/ɑ̃.plwa.je/
Translation
to use, to employ
Word origin
From Latin implicare ('to enfold, to involve'), via Old French empleier. The same root gives English employ and imply.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- implicare
- English cognates
- employ, imply
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | employe | employais | employai | employerai | employerais |
| tu | employes | employais | employas | employeras | employerais |
| il/elle | employe | employait | employa | employera | employerait |
| nous | employons | employions | employâmes | employerons | employerions |
| vous | employez | employiez | employâtes | employerez | employeriez |
| ils/elles | employent | employaient | employèrent | employeront | employeraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | employe | employasse |
| tu | employes | employasses |
| il/elle | employe | employât |
| nous | employions | employassions |
| vous | employiez | employassiez |
| ils/elles | employent | employassent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | employe |
| nous | employons |
| vous | employez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- employant
- Past participle
- employé · employée · employés · employées
Examples
emploie .
This company employs more than two hundred people.
J'emploie .
I always use the same dictionary to translate.
.
You have to use the right tools for this job.
carries two distinct senses that a learner needs to keep apart: "to use" a thing (employer les bons outils, to use the right tools) and "to employ" a person (l'entreprise emploie deux cents personnes, the company employs two hundred people). English splits these into separate verbs, French does not. As a -oyer verb, the y changes to i whenever the ending is silent: j'emploie, tu emploies, ils emploient, but nous employons, vous employez keep the y.
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employer: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "employer" (to use, to employ): 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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