arriver le école
to arriver the school
Literally: to arrive the school
Use `arriver à l'école` to tell people you have physically reached the school premises.
In 15 Seconds
- Means reaching the school building or grounds.
- Requires the preposition 'à' to be grammatically correct.
- Used for daily routines, commutes, and meeting friends.
Meaning
This phrase describes the act of reaching the school building or arriving for classes. It is the simple way to say you have finally made it to your place of education.
Key Examples
3 of 6Texting a parent
Je viens d'arriver à l'école.
I just arrived at school.
Explaining a delay to a teacher
Je suis désolé, je viens d'arriver à l'école à cause du bus.
I'm sorry, I just arrived at school because of the bus.
Planning a meeting with a classmate
On se voit quand tu arrives à l'école ?
Shall we meet when you get to school?
Cultural Background
The French school day is long, often ending at 4:30 PM or later. Arriving at school is a significant daily transition marked by strict punctuality. The 'portail' (school gate) is a symbolic boundary between public life and the focused world of French education.
The 'À' is Non-Negotiable
Never say 'arriver l'école'. You always arrive *at* somewhere in French. Use `à l'` for school.
The 'Bahut' Secret
If you want to sound like a local French teenager, swap `école` for `bahut`. It's common slang for middle or high school.
In 15 Seconds
- Means reaching the school building or grounds.
- Requires the preposition 'à' to be grammatically correct.
- Used for daily routines, commutes, and meeting friends.
What It Means
Arriver à l'école means you have reached the school. It covers the moment you step onto the grounds. It is a basic, essential phrase for daily life. You use it to track your morning progress. It is about the physical arrival at the destination.
How To Use It
You must use the preposition à with the article l'. The correct form is arriver à l'école. You conjugate the verb arriver based on who is arriving. For example, J'arrive à l'école means "I am arriving." It is a regular -er verb, so it is very friendly. Use it when talking about your schedule or location.
When To Use It
Use this when texting your parents you arrived safely. Use it when telling a friend where to meet you. It works perfectly for morning routines. It is great for explaining why you are late. "I just arrived at school" is a classic excuse. It fits perfectly in any conversation about education or daily commutes.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for leaving the school. That would be partir de l'école. Avoid using it for starting a new year. For that, use la rentrée. Do not forget the à in the middle. Saying arriver l'école sounds like the school is moving toward you. Unless the building is walking, keep the à in there!
Cultural Background
In France, school is the center of social life. Arriving at school often involves the bisou (cheek kiss). You meet friends at the gate before the bell rings. This moment is a daily ritual for millions. The school gate, or la grille, is a famous meeting spot. Arriving is the start of the social day, not just classes.
Common Variations
You might hear arriver en cours for arriving at a specific class. Younger people might say arriver au bahut (slang for school). If you are at university, you say arriver à la fac. For little kids, it is arriver à la maternelle. All these variations follow the same basic logic. Just swap the destination name to fit your age group.
Usage Notes
This is a neutral, everyday phrase. The most important thing to remember is the preposition 'à' and the elision 'l'' before the vowel in 'école'.
The 'À' is Non-Negotiable
Never say 'arriver l'école'. You always arrive *at* somewhere in French. Use `à l'` for school.
The 'Bahut' Secret
If you want to sound like a local French teenager, swap `école` for `bahut`. It's common slang for middle or high school.
Watch the Vowel
Because `école` starts with a vowel, `à la` becomes `à l'`. It makes the transition smoother when speaking!
Examples
6Je viens d'arriver à l'école.
I just arrived at school.
A very common way to reassure parents of a safe commute.
Je suis désolé, je viens d'arriver à l'école à cause du bus.
I'm sorry, I just arrived at school because of the bus.
A polite way to explain tardiness.
On se voit quand tu arrives à l'école ?
Shall we meet when you get to school?
Used to coordinate morning social plans.
Mon chat ne veut pas que j'arrive à l'école aujourd'hui !
My cat doesn't want me to get to school today!
A lighthearted way to complain about leaving home.
J'ai peur d'arriver à l'école tout seul.
I'm afraid of arriving at school all alone.
Expresses vulnerability on a big day.
À quelle heure arrives-tu à l'école d'habitude ?
What time do you usually arrive at school?
Asking about someone's standard routine.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition and article.
Nous arrivons ___ école à huit heures.
In French, you arrive 'at the' school, which requires `à` + `l'` because `école` starts with a vowel.
Choose the correct verb form for 'I arrive'.
___ à l'école en retard.
`J'arrive` is the first-person singular form of the verb `arriver`.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of 'Arriver à l'école'
Using 'bahut' instead of 'école'.
J'arrive au bahut.
Standard way to say it in any context.
J'arrive à l'école.
Using 'arriver au sein de l'établissement'.
Je suis arrivé au sein de l'établissement.
When to say you've arrived
Morning Drop-off
Les enfants arrivent à l'école.
Meeting Friends
Je t'attends quand tu arrives.
Late Arrival
Je viens d'arriver, désolé !
Safe Check-in
Maman, je suis arrivé à l'école.
Frequently Asked Questions
11 questionsIt means to arrive at school. It describes the physical act of reaching the educational institution.
No, it is grammatically incorrect. You must use the preposition à, resulting in arriver à l'école.
Technically yes, but French speakers usually say arriver à la fac or arriver à l'université for higher education.
You use the passé composé: Je suis arrivé à l'école. Remember that arriver uses the auxiliary verb être.
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends, your parents, or your teachers without any issues.
Young people often say arriver au bahut. Bahut is a very common informal word for school.
You use à l' because école starts with a vowel. This prevents a clashing sound between 'la' and 'école'.
Yes! Both students and teachers arrivent à l'école every morning.
Not necessarily. It usually means you have reached the school building or the gate.
The opposite is partir de l'école, which means to leave the school.
Yes, it is a regular -er verb. It follows the standard conjugation patterns for the present tense: arrive, arrives, arrive, arrivons, arrivez, arrivent.
Related Phrases
être à l'école
to be at school
aller à l'école
to go to school
quitter l'école
to leave school
la rentrée scolaire
the return to school (after summer)
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