/ɑ̃.ɡa.ʒe/
Translation
to hire, to commit, to begin
Word origin
From Old French engagier, from en- ('in, into') plus gage ('a pledge, a security'), itself from Frankish wadi ('pledge'). To engage something was literally to put it under pledge. English 'engage' was borrowed from the same French verb.
- Origin
- Old French
- Root
- engagier
- English cognates
- engage, gage, wage
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | engage | engagais | engagai | engagerai | engagerais |
| tu | engages | engagais | engagas | engageras | engagerais |
| il/elle | engage | engagait | engaga | engagera | engagerait |
| nous | engagons | engagions | engagâmes | engagerons | engagerions |
| vous | engagez | engagiez | engagâtes | engagerez | engageriez |
| ils/elles | engagent | engagaient | engagèrent | engageront | engageraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | engage | engagasse |
| tu | engages | engagasses |
| il/elle | engage | engagât |
| nous | engagions | engagassions |
| vous | engagiez | engagassiez |
| ils/elles | engagent | engagassent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | engage |
| nous | engagons |
| vous | engagez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- engagant
- Past participle
- engagé · engagée · engagés · engagées
Examples
L' techniciens .
The company is going to hire three new technicians in September.
engageons .
We are opening the discussion tomorrow morning.
' l'.
He committed to repaying the sum before the end of the year.
Cette .
That signature commits your full responsibility.
' !
Do not get involved in a business like that!
Where this fits
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueFrench · Free printables
engager: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "engager" (to hire, to commit, to begin): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
Free for members
The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.
Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 21.