En revanche

Compensatory French Expression


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Meaning	to make up for it, in compensation, at least
Literally	in revenge
Register	normal
Pronunciation		[a(n) reu va(n)sh]
IPA		[ã ʁə vãʃ]

Usage notes: The French expression en revanche is the opposite of vengeful: it introduces a clause that contrasts with the preceding one in a supportive or positive way.

Par exemple…

Zut, je n’ai reçu qu’une réponse à mon article. En revanche, elle est positive !		Darn, I’ve only received one response to my article. But at least it’s positive!
Ce travail ne paie pas bien ; en revanche, c’est très marrant !		This work doesn’t pay well, but to make up for it, it’s really fun!
Je suis enfant unique ; en revanche, j’ai 13 cousins.		I’m an only child, but in compensation I have 13 cousins.

En revanche in action

Examples of en revanche in real-life videos from Lawless French Immersion:

Il a en revanche été relaxé des autres faits qui lui étaient reprochés ….		He was however acquitted of the other alleged offenses ….
Video: Farmer gets suspended sentence for helping migrants

En revanche, en France, il fait de l’éducation une de ses priorités.		However, in France, he made education one of his priorities.
Video: The French Republican School

En revanche, il n’est pas payé pendant les jours de grève.		However, he is not paid during days of strike.
Video: What is a strike?

En revanche, pour sortir de France, rien de décidé avant mi-juin.		However, nothing will be decided before mid-June regarding travels outside of France.
Video: End of lockdown: France can breathe again

En revanche is often proposed as an alternative to par contre, but they’re really two sides of the same idiomatic coin. While en revanche introduces a supportive second clause, par contre introduces a second clause that detracts from the first.