You were sure you would dislike a book. You had decided to turn down an invitation. You thought a new neighbour was unfriendly, until you finally had a conversation.
Then something changed.
Talking about these moments in French means explaining what you thought at first, what happened and how you see things now. J’ai changé d’avis — “I changed my mind” — is a useful place to begin. A few other expressions will help you tell the whole story.
This week’s theme is « J’ai changé d’avis ». Here are five expressions to try, with examples and a short writing activity.
1. Changer d’avis — to change your mind
Use changer d’avis when your opinion, intention or choice changes. It works for small everyday decisions as well as more important questions.
Je ne voulais pas sortir, mais j’ai changé d’avis.
I didn’t want to go out, but I changed my mind.
Avant, je trouvais ce quartier trop animé. Depuis que j’y habite, j’ai changé d’avis.
I used to find this neighbourhood too lively. Since moving here, I’ve changed my mind.
Notice that French uses d’avis, without a possessive. You do not need a word corresponding to “my” in “I changed my mind”.
You can also ask:
Qu’est-ce qui t’a fait changer d’avis ?
What made you change your mind?
This invites someone to explain the conversation, experience or discovery behind the change.
2. Se rendre compte que — to realise that
Sometimes you change your mind because you notice something you had not understood before. Se rendre compte que describes that realisation.
Je me suis rendu compte que je m’étais trompé.
I realised that I had been wrong.
En discutant avec elle, je me suis rendu compte que nous avions beaucoup de choses en commun.
While talking to her, I realised that we had a lot in common.
The expression is useful for showing what changed your understanding of a situation:
Je pensais qu’il était distant. Puis je me suis rendu compte qu’il était simplement timide.
I thought he was distant. Then I realised he was simply shy.
A realisation does not always lead to a different decision. Here, it changes the way the speaker understands another person.
3. Finir par + infinitive — to eventually do something
Finir par describes what happens after some time, hesitation or repeated attempts. Follow par with an infinitive.
J’ai hésité, puis j’ai fini par accepter.
I hesitated, then eventually agreed.
Au début, je n’aimais pas beaucoup ce quartier, mais j’ai fini par m’y sentir chez moi.
At first, I didn’t like this neighbourhood very much, but I eventually came to feel at home there.
It does not necessarily mean changing your mind. You can also say J’ai fini par trouver mes clés — “I eventually found my keys”. In a story about a change of opinion, it helps show that the change took time.
Compare it with finir de, which means finishing an activity:
J’ai fini de lire le livre. — I finished reading the book.
J’ai fini par lire le livre. — I eventually read the book.
4. Voir les choses autrement — to see things differently
Sometimes your perspective changes without a clear yes-or-no decision. Voir les choses autrement is useful for that more gradual or nuanced change.
Cette conversation m’a fait voir les choses autrement.
That conversation made me see things differently.
Depuis que je travaille avec lui, je vois les choses autrement.
Since I started working with him, I see things differently.
You can also describe a shift that is still happening:
Je commence à voir les choses autrement.
I’m beginning to see things differently.
You do not have to claim that your opinion has completely reversed. This expression leaves room for a change that is still taking shape.
5. Revenir sur sa décision — to reconsider or reverse a decision
Use revenir sur sa décision when a decision has already been made and someone goes back to reconsider or change it. The context tells us whether the decision is being reviewed or has actually been reversed.
J’avais décidé de vendre mon vélo, mais je suis revenue sur ma décision. Je vais le garder.
I had decided to sell my bike, but I changed my mind. I’m going to keep it.
Est-ce que tu serais prêt à revenir sur ta décision ?
Would you be willing to reconsider your decision?
Here, the possessive changes with the person: ma décision, ta décision, sa décision, notre décision.
For an ordinary change of preference, changer d’avis is usually enough. Revenir sur sa décision puts the emphasis on a decision that was already taken.
Tell the story: at first, then, in the end
Three simple steps can help you organise your account.
Start with your original opinion or intention. The imparfait often gives this background:
Au début, je pensais que ce serait ennuyeux.
At first, I thought it would be boring.
Describe what happened. The passé composé is useful for the event or discovery:
Puis, une amie m’a proposé d’essayer.
Then a friend suggested I give it a try.
Explain the outcome or your view now.
Finalement, j’ai passé un très bon moment. Maintenant, j’ai envie d’y retourner.
In the end, I had a really good time. Now I want to go back.
One useful distinction: finalement often means “in the end”, while en fait means “actually” or “in fact”.
Finalement, j’ai accepté l’invitation. — In the end, I accepted the invitation.
En fait, j’avais surtout peur de ne connaître personne. — Actually, I was mainly afraid I wouldn’t know anyone.
The first gives the outcome. The second reveals something about the situation.
A short story: La grande table
Quand un petit restaurant a ouvert près de mon bureau, j’ai décidé de ne pas y aller. À travers la vitrine, on voyait une seule grande table. Je n’avais aucune envie de déjeuner avec des inconnus.
Un midi, une collègue m’a proposé d’y manger. Il pleuvait et c’était juste à côté. J’ai fini par accepter.
Nous nous sommes installées entre un homme qui lisait et deux amies qui terminaient leur repas. Personne ne nous a demandé de participer à la conversation.
Je me suis rendu compte que l’on pouvait partager une table sans être obligé de parler.
J’y suis retournée seule la semaine suivante, avec un livre. Cette fois, j’ai choisi une place au milieu de la table.
The narrator’s first impression is clear: sharing a table sounds uncomfortable. A small experience changes that impression. The final action — returning alone and choosing a seat — shows the change without needing to explain it again.
Try it in your own French
Think of something you changed your mind about: a place, a film, a habit, an invitation or a first impression. You can use a real experience or invent one.
Write a few sentences about what you thought at first, what made you reconsider and what happened next. Choose one or two expressions from this article.
You could begin with:
Au début, je pensais que…
Puis, je me suis rendu compte que…
J’ai fini par…
Aujourd’hui, je vois les choses autrement parce que…
If you want to go a little further, add a line of dialogue or a concrete detail that helps us understand the change. Then try telling the story aloud, using just a few keywords.
Continue practising inside Write Your French
Inside Write Your French, each weekly theme connects vocabulary, listening and dictation, personal or creative writing, and speaking practice. I give you personal feedback on your texts, dictations and voice messages, with explanations and useful ways to express your ideas more naturally.
Weekly live conversation sessions give you another opportunity to use those words with others. Choose the activities that fit your week and return to earlier themes whenever you wish.