French Verb 'emprunter': Complete Guide to Meaning, Conjugation & Usage

In French, the verb "emprunter" is a crucial part of everyday conversation. It can mean to borrow something, to take out or rent something, or even to pretend to be someone else. Mastering this verb will help you navigate various situations with confidence.

What Does 'emprunter' Mean in French?

At its core, "emprunter" means to obtain temporary use of something that belongs to someone else. This can be a physical object, an idea, or even a persona. Let's explore the different nuances: * To borrow (something) from someone: J'emprunte votre livre. ("I'm borrowing your book.") * To take out or rent (something): J'ai emprunté une voiture pour le week-end. ("I rented a car for the weekend.") * To pretend to be someone else: J'ai emprunté l'identité de mon cousin. ("I'm pretending to be my cousin's identity.")

Conjugation of 'emprunter'

Here's how you conjugate "emprunter" in different tenses:

Pronoun	Present	Passé composé	Futur simple
Jeg	j'emprunte	j'ai emprunté	je vais emprunter
Tu	t'empruntes	t'es emprunté	tu vas emprunter
Ils/Elles	ils/emportent	ils vont emprunter

How to Use 'emprunter' in a Sentence

Here are six example sentences showcasing the different tenses and contexts: * Present: J'emprunte un livre à la bibliothèque. ("I'm borrowing a book from the library.") * Past: J'ai emprunté un sac de courses pour aller aux courses. ("I rented a shopping bag to go grocery shopping.") * Future: Je vais emprunter une voiture pour le week-end prochain. ("I'm going to rent a car for the next weekend.") * Formal situation: Monsieur, je voudrais emprunter votre livre pendant quelques jours. ("Sir, I'd like to borrow your book for a few days.") * Informal conversation: J'ai emprunté un film à mon ami pour regarder le week-end dernier. ("I borrowed a movie from my friend to watch last weekend.") * Passive voice: Le livre que j'ai emprunté à la bibliothèque est très intéressant. ("The book I borrowed from the library is very interesting.")

Common Expressions and Phrases with 'emprunter'

Here are four idiomatic French expressions using "emprunter": * Faire emprunter les mots à quelqu'un. ("To borrow someone's words.") + Usage: When you're quoting someone else's phrase or idea, you can say "Je fais emprunter les mots à mon professeur." (I'm borrowing my teacher's words.) * Passer pour quelqu'un. ("To pretend to be someone else.") + Usage: If you're pretending to be a friend or colleague at a party, you can say "J'ai passé pour mon ami Pierre pendant une heure." (I pretended to be my friend Pierre for an hour.) * Tirer les choses à l'emprunt. ("To take things on loan.") + Usage: When you're taking something temporarily, like a tool or a book, you can say "Je vais tirer le livre à la bibliothèque." (I'm going to take the book from the library.) * S'offrir les frais de l'emprunt. ("To pay for the borrowing.") + Usage: When you're paying for something you borrowed, like a car or an apartment, you can say "Je m'offre les frais de l'emprunt pour le mois prochain." (I'm going to pay for the rental fees for next month.)

Tips for Remembering 'emprunter'

Here are three memory tricks to help you remember "emprunter": * Associate the verb with a common English phrase like "borrowing books" or "renting a car." * Visualize a scenario where you're borrowing something from someone, and imagine how you would conjugate the verb in different situations. * Practice, practice, practice! The more you use "emprunter" in your everyday conversations, the more it will become second nature. Practice the verb emprunter on My-French.com