enseigner

ByFast French

The French Verb “Enseigner”

The verb enseigner means “to teach” in French. It is a regular verb from the first group, ending in -er. Depending on the context, it can have different nuances.

Meanings of Enseigner

  1. To teach (a subject or a skill)
    Enseigner is commonly used when referring to teaching a subject or a skill to someone.
    • Il enseigne les mathématiques au lycée. (He teaches mathematics at the high school.)
    • Elle enseigne le piano aux enfants. (She teaches piano to children.)
  2. To instruct or educate someone
    It can also mean to instruct someone in a broader sense.
    • Mon père m’a enseigné la patience. (My father taught me patience.)
    • Ils enseignent aux élèves à respecter les règles. (They teach the students to follow the rules.)
  3. To indicate or show (formal usage)
    In a more formal or literary sense, enseigner can mean to indicate or demonstrate.
    • L’histoire nous enseigne que la paix est fragile. (History teaches us that peace is fragile.)

Conjugation of Enseigner

Present Tense

PersonConjugation
Jeenseigne
Tuenseignes
Il/Elle/Onenseigne
Nousenseignons
Vousenseignez
Ils/Ellesenseignent

Passé Composé

Enseigner is conjugated with avoir in the passé composé.

PersonConjugation
J’ai enseigné
Tuas enseigné
Il/Elle/Ona enseigné
Nousavons enseigné
Vousavez enseigné
Ils/Ellesont enseigné

Etymology

The verb enseigner comes from the Latin insignare, meaning “to mark” or “to imprint a sign.” Over time, its meaning evolved to “to instruct” or “to teach.”

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • revenir à

    ByFast French

    Revenir à is a common French verb phrase with several core meanings. It can mean to come back to a place, to return to a topic, to go back to a previous state, or to amount to a sum. The exact meaning depends on context. The basic idea is movement back toward something, real or…

  • d’accord vs être d’accord

    ByFast French

    In French, the expressions “d’accord” and “être d’accord” are both used to show agreement, but they have subtle differences in usage and grammatical construction that can be challenging for language learners. D’accord “D’accord” is an invariable interjection that typically means “okay” or “alright.” It’s a quick, informal way to express consent or agreement in conversation….

  • qui vs ce qui

    ByFast French

    In French, the words qui and ce qui both translate to “who” or “which” in English, but they serve different grammatical purposes. Qui tends to mean “who” or “which,” while ce qui tends to mean “what” or “that which.” 1. “Qui” as a Relative Pronoun Qui functions as a relative pronoun referring to a previously…

  • saint, sain, sein, ceins

    ByFast French

    French has many homonyms—words that sound the same, but have different meanings or spellings. Among these, saint, sain, sein and occasionally ceins often confuse learners. Let’s look at their meanings and uses, while focusing only on forms that are true homonyms. 1. Saint (masculine noun or adjective) Meaning: Refers to a saint (a holy person…

  • sont, ont, font, vont

    ByFast French

    In French, certain verbs such as “être” (to be), “avoir” (to have), “faire” (to do/make), and “aller” (to go) have unique conjugation patterns. Interestingly, the third person plural forms (“they” form) of these verbs all end in “ont.” No other French verbs have the “they” form ending in “ont.” This article will explore the present…