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/de.fɑ̃dʁ/

Line drawing of défendre
Coloured illustration of défendre
#1158 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

to defend, to forbid

Word origin

From Latin defendere ('to ward off, protect'), from de- ('away') and an old verb fendere ('to strike, push').

Origin
Latin
Root
defendere
English cognates
defend, fence, offend

Grammar

Verb type-re regular

Conjugation

Regular -re (vendre-style) conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.

Indicative

Person PresentImperfectPast historicFutureConditional
jedéfendsdéfendaisdéfenisdéfendraidéfendrais
tudéfendsdéfendaisdéfenisdéfendrasdéfendrais
il/elledéfenddéfendaitdéfenitdéfendradéfendrait
nousdéfendonsdéfendionsdéfenîmesdéfendronsdéfendrions
vousdéfendezdéfendiezdéfenîtesdéfendrezdéfendriez
ils/ellesdéfendentdéfendaientdéfenirentdéfendrontdéfendraient

Subjunctive

Person PresentImperfect
jedéfendedéfenisse
tudéfendesdéfenisses
il/elledéfendedéfenît
nousdéfendionsdéfenissions
vousdéfendiezdéfenissiez
ils/ellesdéfendentdéfenissent

Imperative

Person Affirmative
tudéfends
nousdéfendons
vousdéfendez

Non-finite

Gerund / present participle
défendant
Past participle
défenu

Examples

'au .

I will defend my friends to the end.

.

You must learn to defend yourself alone.

.

The father forbids his children to go out.

Cet .

This lawyer always defends the poor.

.

You must defend your family at all costs.

Where this fits

Used in

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French · Free printables

défendre: worksheet, infographic and listicle

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This word is part of lesson 24.