French Phrase
On réessaie ?
Meaning
Literally ‘Shall we try again?’, this phrase is used to suggest giving something another go, often after a failed attempt or a misunderstanding.
When to use
Use it in informal conversations when you want to propose a second attempt, whether it’s a game, a task, or a clarification. It’s friendly and collaborative, suitable for peers, friends, or colleagues.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onréessaie?
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an informal pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘one’, or ‘people in general’, often used in spoken French instead of ‘nous’.
Réessayer (verb)
‘Réessayer’ means ‘to try again’. In the present tense, the third‑person singular form is ‘réessaie’.
Present tense, 3rd person singular
The ending –e for ‘réessaie’ follows the regular -er verb pattern (je réessaye, tu réessaies, il/elle/on réessaie).
Intonation for questions
When a sentence ends with a rising intonation and a question mark, the same word order as a statement is kept; no inversion is needed.
🗨In Conversation
On a raté le niveau, on réessaie ?
We missed the level, shall we try again?
Oui, on y va !
Yes, let’s go for it!
✕Common Mistakes
On réessayer ?
The verb must be conjugated; ‘réessayer’ is the infinitive.
On réessais ?
‘Réessais’ is the second‑person singular form; with ‘on’ you need the third‑person singular ‘réessaie’.
On réessayerons ?
‘Réessayerons’ is the first‑person plural future; the present tense is appropriate for an immediate suggestion.
↔Alternatives
On retente ?
Shall we try again?
On recommence ?
Do we start over?
On essaye encore une fois ?
Do we try once more?
Cultural Tip
In French, ‘on’ replaces ‘nous’ in most spoken contexts, giving the sentence a relaxed tone. However, in formal writing you would use ‘Nous réessayons ?’ or ‘Devons‑nous réessayer ?’. Also, French speakers often add a brief pause before the question mark to signal the rising intonation.