French
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in French.
depuis
The French word 'depuis' is used in essentially the same way as 'since' is used in English. It can refer to the time that has passed since an event took place or it can represent the cause of an event. For example, ‘Je suis ici depuis mardi’ means 'I have been here since Tuesday.' However, unlike in English, 'depuis' can also be used to describe an action that has been happening continuously since a certain point, as in 'Je travaille depuis ce matin', meaning 'I have been working since this morning.'
Example sentences with depuis →dernier
The French word for 'last' is 'dernier'. It can be used to refer to the final person, item, or time something happens, similar to the usage in English. Remember, in French, adjective placement usually comes after the noun, unlike in English. However, 'dernier' can be used before or after a noun.
Example sentences with dernier →derrière
The French translation for 'behind' is 'derrière'. It is used in the same contexts as in English, indicating something located at the back of, or to the rear of something else. It can be used literally or figuratively. For example, 'Je suis derrière toi' means 'I am behind you'.
Example sentences with derrière →des choses
The French translation for 'stuff' is 'des choses'. However, as with any translation, context is incredibly important. 'Stuff' is a very general term in English and can be translated into different words in French depending on the specific usage. Generally, the term 'des choses' can be used to denote 'stuff' in most contexts, usually meaning various or unspecified things or matter. For example, 'I have a lot of stuff' translates to 'J'ai beaucoup de choses'.
Example sentences with des choses →des cierges magiques
In French, 'des cierges magiques' is the term for 'sparklers.' It is often used in festive ceremonies such as birthdays or national holidays, such as the 14th of July in France. It is a countable noun so remember to make it agreement with the number.
Example sentences with des cierges magiques →désolé
The French word 'désolé' is used in very much the same way as the English word 'sorry'. It is used to express regret, apology or condolence. For example, if you accidently stepped on a French person's foot, you would say 'Je suis désolé' which translates to 'I am sorry'.
Example sentences with désolé →dessiner
The word 'dessiner' in French translates to 'draw' in English. In French, it is used in much the same contexts as in English. One can use it when talking about creating a picture using pencil, pen or other drawing materials. Like English, it can also be used metaphorically in various expressions.
Example sentences with dessiner →détail
The French word for 'detail' is 'détail'. It is used in the same context as in English to denote or describe a particular or specific feature, part, or item. It is most commonly used in sentences like 'dans le moindre détail' which translates to 'in the smallest detail'.
Example sentences with détail →déterminer
The French word 'déterminer' is used similarly to the English word 'determine'. It can be utilized in the context of making a decision after considering all possible choices and outcomes, identifying the nature or specifics of something, or causing something to occur in a particular way. Its use is common in formal spoken and written language.
Example sentences with déterminer →deuxième
The French word 'deuxième' corresponds to 'second' in English and is used in similar contexts. It is suitable to use it in sequences, telling time, positioning, etc. For example, when indicating your standing after the first person, the term 'deuxième' is used. It's important to remember that the numbering in French employs 'deuxième' for 'second', unlike in English where 'second' and 'two' are distinctly different words.
Example sentences with deuxième →développement
The French word for 'development' is 'développement'. Just like in English, 'développement' can be used to reference the process by which someone or something grows and changes over time. It can also mean a new event, occurrence, or situation that changes a situation or people’s understanding of the situation. It is used in various contexts including personal, social, economic and technological growth or changes.
Example sentences with développement →développer
The French word 'développer' is used in the same context as 'develop' in English. It commonly implies the idea of growth, progress or expansion. It can be used in various contexts such as personal development (développement personnel), software development (développement de logiciel) or even to describe the growth of a city (développement d'une ville).
Example sentences with développer →devenir
The French verb 'devenir' is the equivalent of the English verb 'become'. It is often used to indicate a change or transformation of some kind. For example, 'Je suis en train de devenir un docteur' translates to 'I am becoming a doctor'. This verb is a part of a larger family of verbs known as 'irregular -ir verbs', which do not follow a regular conjugation pattern.
Example sentences with devenir →deviner
The French word 'deviner' is equivalent to the English word 'guess'. It is a commonly used verb in French, just as it is in English. It is used in various contexts, such as making a conjecture, assuming, or guessing the answer to a question. Examples of its usage can be found in phrases like 'Je ne peux que deviner' (I can only guess) or 'Devine qui?' (Guess who?).
Example sentences with deviner →devrait
The French equivalent of 'should' is 'devrait'. This word is most commonly used when advising or suggesting something. Depending on the context, it can also express a probability or expectation. Remember, French verbs are conjugated differently depending on the subject, so 'devrait' is typically used when the subject is he, she or it ('il', 'elle', 'on').
Example sentences with devrait →différence
The French word 'différence' is used in the same context as it is in English. It indicates the distinction or variation between two or more things. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, and can also be utilized in a mathematical viewpoint such as subtraction operation. Proper pronunciation is important, and the accent on the first 'e' should not be overlooked.
Example sentences with différence →différent
The word 'différent' in French is used in the same manner as 'different' in English. It is used to describe or highlight how one thing is not the same as another. It can be used when comparing objects, people, places, situations, and ideas. It can also be used in a sentence like 'C'est différent!', meaning 'It's different!'
Example sentences with différent →difficile
The French word 'difficile' is used similarly to its English counterpart, 'difficult'. It describes something that is hard to do, understand, or deal with. It can be used to describe tasks, situations, people, concepts, and more. For example, 'C'est difficile de comprendre le français' means 'It's difficult to understand French'.
Example sentences with difficile →dire
In French, 'dire' translates to 'tell' in English. It is most commonly used as a verb in context to impart information or to express something in words. Depending on the sentence, 'dire' could also be iterated in other forms such as 'dit' - said, 'dire' - to say, etc. From a grammar aspect, 'dire' can be used with a direct object or followed by 'that' ('que') similar to English 'tell that'.
Example sentences with dire →directeur
The French word 'directeur' is used to signify a person responsible for managing or leading an institution, company, or project, just like 'director' in English. It can be used in various contexts like film 'directeur', school 'directeur', etc.
Example sentences with directeur →discussion
In French, 'discussion' is also used the same way as in English. It is a noun and refers to the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas. It is associated with conversation, dialogue, or debate. Just like in English, 'discussion' can be used for a wide range of contexts in French, from informal chats to formal debates or negotiations.
Example sentences with discussion →discuter
The French verb 'discuter' is frequently used in both formal and casual contexts. It can mean either 'to discuss' or 'to argue'. While 'discuter' primarily means 'to discuss', it does not have a negative connotation and is used naturally in conversations to express the act of having an in-depth conversation or discussion on a topic.
Example sentences with discuter →disponible
The French word for 'available' is 'disponible'. In French, it is utilized similarly to the English usage. It can be used to describe if someone is free to meet, if a product is in stock, or if a hotel room is free, among other things.
Example sentences with disponible →district
The French term for district is 'quartier'. It can be used to refer to different sections of a town, city, or even a country, similar to its English counterpart. For example, 'Mon quartier est très animé' translates to 'My district is very lively'. It's worth noting that 'quartier' can also mean quarter, as in one fourth.
Example sentences with district →divers
The word 'divers' in French translates to 'various' in English. It is used in the same way as in English, to describe a variety or a number of different things. It can refer to people, items, ideas or situations. It is an adjective and hence, it should match the gender and quantity of the noun it's describing. For example, 'différents livres' means 'various books'.
Example sentences with divers →doit
In French, 'must' is translated to 'doit'. It is used as a verb to express an obligation or necessity. However, French language doesn't have a perfect equivalent for the modal verb 'must' in English. The word 'doit' is a form of the verb 'devoir' which expresses 'must' or 'have to'. It is used in the same context as in English, for example - 'I must eat' would translate to 'Je dois manger'. It can also express prediction or expectation.
Example sentences with doit →dollar
In French, the word for 'dollar' is also 'dollar'. It is used in the same way as in English, to denote the currency of countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, among others. When speaking, the pronunciation of 'dollar' in French shows a slight stress on the second syllable, contrary to English where it's mostly stressed on the first. It's a great example of the numerous loanwords present in French from English.
Example sentences with dollar →données
The French word for 'data' is 'données'. It is used in the same context as in English, such as in the domains of computing, science, and businesses where information or facts are gathered for deep analysis, just that instead of 'data', 'données' is used.
Example sentences with données →donner
The word 'donner' is the French equivalent of the English word 'give'. It is used almost always in the same context as 'give', typically when transferring something from one person to another. It can also be used in many other contexts, like 'give me your hand' ('donne-moi ta main') or 'give a gift' ('donner un cadeau'). However, as with all translations, some idiomatic or cultural uses may not translate directly.
Example sentences with donner →dos
The French word 'dos' translates to 'back' in English. It is used to describe the rear part of the human body from the neck to the end of the spine. It can also be used to describe the rear part or opposite side of something. For example, 'Le dos du livre' means 'The back of the book'.
Example sentences with dos →