Réussir is the most common and straightforward way to say "to succeed" in French. But why limit yourself to just one word when there are so many nuanced and engaging alternatives?

As you advance in your French journey, you'll want to express yourself with greater precision and flair, especially when talking about achieving your goals, reaching milestones, or even mastering the language itself!

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "to succeed" in French, and discover how to use them to sound more natural and sophisticated!

The most common and general way to say 'to succeed' – réussir

Réussir is the most common and versatile verb for 'to succeed' or 'to pass' in French.

Used intransitively, réussir conveys a general sense of success, like 'to do well' or 'to be successful' in life or a general endeavor.

When réussir takes a direct object, it means 'to succeed at something' or 'to pass' something specific, most notably an exam or a test.

One of its most frequent applications is in academic contexts, where réussir un examen directly translates to 'to pass an exam' or 'to pass a test'.

To express succeeding at a particular task, project, or challenge, réussir is often followed by the preposition à and a noun (e.g., réussir à son projet).

To indicate success in performing an action, use réussir à followed by an infinitive verb (e.g., réussir à faire quelque chose).

Réussir is a regular -IR verb. Crucially, it uses the auxiliary verb avoir in compound tenses, like the passé composé (e.g., J'ai réussi).

A common mistake for English speakers is to use en or dans for 'succeed in'. Remember to stick to à or a direct object with réussir.

Réussir is appropriate for nearly all situations, from casual conversations to formal writing, making it the essential verb for expressing success in French.

💡 *J'ai réussi mon examen de français. (I passed my French exam.)
*Elle a réussi à ouvrir la porte. (She succeeded in opening the door.)
*Nous réussirons ensemble. (We will succeed together.)
*Il a réussi à son projet. (He succeeded in his project.)
*Pour réussir dans la vie, il faut travailler dur. (To succeed in life, you have to work hard.)

To reach one's goal or objective – atteindre son but/objectif

To reach one's goal or objective – atteindre son but/objectif

The French expression atteindre son but or atteindre son objectif directly translates to 'to reach one's goal' or 'to achieve one's objective.' It signifies the successful completion or accomplishment of a desired outcome, ambition, or target. This phrase is essential for discussing personal and professional achievements in French.

The core of this phrase is the verb atteindre, meaning 'to reach,' 'to attain,' or 'to achieve.' It's an irregular -RE verb, and its conjugation is crucial. For instance, in the present tense, it's j'atteins, tu atteins, il/elle/on atteint, nous atteignons, vous atteignez, ils/elles atteignent. Its past participle is atteint.

While often used interchangeably, there's a subtle difference between but and objectif. A but (masculine noun) typically refers to a broader, more ultimate aim or purpose, like a 'life goal' or 'ultimate purpose.' An objectif (masculine noun), on the other hand, usually implies a more specific, measurable, and often shorter-term target, like a 'project objective' or a 'quarterly target.' Both are masculine nouns, so you'll use 'son' for 'his/her/its' goal/objective.

This versatile phrase is widely employed across various contexts. You'll hear it in discussions about career advancement (atteindre ses objectifs de carrière), academic success (atteindre ses objectifs scolaires), sports achievements (atteindre son but dans le sport), and personal development. It's a fundamental expression for describing success and ambition.

To broaden your vocabulary, consider related expressions. For example, réaliser un rêve means 'to fulfill a dream,' accomplir une tâche means 'to accomplish a task,' and parvenir à ses fins means 'to achieve one's ends' or 'to get what one wants.' These phrases offer alternatives depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Mastering atteindre son but/objectif will empower you to articulate aspirations and successes in French. The journey to atteindre son but is often challenging, but the linguistic tools to describe it are now within your reach!

💡 * Il travaille dur pour atteindre son but. (He works hard to reach his goal.)

Nous avons atteint notre objectif de ventes ce mois-ci. (We reached our sales objective this month.)

Elle espère atteindre ses rêves un jour. (She hopes to reach her dreams one day.)

C'est difficile d'atteindre un tel niveau de maîtrise. (It's difficult to reach such a level of mastery.)

Le coureur a finalement atteint la ligne d'arrivée. (The runner finally reached the finish line.)

To achieve one's ends or goals – parvenir à ses fins

The French expression parvenir à ses fins directly translates to "to achieve one's ends" or "to reach one's goals."

This phrase signifies the successful accomplishment of one's objectives, often implying a strategic or determined effort to overcome challenges.

The verb parvenir ("to reach," "to succeed in") always requires the preposition à when followed by a goal or result. Here, ses fins ("one's ends" or "goals") functions as the object, and fins is always plural.

While it can be neutral, parvenir à ses fins often carries a connotation of strong determination, persistence, or even a clever approach. It's used when someone actively works toward a specific, often pre-meditated, outcome.

It's more specific than simply réussir (to succeed), focusing on the attainment of particular, well-defined objectives rather than general success or achievement.

💡 * Il a tout fait pour parvenir à ses fins. (He did everything to achieve his goals.)* Malgré les obstacles, elle est parvenue à ses fins. (Despite the obstacles, she achieved her goals.)* Les négociateurs ont finalement réussi à parvenir à leurs fins. (The negotiators finally managed to achieve their ends.)* Il est très persévérant et parvient toujours à ses fins. (He is very persistent and always achieves his goals.)* Le détective a utilisé des méthodes subtiles pour parvenir à ses fins. (The detective used subtle methods to achieve his ends.)

To come to a successful conclusion, to result in success – aboutir

The verb aboutir means "to come to a successful conclusion," "to result in success," or "to achieve a positive outcome." It implies a process or effort leading to a desired result.

Aboutir is typically an intransitive verb and is often followed by the preposition à, indicating the specific outcome or result. For example, aboutir à un accord (to reach an agreement).

This verb is generally used in more formal contexts, often in discussions about projects, negotiations, or efforts that culminate in a specific, usually positive, result. It's less common for personal, everyday success.

💡 * Le projet a abouti à un succès retentissant. (The project resulted in a resounding success.)

Nos discussions ont enfin abouti à un accord. (Our discussions finally led to an agreement.)

J'espère que ses efforts aboutiront. (I hope his efforts will succeed.)

Leurs recherches n'ont abouti à rien de concret. (Their research didn't lead to anything concrete.)

Il faut travailler dur pour que nos rêves aboutissent. (One must work hard for our dreams to come true.)

To overcome a challenge, to succeed in finishing something – venir à bout de

To overcome a challenge, to succeed in finishing something – venir à bout de

Venir à bout de is a versatile French expression meaning “to overcome,” “to succeed in finishing,” or “to get the better of” something or someone.

It's primarily used when referring to a difficult task, a persistent problem, an opponent, or any significant challenge that requires effort and determination to resolve or complete.

This phrase always requires the preposition de after bout, followed by the noun or infinitive verb that represents the challenge being overcome.

The expression strongly implies a struggle or persistence, highlighting the effort expended to achieve success. It's not just about finishing, but about conquering.

Use venir à bout de when you want to convey the idea of finally mastering, defeating, or completing something difficult. It's a powerful way to express triumph.

💡 * J'ai enfin réussi à venir à bout de ce rapport compliqué. (I finally managed to finish this complicated report.)

Le coureur a eu du mal à venir à bout de la montée. (The runner struggled to overcome the climb.)

Elle est déterminée à venir à bout de ses dettes. (She is determined to get rid of her debts.)

Nous devons venir à bout de ce problème une fois pour toutes. (We must overcome this problem once and for all.)

To triumph, to be victorious, often in a grander sense – triompher

The verb triompher in French means 'to triumph' or 'to be victorious.' It carries a sense of significant achievement, often after a struggle or challenge.

Unlike simply 'winning' (gagner), triompher suggests a more profound victory, often over adversity, an opponent, or a difficult situation. It implies a definitive and celebrated success, not just a simple win.

When expressing triumph over something or someone, triompher is typically followed by the preposition de. For example, triompher de ses ennemis (to triumph over one's enemies) or triompher des difficultés (to triumph over difficulties).

This verb can also be used in a more abstract sense, referring to the success or prevalence of an idea, a principle, or a movement. For instance, La vérité finira par triompher (The truth will eventually triumph).

Triompher evokes images of glory, celebration, and ultimate success, making it a powerful and impactful verb in the French language, often used in formal or elevated contexts.

💡 * L'équipe a triomphé de ses adversaires en finale. (The team triumphed over its opponents in the final.)

Elle a triomphé de la maladie après des années de lutte. (She triumphed over the illness after years of struggle.)

Son courage a triomphé de la peur. (His courage triumphed over fear.)

Le bien triomphera du mal. (Good will triumph over evil.)

Les manifestants ont triomphé de l'injustice. (The protestors triumphed over injustice.)

To experience or know success – connaître le succès

The French phrase for 'to experience success' or 'to know success' is connaître le succès.

In this expression, the verb connaître (to know) is used to convey the idea of experiencing or achieving success, rather than merely having knowledge about it. It implies a direct encounter with or a state of being successful.

This idiomatic expression is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe someone or something that has become successful or is currently enjoying success. It highlights the journey and achievement of success.

💡 * Elle a travaillé dur et a finalement connu le succès. (She worked hard and finally experienced success.)

Beaucoup d'artistes rêvent de connaître le succès un jour. (Many artists dream of knowing success one day.)

Le nouveau restaurant connaît un succès immédiat. (The new restaurant is experiencing immediate success.)

Malgré les défis, son projet a connu un grand succès. (Despite the challenges, his project achieved great success.)

To carry out or accomplish something successfully – mener à bien

The phrase mener à bien is a common and useful French idiom that means "to carry out successfully" or "to bring to a successful conclusion."

At its core, mener à bien combines the verb mener (to lead, to conduct) with the adverbial phrase à bien (to a good end, successfully).

Unlike simply faire (to do) or accomplir (to accomplish), mener à bien specifically emphasizes the successful completion of a task, project, or mission. It implies achieving the desired positive outcome.

It's frequently used in professional or formal contexts when discussing the successful execution of plans, objectives, or responsibilities, such as a project, a mission, or studies.

💡 * Il a mené à bien son projet malgré les difficultés. (He successfully carried out his project despite the difficulties.)

Nous devons mener à bien cette mission avant la fin du mois. (We must successfully accomplish this mission before the end of the month.)

Elle s'est engagée à mener à bien ses études. (She committed to successfully completing her studies.)

Le gouvernement espère mener à bien les réformes promises. (The government hopes to successfully implement the promised reforms.)

To manage, to get by, or to succeed in a difficult situation – s'en sortir

The French expression s'en sortir is a versatile and common way to convey the idea of managing, coping, getting by, or succeeding in a difficult situation. It literally translates to 'to get oneself out of it'.

This phrase is built from the reflexive verb se sortir (to get oneself out) and the pronominal adverb en. The 'en' refers to the difficult situation or predicament, essentially meaning 'from it' or 'out of it'. So, you're literally 'getting yourself out of it'.

One primary use of s'en sortir is to describe someone who is managing or coping with a challenging situation, often implying they are just barely making it or doing reasonably well despite the hardship. For example, 'Je m'en sors' means 'I'm managing' or 'I'm getting by'.

It can also be used to express that someone has succeeded in overcoming a difficulty, recovered from an illness, or escaped a dangerous situation. In this context, it implies a more definitive success or positive outcome, such as 'Il s'en est bien sorti' (He got through it well / He managed to pull it off).

S'en sortir conjugates like the verb sortir (to leave, to go out) but with the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) and the 'en' placed before the verb. For example, Je m'en sors (I'm managing), Tu t'en sors (You're managing), Nous nous en sortons (We're managing).

💡 *Malgré les difficultés, elle s'en sort bien. (Despite the difficulties, she's managing well.)
*Je ne sais pas comment je vais m'en sortir avec toutes ces dettes. (I don't know how I'm going to get by with all these debts.)
*Après son accident, il s'en est bien sorti et a pu reprendre le travail. (After his accident, he recovered well and was able to go back to work.)
*Vous vous en sortez avec votre projet? (Are you coping/managing with your project?)
*Le magicien a réussi à s'en sortir de la boîte fermée. (The magician managed to get out of the locked box.)

Are there other ways to say 'to succeed' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'to succeed' in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, including old-fashioned expressions, regional idioms, and contemporary slang that capture different facets of achieving success.

To explore further, you can conduct an online search for 'comment dire réussir en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region to uncover local expressions.

You might discover interesting synonyms or idiomatic phrases for réussir. Always ensure you check a word's definition and observe its usage in various contexts before incorporating it into your vocabulary.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading, watching, and listening — pay close attention. You'll likely encounter diverse and creative ways to express the concept of success.

For a deeper dive into synonyms for réussir or related expressions about achievement, the WordReference entry for réussir is an excellent starting point.

I hope this article has provided valuable insights into expressing 'to succeed' in French. To conclude, here's a thought on the journey to success from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: 'Pour ce qui est de l'avenir, il ne s'agit pas de le prévoir, mais de le rendre possible.' (As for the future, it is not a matter of foreseeing it, but of making it possible.)

9 ways to say "to succeed" in French