Comprendre l’expression française « tourner la page »
A2 French listening practice · French · Curated for beginners
What does “tourner la page” mean in French?
“Tourner la page” means to put something behind you and move on — a breakup, a job, a whole phase of life. It treats your life as a book: you turn the page, and what was written before is over. English shares the exact image (“turn the page”), which makes it easy to remember, but in French it carries a quiet finality — the matter is genuinely closed, not just paused.
Typical use: “J’ai complètement tourné la page avec mon ex” (I’ve totally moved on from my ex) or “il a tourné la page de sa carrière de chanteur.” The closely related “fermer le livre” (close the book) pushes the same metaphor further. Note it is about acceptance and forward motion, not forgetting — you’ve read that chapter, you simply won’t reread it.