The French verb “être” is the equivalent of the English verb “to be.” It’s the most frequently used verb in the whole French language. It’s an irregular verb, which means that is doesn’t follow regular conjugation patterns. This is the present tense of être: The verb être is used to express identity, nationality, and describing…
How do you translate “to save” into French? It depends on what you’re saving. If you’re saving someone in the sense of rescuing them, use “sauver.” If you’re saving money by spending less, use “économiser.” If you’re saving money by putting money aside, then use “épargner.” If you’re saving time, use “gagner.” If you’re saving…
The French verb “guérir” means “to heal,” “to cure,” “to recover” or “to cure oneself.” It can be used in three different ways: transitively, intransitively and reflexively. Let’s see what that means below. Transitive Used transitively, “guérir” means “to cure” someone of something. Transitive means that the verb “guérir” will have a direct object, which…
The French verb “marcher” has a variety of meanings, including “to walk,” “to function,” “to work,” “to tread,” “to go,” “to go for it,” and even “to fall for it.” To walk To tread To go To work, to function To go for it To fall for it Expressions
The French verbs “alentir” and “ralentir” are related to the adjective “lent,” which means “slow.” The two verbs both mean “to slow down.” “Alentir” is only used in literature (or in Québec) these days, while “ralentir” is in common usage. Meanings and Usage: Conjugation in the Present Tense: Conjugation in the Passé Composé: Etymology: Both…
The French verb “tirer” means “to draw” or “to pull,” but it has many additional meanings. It is a widely used verb, as well as being the basis of other related verbs such as attirer, étirer, retirer and soutirer. Multiple Meanings of “Tirer”: Etymology The verb “tirer” comes from the Latin verb “tirare,” which means…
The French verb “fondre” means “to melt,” along with a host of other meanings. It’s a useful verb to know if you’re heading into summer temperatures. “Fondre” can mean “to melt,” “to melt down,” “to thaw,” “to thaw out,” “to cast,” “to dissolve,” “to melt away,” “to waste away,” “to soften,” or when used reflexively,…
There are a few different ways to say “to think” in French. You can use verbs like “penser,” “songer,” “réfléchir,” “croire,” or “considérer.” penser Penser means “to think.” It is related to the English word “pensive,” someone who is thoughtful or in deep thought. It can be used with “à” to mean “to have in…
The French verb “devoir” means “to have to” or “must.” An earlier post looked at “devoir” in a general sense. Let’s examine a few specific aspects of “devoir” that are indispensable for reading and talking in French. Past participle The past participle of “devoir” is “dû.” Unlike the past participles of “avoir, savoir, vouloir, pouvoir,…
The French verb “réussir” means “to succeed,” but it can also mean “to achieve,” “to carry off (something) successfully,” “to win,” or “to pass (an exam).” Etymology: The word “réussir” was borrowed in the early 16th century from the Italian verb “riuscire,” meaning “to re-issue” or “to go out again.” The Italian “riuscire,” is made up…