/di.mi.nɥe/
Translation
to lower, to decrease, to reduce; to go down, to die down
Word origin
From Latin diminuere, from de- (an intensifying prefix here) and minuere ('to lessen, to make smaller'). English diminish, minute and minor all trace back to the same Latin root.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- diminuere
- English cognates
- diminish, minute, minor
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | diminue | diminuais | diminuai | diminuerai | diminuerais |
| tu | diminues | diminuais | diminuas | diminueras | diminuerais |
| il/elle | diminue | diminuait | diminua | diminuera | diminuerait |
| nous | diminuons | diminuions | diminuâmes | diminuerons | diminuerions |
| vous | diminuez | diminuiez | diminuâtes | diminuerez | diminueriez |
| ils/elles | diminuent | diminuaient | diminuèrent | diminueront | diminueraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | diminue | diminuasse |
| tu | diminues | diminuasses |
| il/elle | diminue | diminuât |
| nous | diminuions | diminuassions |
| vous | diminuiez | diminuassiez |
| ils/elles | diminuent | diminuassent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | diminue |
| nous | diminuons |
| vous | diminuez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- diminuant
- Past participle
- diminué · diminuée · diminués · diminuées
Examples
.
The government wants to lower taxes.
.
The noise died down after midnight.
.
Prices have gone down by ten per cent.
Works both ways without changing form: chose is transitive (to lower something, diminuer les prix), and on its own is intransitive (to go down by itself, les prix ont diminué). No reflexive pronoun is needed for the second sense, unlike some other change-of-state verbs in French.
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diminuer: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "diminuer" (to lower, to decrease, to reduce; to go down, to die down): 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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