Which French verb to use when you’re visiting a place, a friend, or a professional.
In English, we can use the verb ‘to visit’ for a place, a person, or a doctor.
However, in French, le verbe visiter is only used when a traveler is doing some sightseeing, a guided tour, or a house:
Je visite la Tour Eiffel aujourd’hui. = I’m visiting the Eiffel Tower today.
Demain, je vais visiter le vieux quartier de Bruxelles = Tomorrow I’m going to visit the old quarter of Brussels.
Vous voulez visiter la maison ? = do you want to visit the house?
So what verb is used when we’re visiting a friend or a family member?
You’ll hear the French say rendre visite (you’re really saying that you’re paying a visit to someone):
Je rends visite à mon père ce soir = I’m visiting my dad tonight.
Nous rendons visite à Carla ce week-end = we’re visiting Carla this weekend
If you wish to tell someone to come and visit you, you can say:
Venez me rendre visite!
Note that the small preposition ‘à’ has to follow after ‘rendre visite’.