In French, depending on context, you use one of these four verbs to express to leave: partir, laisser, quitter or sortir.
How to express "to leave" in French
Here's how to use each of them correctly:
Partir
- partir means to leave / to go away.
You can use it on its own (I leave = Je pars).
When you use it with a place, it is always followed by a preposition (I leave from / for ... = Je pars de / pour ...).
You can use it on its own (I leave = Je pars).
When you use it with a place, it is always followed by a preposition (I leave from / for ... = Je pars de / pour ...).
Special case:
It's very colloquial to say partir en vacances for to go on holiday:
Sortir
- sortir means to go/come out.
When used with de, as in sortir de + [place], it can express the idea of leaving [somewhere], in the sense of going/coming out of a place.
When used with de, as in sortir de + [place], it can express the idea of leaving [somewhere], in the sense of going/coming out of a place.
Quitter
- quitter generally means to leave a place / somewhere. You cannot use it on its own: it always needs an object.
In the context of work, quitter can have two meanings. Like in English, it can mean to quit a job for good, but it can also simply mean leaving one's place of work (on that day).
Laisser
- laisser means to leave something / to let. You cannot use it on its own. However, this one is NOT used for places, only to leave people or things in places.
Grammar Jargon:
partir is an intransitive verb, whereas quitter and laisser are always transitive verbs (i.e. have a direct object) and sortir can be either.
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Examples and resources
Cette année, nous partons en vacances en hiver.This year, we're going (away) on holiday in the winter.
Vous êtes sortis de la pièce avant nous.You came out of the room before us.
(You left the room before us.)
(You left the room before us.)
