Amener, Emmener, Apporter and Emporter: Key Differences

The English verbs to bring and to take have several possible translations in French. This can make amener, emmener, apporter and emporter difficult to distinguish, even though each verb expresses a different type or direction of movement.

The correct choice depends on two questions: are you moving an object or accompanying a person, and is the focus on the destination or the point of departure? As a starting point, verbs ending in -porter are generally used for objects, while verbs ending in -mener are generally used for people and animals.

If you would like to practise distinctions like these in context, my French conversation lessons give you the opportunity to use grammar and vocabulary in discussions adapted to your level and goals.

In this guide, you will learn how to choose between amener, emmener, apporter and emporter through a simple comparison, clear explanations and practical examples from everyday French.

A useful first question is:

• Are you moving an object? Choose between apporter and emporter.
• Are you moving with a person or animal? Choose between amener and emmener.
• Is the focus on the destination? Choose apporter or amener.
• Is the focus on leaving or taking something or someone along? Choose emporter or emmener.

This is a reliable rule for learners, although a few common exceptions and nuances will be explained later in the article.

Direction and point of view are also essential when choosing between retourner, revenir, rentrer and repartir.

Both apporter and emporter contain the verb porter, meaning to carry. They are therefore primarily used with objects or things.

Apporter means to bring or to carry something to a destination or to another person. The focus is on where the object arrives.

• N’oubliez pas d’apporter votre pièce d’identité. (Don’t forget to bring your ID.)
• Le serveur nous apporte deux cafés. (The waiter brings us two coffees.)
• J’ai apporté des fleurs à ma mère. (I brought flowers to my mum.)

You can also use apporter with abstract things such as help, information, proof or change:

• Cette solution apporte une réelle amélioration. (This solution brings a real improvement.)
• Pouvez-vous apporter des preuves ? (Can you provide evidence?)

In all these examples, something is brought, provided or delivered to a person, place or situation.

Emporter means to take away or to take something with you when leaving a place. Here, the focus is on the point of departure or the removal of the object.

• Il est sorti sans emporter son manteau. (He went out without taking his coat.)
• Les cambrioleurs ont emporté tout l’argent. (The burglars took all the money.)

You will frequently see the expression à emporter in cafés and restaurants. It means to take away or to go:

• Un café à emporter, s’il vous plaît. (A coffee to go, please.)

If you are planning to eat out in France, these useful French phrases for a restaurant will help you order more confidently.

Compare these two sentences:

• J’apporte un gâteau chez Paul. (I am bringing a cake to Paul’s house.)
• J’emporte le reste du gâteau. (I am taking the rest of the cake away with me.)

The object is the same, but the direction and point of view are different.

Amener and emmener contain the verb mener, which means to lead. They are generally used when a person or animal moves from one place to another.

Amener means to bring or take a person or animal to a particular place. The emphasis is on the destination or the result of the journey.

• Mon mari m’amène au travail. (My husband takes me to work.)
• J’amène mon fils à la piscine. (I am taking my son to the swimming pool.)

These sentences tell us where the person is being taken. However, amener does not necessarily indicate whether the accompanying person stays or leaves afterwards.

You can also use amener when someone brings a guest to an event:

• Tu peux amener un ami à la fête. (You can bring a friend to the party.)

Emmener means to take someone or an animal with you when leaving one place for another. The focus is on taking that person along or moving away from the starting point together.

• J’emmène ma fille à Disneyland. (I am taking my daughter to Disneyland.)
• Un voisin m’a emmené au restaurant. (A neighbour took me to the restaurant.)

Emmener often suggests a shared journey or activity, but it does not necessarily tell us how long the people remain together afterwards.

Compare:

• J’amène Paul à la gare. (I am taking Paul to the station.)
• J’emmène Paul au cinéma. (I am taking Paul to the cinema with me.)

In the first sentence, the destination is central. In the second, Paul is coming along for the activity.

The distinction between -porter for objects and -mener for people or animals is an excellent starting point. However, as is often the case in French, there are a few exceptions to this general rule.

Apporter and amener can both be used figuratively:

• Cette nouvelle apporte beaucoup de joie. (This news brings a lot of joy.)
• Cette question nous amène à réfléchir. (This question leads us to think.)
• Son expérience l’a amené à changer de métier. (His experience led him to change careers.)

Use apporter when something provides or contributes an idea, quality or result. Use amener when one situation leads a person towards a conclusion, decision or action.

French speakers may use amener or emmener with a vehicle because it can move and be driven:

• J’amène la voiture au garage demain. (I am taking the car to the garage tomorrow.)
• On emmène la voiture en vacances. (We are taking the car on holiday.)

In everyday spoken French, these distinctions are not always followed perfectly. Nevertheless, using apporter/emporter mainly for objects and amener/emmener mainly for people and animals will keep your French clear and natural in most situations.

For more examples of distinctions that often cause difficulties, explore these common mistakes to avoid in French.

Apporter and emporter follow the regular -er conjugation pattern:

• j’apporte, nous apportons, j’apportais, j’apporterai, j’ai apporté
• j’emporte, nous emportons, j’emportais, j’emporterai, j’ai emporté

The spelling of amener and emmener requires more attention. The e becomes è in several forms when the following syllable contains a silent e. However, there is no accent in the nous and vous forms of the present tense or in the imperfect. Let’s conjugate these verbs in some of the French tenses you need to know:

For additional conjugation practice, you can consult le Bescherelle.