Definition
To go into or come into a place. It is the opposite of "to leave."
Example
Elle entre dans la maison et pose ses clés.
Show translation
She enters the house and puts down her keys.
Etymology
From Latin *intrare* ("to go inside"), derived from *intra* ("within, inside"). The same Latin root gives English "enter" and "interior," making it one of the clearest cross-language cognates a learner will encounter.
Cultural note
In French daily life, entering someone's home carries a small ritual: it is polite to wait to be invited in rather than stepping over the threshold uninvited. The phrase *"Entrez !"* ("Come in!") is the standard response to a knock on a door — in offices, classrooms, and homes alike. Note that *entrer* is conjugated with *être* as its auxiliary in the passé composé: *elle est entrée*, not *elle a entré*.