arriver vs parvenir
French word comparison
Listen to arriver
Listen to parvenir
| arriver | parvenir |
|---|---|
/a-ree-VAY/ verb (intransitive) | //paʁ.və.niʁ// verb (intransitive) |
| to arrive; to happen or occur | to reach or attain (a place, state, or goal), often implying effort or difficulty |
How they differ
Parvenir implies reaching a place or a result, frequently after effort or obstacles; arriver is neutral about effort and is the normal verb for someone 'arriving' or something 'happening'.
When to use each
When to use arriver: Prefer arriver for ordinary, neutral statements about coming to a place or something happening without stressing effort.
When to use parvenir: Prefer parvenir when you want to highlight that someone or something succeeded in reaching a place, state, or outcome, especially after difficulty or in formal contexts.
Side-by-side examples
- Ils arrivent à Lyon ce soir.
(They arrive in Lyon tonight.) - Après des heures de négociation, elles sont parvenues à un accord.
(After hours of negotiations, they managed to reach an agreement.)
Register & nuance: Parvenir is more formal and often appears in written or careful speech, while arriver is the everyday, neutral choice.