Kilo Lingo

/kwɛ̃.se/

Line drawing of coincer
Coloured illustration of coincer
#1479 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

to jam, to corner

Word origin

Built on coin ('corner, wedge'), from Latin cuneus ('wedge'), so the verb literally means to drive something in like a wedge. English 'coin' came from the same French word, once the name of the wedge-shaped die used to stamp money.

Origin
Latin
Root
cuneus
English cognates
coin, cuneiform

Grammar

Verb type-er regular (1st group, c becomes ç before a and o)

Conjugation

Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.

Indicative

Person PresentImperfectPast historicFutureConditional
jecoincecoincaiscoincaicoinceraicoincerais
tucoincescoincaiscoincascoincerascoincerais
il/ellecoincecoincaitcoincacoinceracoincerait
nouscoinconscoincionscoincâmescoinceronscoincerions
vouscoincezcoinciezcoincâtescoincerezcoinceriez
ils/ellescoincentcoincaientcoincèrentcoincerontcoinceraient

Subjunctive

Person PresentImperfect
jecoincecoincasse
tucoincescoincasses
il/ellecoincecoincât
nouscoincionscoincassions
vouscoinciezcoincassiez
ils/ellescoincentcoincassent

Imperative

Person Affirmative
tucoince
nouscoincons
vouscoincez

Non-finite

Gerund / present participle
coincant
Past participle
coincé · coincée · coincés · coincées

Examples

.

The garage door has been jammed since this morning.

tiroir.

I got my finger caught in the drawer.

l' .

The journalists cornered him on his way out of court.

.

We wedge the window with a book when it is windy.

embouteillages .

He was stuck in traffic for two hours.

Where this fits

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French · Free printables

coincer: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "coincer" (to jam, to corner): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 30.