French grammar - The many uses of the verb rendre

The many uses of the verb rendre

The verb rendre is a regular -RE verb.

It has several widely used meanings:

• rendre à - 'to give back' or 'to return (something to someone)'

• rendre + adjective - 'to make' or 'to cause something to be' or 'to render' -

• rendre - 'to vomit'

• rendre visit - 'to visit' or 'to pay a visit'

And reflexively:

• se rendre - 'to go somewhere regularly'

• se rendre compte de - 'to realize (something)' or 'to notice (something)'

-- 'To realize that...' requires the conjunction que which is covered in the next topic.

Examples:
	Je rends ce livre à mon ami. I am returning the book to my friend.
	Rendez-vous ces livres à la bibliothèque ? Are you (formal) returning these books to the library?
	Nous vous rendons vos vélos. We return your (formal) bikes to you.
	Il me faut lui rendre la clé de sa voiture. I have to give him back the key to his car.
	Il me rend la clé de ma voiture. He gives me back the key to my car.
	Je dois vous rendre la monnaie. I have to give you (formal) change. monnaie (f) means 'change' or 'coin'
	aujourd'hui, nous rendons visite à papi. Today we are visiting Grandpa. You cannot use visiter + person. Visiter as a verb is used with places, for example 'Je visite Paris' papi (slang) means 'granddad'
	Ce week-end, nous rendons visite à mes parents. This weekend we are visiting my parents.
	Ils nous rendent visite. They are visiting us.
	Ça me rend malade. That makes me sick.
	Elle rend sa mère heureuse. She makes her mother happy.
	Ces crimes racistes nous rendent malades. These racist crimes make us sick.
	Cet ordinateur me rend chèvre. This computer is driving me nuts. se rendre chèvre means 'to drive one crazy'. This is an exception to the se rendre + adjective pattern.
	Ces multiples mots de passe me rendent dingue. These multiple passwords are driving me nuts. dingue (m.f) means 'crazy'
	Les enfants me rendent folle aujourd'hui ! The kids are driving me (female) crazy today!
	Vous voulez me rendre responsable de l'accident. You (formal) want to make me responsible (blame) me for the accident.
	Tu te rends ridicule. You (familiar) make yourself (look) ridiculous. ridicule (m) means 'ridiculous'
	Je veux me rendre utile. I want to make myself useful.
	Il se rend à Londres tous les week-ends. He goes to London every weekend.
	Comment est-ce que tu te rends au travail ? How do you (familiar) get to work?
	Je me rends compte de mon erreur. I realize my mistake.
	Vous rendez-vous compte de la gravité de la situation ? Do you (formal) realize the gravity of the situation? gravité (f) means 'gravity' situation (f) means 'situation'