French Phrase
Ensuite, rebranche-le.
Meaning
Literally “Then, plug it back in.” The speaker is telling someone to reconnect a device (e.g., a charger, a cable) after it has been unplugged.
When to use
Use this command after you have already asked someone to unplug something and now want them to restore the connection. It works in both casual and semi‑formal contexts, but the tone is more direct than polite.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ensuite,rebranche-le.
Ensuite
An adverb meaning “then” or “next”, used to link actions in a sequence.
rebrancher
A regular -er verb formed with the prefix re‑ (again) + brancher (to plug).
Imperative + direct object pronoun
In the affirmative imperative, the direct‑object pronoun is attached to the verb with a hyphen; “le” becomes “‑le”.
Hyphenation & liaison
The hyphen is mandatory (rebranche‑le). A liaison occurs between “Ensuite” and “rebranche‑le” → /ɑ̃.sɥit‿ʁə.bʁɑ̃ʃ lə/.
🗨In Conversation
J'ai débranché le chargeur parce qu'il faisait du bruit.
I unplugged the charger because it was making noise.
Ensuite, rebranche-le.
Then, plug it back in.
✕Common Mistakes
Le rebranche.
In the affirmative imperative the pronoun follows the verb, not precedes it.
Rebranche le.
A hyphen is required; without it the phrase looks like two separate words.
Ensuite rebranche le.
Missing hyphen and missing comma; the correct punctuation is “Ensuite, rebranche‑le.”
Rebranche‑les.
“Les” is plural; the object here is singular, so use “‑le”.
↔Alternatives
Après ça, rebranche-le.
After that, plug it back in.
Ensuite, rebranche-le à nouveau.
Then, plug it back in again.
Puis, rebranche-le.
Next, plug it back in.
Cultural Tip
In French, the affirmative imperative places object pronouns after the verb and joins them with a hyphen. The pronoun “le” never changes to “l’” in this construction. If you need a more polite command, you can use the formal imperative “Rebranchez‑le, s’il vous plaît.”