Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is “se dépêcher,” a reflexive verb meaning “to hurry up.” We’ll also cover the non-reflexive from dépêcher (to dispatch).
Meaning & usage
Pronunciation with IPA
Example sentences
Present tense conjugation
Related words
Meaning & usage
“Se dépêcher” is a reflexive French verb meaning “to hurry up” or “to make haste.”
- It is frequently followed by “de + infinitive” to express “to hurry to do something” (e.g., Je me dépêche de finir – I’m hurrying to finish).
- The non-reflexive verb “dépêcher” has a different meaning: “to dispatch” or “to send.”
Pronunciation
Example sentences
Je me dépêche parce que je ne veux pas arriver en retard.
I’m hurrying because I don’t want to arrive late.
👉 See also: Vouloir conjugation charts (with audio) »
For this second sentence, the preposition dans (in) is being used to indicate when an action will begin. This lesson explains en vs. dans, which both mean “in”.
Allez, les enfants, dépêchez-vous ! Le cours commence dans cinq minutes !
Come on kids, hurry up! The class is starting in five minutes.
This sentence uses the form se dépêcher de + infinitive, meaning “to hurry to + action”. Projet can translate to both plan and project.
Je me dépêche de finir le projet avant midi.
I’m hurrying to finish the project before noon.
This final sentence uses the non-reflexive form dépêcher, meaning to dispatch or send. The preposition en (in) precedes Afrique as all continents are feminine. This lesson explains geographical prepositions.
Le gouvernement dépêche des diplomates en Afrique.
The government is sending diplomats to Africa.
Se dépêcher conjugation
Je me dépêche I hurry
Tu te dépêches You hurry (singular, informal)
Il, elle se dépêche He, she hurries
Nous nous dépêchons We hurry
Vous vous dépêchez You hurry (plural ,formal)
Ils, elles se dépêchent They hurry
Synonyms and words
- Pressé(e): (adjective) in a hurry, rushed (Word of the Day lesson)
- Traîner: (to drag, to dawdle, to linger (Word of the Day lesson)
- Hâter (se hâter): (to hasten, to hurry; literary synonym)
- Accélérer: (to accelerate, to speed up)
- Faire vite: (to do quickly, to hurry)
- Courir: (to run; implies hurrying)
