French Conversation · Level 125
55 words
French word
retomber
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁətɔ̃be/
Meaning
- verbfall again
Example
Après la tempête, les feuilles retombent sur le sol.
After the storm, the leaves fall onto the ground again.
More examples
Après l'accident, il est retombé sur ses pieds.
After the accident, he got back on his feet.
Core concept
A cresting wave of emotion, noise, or activity sinks back to a calmer level.
Common phrases
retomber sur ses pieds
get back on one's feet
retomber dans l'oubli
fall back into oblivion
Similar words
se calmer: To grow less intense and quiet after excitement or anger.
s'apaiser: To ease into a calm, stable state, especially an emotion or situation.
Definition in French
Perdre de l'intensité ou s'apaiser après un pic d'émotion, de bruit ou d'activité.
Word origin
Retomber combines re- with tomber, 'to fall', giving a literal sense of falling again or back and a figurative sense of subsiding.
Usage tips
- For this sense, the thing that subsides is usually the subject: la colère retombe and le bruit retombe.