Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
Published January 15, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is partir, meaning “to leave.” Here are six real-life examples, plus the difference between partir and quitter.
👉 See separate lesson: Partir conjugation chart (with audio) »
📘 Partir meaning in French
Partir (verb) means “to leave” or “to depart.” It is commonly used when talking about leaving a place, going on a trip, or departing at a specific time. “Le train part à 7 heures.” (The train leaves at 7 o’clock.) The verb partir is often followed by the preposition de. For example, “Je pars de la maison.” (I’m leaving the house.)
💡 Partir vs. quitter – what’s the difference?
Unlike quitter, which focuses on what you leave behind, partir emphasizes the act of leaving itself.
Je pars de Paris demain.
I’m leaving Paris tomorrow.
➜ Neutral, factual departure (travel, plans, schedule)
Je quitte Paris demain.
I’m leaving Paris tomorrow.
➜ Stronger sense of leaving Paris behind (change of place, life, or situation)
👉 See also: Quitter usage examples »
🎧 Partir pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of partir is /paʁ.tiʁ/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “par-teer.”
📝 Partir usage examples
1. Partir + time word
Je pars maintenant.
I’m leaving now.
Leaving early in the day
Il part tôt le matin.
He leaves early in the morning.
2. Partir de + place
Le train part de Paris à 7 h.
The train leaves Paris at 7 a.m.
3. Partir pour + place
Nous partons pour Lyon demain.
We’re leaving for Lyon tomorrow.
4. Partir en vacances (expression) — to go on vacation
Ils partent en vacances en août.
They go on vacation in August.
5. Partir en + mode of transportation
Nous partons en train.
We’re leaving by train.
6. Partir + à quelle heure (asking time to leave)
On part à quelle heure ?
What time are we leaving?
To answer this question, see: Telling time in French »
In addition to the usage examples, true fluency comes from knowing the verb forms.
👉 See also: Partir conjugation chart (with audio) »
Note that students often confuse partir with sortir, which means to go out.
👉 See also: Sortir usage examples »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- le départ — departure
- partir en voyage — to go on a trip
- partir en vacances — to go on vacation
- partir tôt / tard — to leave early / late
- partir de — to leave from
- partir pour — to leave for
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 partir conjugation chart (with audio)
👉 sortir (to go out) usage examples
👉 Keep learning with the French Word of the Day »
