'Rendez-vous': What It ReallyMeans in French (Hint: It’s Not Always a Date)

You’ve heard it in movies. You’ve seen it on café signs. The French word rendez-vous has been so thoroughly absorbed into English that we instantly associate it with romance—a secret meeting, a candlelit dinner, a date.

But if you use it this way in France, you might get some confused looks.

While a rendez-vous can be a date, its primary meaning is far more practical and much more common. In fact, it's one of the most essential words you'll need for everyday life in France.

So, what is the true French expression rendez-vous meaning?

At its core, un rendez-vous (RDV) is simply "an appointment" or "a pre-arranged meeting." It’s an arrangement to meet at a specific time and place. It can be with your doctor, your boss, your friends, or, yes, a romantic interest. The context is what defines it.

Let's break down this multitasking word, explore all its meanings, and give you the tools to use it like a native.

The Primary Meaning: 'Rendez-vous' as an Appointment (Professional & Practical)

This is the most common, everyday use of the word. It's the one you'll use for all your practical, logistical needs. This is the "appointment" you'd find in a calendar.

It covers:

• Medical appointments: Doctor, dentist, specialist, hospital.
• Professional services: Hairdresser, bank, lawyer, accountant.
• Formal meetings: A meeting with a professor, a landlord, or at a government office (like the préfecture).

The most important phrase you'll learn in this context is prendre rendez-vous (to make an appointment).

How to Use It in Context

• J'ai rendez-vous chez le médecin à 15h. (I have an appointment at the doctor's at 3 PM.)
• Je dois prendre rendez-vous chez le dentiste. (I need to make an appointment at the dentist's.)
• Le rendez-vous avec l'avocat est confirmé pour mardi. (The meeting with the lawyer is confirmed for Tuesday.)
• J'appelle pour prendre rendez-vous pour une coupe, s'il vous plaît. (I'm calling to make an appointment for a haircut, please.)

Dialogue: Making a Doctor's Appointment

You: Bonjour, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec le Docteur Lemaire, s'il vous plaît. (Hello, I would like to make an appointment with Doctor Lemaire, please.)

Secrétaire: Oui, bien sûr. Quand êtes-vous disponible ? (Yes, of course. When are you available?)

You: J'ai des disponibilités mardi ou jeudi après-midi. (I am available Tuesday or Thursday afternoon.)

Secrétaire: J'ai un rendez-vous de libre jeudi à 16h30. Ça vous convient ? (I have a free appointment slot on Thursday at 4:30 PM. Does that work for you?)

You: Parfait. C'est noté. Merci beaucoup. (Perfect. It's noted. Thank you very much.)

In this context, there is zero romantic suggestion. It is purely transactional French appointment vocabulary.

The Broader Meaning: 'Rendez-vous' as a Meeting (Social & Business)

The word also covers any general, pre-arranged meeting with friends, family, or colleagues. It’s less formal than a medical "appointment" but more fixed than just "hanging out" (traîner). It’s about setting a specific time and place.

Here, the key phrase is se donner rendez-vous (to set a meeting time/place for each other).

How to Use It in Context

• On se donne rendez-vous où ? (Where are we meeting? / Where shall we meet?)
• J'ai un rendez-vous avec l'équipe marketing à 10h. (I have a meeting with the marketing team at 10 AM.)
• Notre point de rendez-vous est devant l'entrée du musée. (Our meeting point is in front of the museum entrance.)
• C'était un rendez-vous d'affaires, pas personnel. (It was a business meeting, not a personal one.)

Dialogue: Planning to Meet Friends

Amina: Salut Léo ! Tu es libre ce soir pour un verre ? (Hey Léo! Are you free tonight for a drink?)

Léo: Oui, avec plaisir ! Vers quelle heure ? (Yes, with pleasure! Around what time?)

Amina: Disons 19h ? On se donne rendez-vous au café "Le Central" ? (Let's say 7 PM? Shall we meet at "Le Central" café?)

Léo: Super. C'est un rendez-vous ! À ce soir. (Great. It's a meeting/plan! See you tonight.)

Here, C'est un rendez-vous ! acts like "It's a plan!" or "It's set!"

The Big Question: When IS 'Rendez-vous' a Date?

So, how did the romantic meaning become so popular in English? Because a rendez-vous can absolutely be a date. The difference between rendez-vous and "date" is all about context and subtle modifiers.

A simple J'ai un rendez-vous ce soir (I have a meeting tonight) is ambiguous. Your French friend would likely ask, Ah bon ? Avec qui ? (Oh? With whom?). Your answer would provide the context.

How to Specify a Romantic Date

If you want to be clear that you're talking about a "date" and not a dentist appointment, you have a few options:

1. Use a Modifier (The Classic Way) The most traditional way to specify a romantic date is to add an adjective.

• un rendez-vous amoureux: This literally means a "romantic meeting" or "lover's meeting." It's very clear and unambiguous.
  • Marc m'a invité à un rendez-vous amoureux. (Marc asked me out on a romantic date.)
• un rendez-vous galant: A "gallant" or "chivalrous" meeting. It's a bit old-fashioned and charming, but everyone will understand it means a date.
  • J'ai un rendez-vous galant ce soir. (I have a proper date tonight.)

2. Rely on Context (The Common Way) Most of the time, the situation makes it obvious. If you've been flirting with someone from your class and you say J'ai un rendez-vous avec Chloé (I have a "meeting" with Chloé), the implication is clear.

3. Use the English Word "Date" (The Modern Way) In modern French, especially among younger generations, the English word "date" (pronounced un date) has been adopted to solve this very ambiguity. It almost exclusively means a romantic meeting.

• J'ai un date ce soir. (I have a date tonight.)
• Comment s'est passé ton date Tinder ? (How did your Tinder date go?)

Using un date is the most direct, unambiguous way to talk about a romantic engagement in modern France.

Dialogue: Is It a Date or Not?

Juliette: Tu as l'air content ! Quoi de neuf ? (You look happy! What's new?)

Simon: J'ai un rendez-vous avec Thomas du cours de yoga ce soir. (I have a rendez-vous with Thomas from yoga class tonight.)

Juliette: Un rendez-vous... ou un "date" ? (A rendez-vous... or a "date"?)

Simon: Haha, on va au restaurant, juste nous deux. Donc, oui... je pense que c'est un date ! (Haha, we're going to a restaurant, just the two of us. So, yes... I think it's a date!)

Mastering the Logistics: Key Verbs for 'Rendez-vous'

To sound truly natural, you need to know the verbs that surround the word rendez-vous. Knowing these will cover 90% of your logistical needs in French.

Avoir (un) rendez-vous — To have an appointment

• J'ai un rendez-vous à 14h. (I have an appointment at 2 PM.)
• Vous avez un rendez-vous ? (Do you have an appointment? - You'd hear this at a reception desk.)

Prendre (un) rendez-vous — To make an appointment

• Je dois prendre rendez-vous pour mon contrôle technique. (I have to make an appointment for my car inspection.)
• C'est facile de prendre rendez-vous en ligne. (It's easy to make an appointment online.)

Donner (un) rendez-vous — To give an appointment / To set a meeting

• Le docteur m'a donné rendez-vous la semaine prochaine. (The doctor gave me an appointment for next week.)
• Je te donne rendez-vous devant le métro. (I'll meet you / I'm setting our meeting spot in front of the metro.)

Fixer (un) rendez-vous — To set/fix an appointment

• On doit fixer un rendez-vous pour discuter du projet. (We need to set a meeting to discuss the project.)
• La date du rendez-vous est fixée. (The date of the meeting is set.)

Annuler (un) rendez-vous — To cancel an appointment

• J'ai appelé pour annuler mon rendez-vous. (I called to cancel my appointment.)
• Il a annulé notre rendez-vous à la dernière minute. (He canceled our meeting at the last minute.)

Reporter / Déplacer (un) rendez-vous — To postpone / move an appointment

• Est-il possible de reporter mon rendez-vous ? (Is it possible to postpone my appointment?)
• J'aimerais déplacer le rendez-vous à vendredi. (I would like to move the appointment to Friday.)

Manquer / Rater (un) rendez-vous — To miss an appointment

• Zut ! J'ai complètement raté mon rendez-vous chez le coiffeur. (Darn! I completely missed my hairdresser appointment.)
• Ne manque pas ce rendez-vous, c'est important. (Don't miss this meeting, it's important.)

Beyond the Calendar: 'Rendez-vous' as a Place or Event

To push your French to the advanced level, you should know that rendez-vous has two other, more figurative meanings. This is where the types of rendez-vous in French get interesting.

1. As a "Gathering Spot" or "Haunt"

It can describe a place where people traditionally meet.

• Ce café est le rendez-vous de tous les artistes du quartier. (This café is the gathering spot for all the artists in the neighborhood.)
• La place principale est le rendez-vous habituel des jeunes. (The main square is the usual haunt/meetup spot for young people.)

2. As a "Key Event" or "Fixture"

It can also mean a major, not-to-be-missed event or a regular feature (like on a TV show).

• Le Tour de France est le grand rendez-vous des fans de cyclisme. (The Tour de France is the major event for cycling fans.)
• Ne manquez pas notre rendez-vous hebdomadaire sur l'histoire de l'art. (Don't miss our weekly feature on art history.)
• C'est un rendez-vous incontournable. (It's an unmissable event.)

The Nitty-Gritty: Pronunciation and Plurals (A Common Mistake!)

Finally, let's make sure you're saying and writing it perfectly.

Pronunciation: It's pronounced [ʁɑ̃-de-vu] (Rahn-day-voo).

• ren-: A nasal "on" or "ahn" sound. Your tongue shouldn't touch the roof of your mouth.
• dez-: A clean "day" sound.
• vous: A "voo" sound. The 'z' at the end is always silent, even when followed by a vowel.

The Golden Grammar Rule: The Plural This is a trap many learners fall into. The word rendez-vous comes from the imperative phrase rendez-vous ("present yourselves"). Because of this, the spelling does not change in the plural.

• One appointment: un rendez-vous
• Two appointments: deux rendez-vous
• Many appointments: des rendez-vous

You will never see rendez-vouss or rendez-vouses.

You've Got a 'Rendez-vous' with Fluency

The French expression rendez-vous is a perfect example of a "false friend" that's not entirely false. While it can mean a romantic date, its real power lies in its everyday utility.

Your Key Takeaways:

1. Default Meaning: Rendez-vous = Appointment or Meeting. (Doctor, boss, friends).
2. Key Verb: Prendre rendez-vous = To make an appointment.
3. The Romantic Side: Context is key. To be specific, use un rendez-vous amoureux or the modern un date.
4. The Plural: The spelling is always rendez-vous. (un rendez-vous, cinq rendez-vous).

Now you're ready to step beyond the romantic cliché and use this word for everything from booking a haircut to planning a business meeting. You're no longer just learning French; you're learning how to manage your life in French.

C'est un rendez-vous !