Level B1 (Intermediate)
The French Word of the Day is démarrer, meaning “to start” or “to begin,” especially when referring to a motor, engine, or new activity.
Meaning
Pronunciation with IPA
Example sentences
Related words and lessons
Meaning
The French verb démarrer means “to start” or “to begin” and is often used for starting engines, machines, or projects. Unlike commencer, which is more general for “to begin,” démarrer frequently implies setting something in motion.
- La voiture démarre. (The car starts.)
- Le projet démarre demain. (The project starts tomorrow.)
Pronunciation
Example sentences
Heureusement ma voiture démarre toujours quand il fait froid en hiver.
Fortunately my car always starts when it’s cold out in the winter.
For this second sentence, pourrais-tu is the conditional tense of pouvoir (can, to able). Peux-tu means “can you” but pourrais-tu (could you) is a more formal way of making polite requests. This sentence uses the inversion form of asking questions.
Jean-Luc, pourrais-tu m’aider à démarrer la tondeuse ?
Jean-Luc, could you help me start the lawn mower?
Another usage of démarrer is “to get off to a + adjective + start”. La fac is a shortening of la faculté (college, university). This sentence is in the passé composé tense.
Anya a bien démarré à la fac cette année et ses parents sont fiers.
Anya got off to a good start in university this year and her parents are proud.
Related words and lessons
- Se mettre à – to start, to begin to
- arrêter – to stop (opposite of démarrer)
- commencer – to begin
- débuter – to start, to debut
- allumer – to turn on, to light
- mettre en marche – to start up, to set in motion
- lancer – to launch, to start
- amorcer – to initiate, to begin
- redémarrer – to restart
- fonctionner – to function, to work
- moteur – engine (often used with démarrer)
