'leave something' or 'leave somewhere'.

Quitter is a regular -ER verb, which makes its conjugation relatively straightforward. For instance, in the present tense, it follows the standard pattern: je quitte, tu quittes, il/elle quitte, nous quittons, vous quittez, ils/elles quittent.

Its most common use is to talk about leaving a physical location. Whether it's your house, a city, or a country, quitter is the appropriate choice.

You can also use quitter to express leaving a person (e.g., breaking up with someone) or leaving a job/situation. In these cases, it still takes a direct object.

It's important to differentiate quitter from partir. While both mean 'to leave,' partir is intransitive (you simply 'leave,' without specifying what you leave), whereas quitter requires a direct object.

💡 * Je quitte la maison à 8h. (I leave the house at 8 AM.)

Elle a quitté son travail l'année dernière. (She left her job last year.)

Il a quitté sa petite amie. (He left his girlfriend.)

Nous quittons Paris demain. (We are leaving Paris tomorrow.)

Pourquoi tu quittes la pièce? (Why are you leaving the room?)

The informal 'I'm off' or 'I'm dashing' – Je file

The informal 'I'm off' or 'I'm dashing' – Je file is a common, casual French expression used to announce one's departure, often with a sense of urgency or haste.

Literally meaning 'I'm spinning (thread)' or 'I'm flowing', Je file translates to 'I'm off', 'I'm dashing', 'I'm heading out', or 'I'm out of here' in English. It strongly implies a quick departure.

This expression comes from the verb filer, which means 'to spin (thread)', 'to flow', or colloquially, 'to leave quickly'. Je file is the first-person singular conjugation of filer in the present tense.

It's typically used in informal settings among friends or family, when you need to leave promptly, perhaps because you're running late or have another engagement. It conveys a sense of light urgency without being rude.

💡 *Désolé, je file, je suis déjà en retard. (Sorry, I'm off, I'm already late.)
*Bon, je file, on se voit demain ! (Alright, I'm off, see you tomorrow!)
*Il faut que je file, ma mère m'attend. (I have to dash, my mother is waiting for me.)
*Je file, j'ai une réunion importante. (I'm off, I have an important meeting.)

The informal 'I'm taking off' – Je décolle

The informal 'I'm taking off' – Je décolle

Literally, décoller means 'to take off,' as in an airplane. Informally, Je décolle is a common French expression used to announce a departure, much like saying 'I'm taking off' or 'I'm heading out' in English.

This phrase is highly informal and perfectly suited for casual settings among friends, family, or colleagues you have a close relationship with. It implies a quick, imminent departure.

You'd typically use Je décolle when you're at a party, a friend's house, or leaving work and want to signal that you're about to leave without a lengthy goodbye. It's concise and direct.

The verb décoller carries a sense of speed and finality, much like a plane leaving the ground. When you say Je décolle, you're not just saying you're leaving, but that you're leaving now or very soon.

Remember, Je décolle is for informal situations. While clear, it's not appropriate for formal goodbyes or professional settings where a more polite phrase like Je dois partir ('I must leave') would be better.

💡 * Bon, je décolle, on se voit demain ! (Alright, I'm taking off, see you tomorrow!)

Il est tard, je décolle. (It's late, I'm heading out.)

Désolé, je dois décoller, j'ai un rendez-vous. (Sorry, I have to take off, I have an appointment.)

On décolle dans cinq minutes. (We're taking off in five minutes.)

The very informal 'I'm outta here' – Je me tire

The phrase Je me tire literally means 'I pull myself' but is a very informal and common way to say 'I'm leaving' or 'I'm outta here' in French. It's equivalent to slang like 'I'm bailing' or 'I'm heading out' in English.

This expression is highly informal and should only be used in casual settings with friends or people you know well. Using it in a professional or formal context would be considered rude and inappropriate. It often conveys a sense of quick or sudden departure.

Beyond just leaving, se tirer can sometimes imply a certain impatience or even a slight annoyance, as if you're eager to get away from a situation. It's a bit more emphatic than a simple 'I'm leaving'.

Like other reflexive verbs, se tirer can be conjugated for different subjects. For instance, you can say Tu te tires ('You're outta here'), Il se tire ('He's leaving'), or On se tire ('Let's get outta here' or 'We're leaving').

💡 * Bon, je me tire, je suis crevé. (Alright, I'm outta here, I'm exhausted.)

Si ça continue comme ça, je me tire ! (If this keeps up, I'm outta here!)

Allez, on se tire, il est tard. (Come on, let's get outta here, it's late.)

Tu te tires déjà ? C'est dommage. (You're leaving already? That's a shame.)

The slang 'I'm bailing out' – Je m'arrache

The phrase Je m'arrache is a very common and informal French slang expression used to say "I'm leaving," "I'm bailing out," or "I'm off."

Literally translating to "I'm tearing myself away," this reflexive verb s'arracher implies a swift, often abrupt departure. It conveys a sense of needing to leave quickly or suddenly.

It's important to remember that Je m'arrache is highly colloquial and should only be used in casual settings among friends or close acquaintances, never in formal situations.

💡 * Bon, je m'arrache, j'ai un train à prendre. (Okay, I'm bailing, I have a train to catch.)

Désolé, je m'arrache, il faut que j'y aille. (Sorry, I'm bailing, I have to go.)

On s'arrache d'ici avant que ça ne ferme. (Let's bail out of here before it closes.)

Elle s'est arrachée sans dire un mot. (She bailed out without saying a word.)

The polite 'I'm leaving you (all)' – Je vous/te laisse

To politely announce your departure, especially when leaving a group or an individual, the French often use the phrase Je vous laisse or Je te laisse.

Literally translating to 'I leave you,' this expression carries a connotation of respect, implying 'I'm allowing myself to leave you now' or 'I'm taking my leave.' It's a very common and courteous way to exit a social situation.

The choice between vous and te depends on the formality of the situation and your relationship with the person or people you are addressing. Use vous for formal situations or when addressing multiple people, and te for informal settings with a single person you know well.

This phrase is versatile and can be used when leaving a party, finishing a conversation, or departing from a meeting. It's a staple of everyday French etiquette, ensuring a smooth and polite exit.

💡 * Je vous laisse, j'ai un autre rendez-vous. (I'm leaving you, I have another appointment.)

Bon, je te laisse, à demain ! (Alright, I'm leaving you, see you tomorrow!)

Nous allons vous laisser maintenant, merci pour votre hospitalité. (We're going to leave you now, thank you for your hospitality.)

Je vous laisse travailler en paix. (I'll leave you to work in peace.)

Désolé, je te laisse, ma mère m'attend. (Sorry, I'm leaving you, my mother is waiting for me.)

The 'I have to leave' – Je dois partir

The most direct and common way to express "I have to leave" in French is Je dois partir.

This phrase is composed of two essential verbs: devoir (to have to, must) and partir (to leave). Devoir conveys the obligation or necessity, while partir specifies the action of departing.

In Je dois partir, devoir is conjugated in the present tense for the first person singular (Je dois). The second verb, partir, remains in its infinitive form. This structure (conjugated verb + infinitive) is standard for expressing obligations followed by an action.

Je dois partir is a straightforward and polite way to announce your departure. It implies a personal obligation or a necessity. You can use it in various social settings, from casual gatherings to more formal situations.

While Je dois partir is your primary choice, you might also hear Je m'en vais (I'm off/I'm leaving) for a slightly more informal departure, or Il faut que je parte (It is necessary that I leave), which conveys a more impersonal necessity. However, Je dois partir remains the most versatile and frequently used option.

💡 * Je dois partir maintenant, j'ai un rendez-vous. (I have to leave now, I have an appointment.)

Désolé, mais je dois partir. (Sorry, but I have to leave.)

Quand dois-tu partir? (When do you have to leave?)

Elle a dit qu'elle devait partir tôt. (She said she had to leave early.)

Nous devons partir avant minuit. (We have to leave before midnight.)

Are there other ways to say 'I'm leaving' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'I'm leaving' in French. But the French language is rich with nuances, and depending on the context, intention, or formality, you might find other expressions, from very casual slang to more formal or poetic phrases.

You can also do an online search for 'comment dire je pars en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local idioms.

You might find some interesting expressions for 'I'm leaving' beyond the ones we've covered. Of course, make sure to check a word or phrase’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to express 'I'm leaving' or 'I'm going out' depending on the situation.

And if you’re looking for more ways to express leaving or departure, the WordReference entries for verbs like partir, s'en aller, or quitter are great places to start!

I hope you found this article helpful in navigating the many ways to say 'I'm leaving' in French. Mastering these nuances will definitely make your French sound more natural and fluent!

9 ways to say "I'm leaving" in French