/pʁe.tɑ̃dʁ/
Translation
to claim, to assert (a false friend, it does not mean 'to pretend', which is faire semblant)
Word origin
From Latin praetendere ('to stretch forth, to hold out, to put forward as a reason'), from prae- ('before') and tendere ('to stretch'). English 'pretend' comes from the same verb but drifted towards feigning, while the French kept the sense of putting a claim forward.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- praetendere
- English cognates
- pretend, pretension, tend
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -re (vendre-style) conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | prétends | prétendais | prétenis | prétendrai | prétendrais |
| tu | prétends | prétendais | prétenis | prétendras | prétendrais |
| il/elle | prétend | prétendait | prétenit | prétendra | prétendrait |
| nous | prétendons | prétendions | prétenîmes | prétendrons | prétendrions |
| vous | prétendez | prétendiez | prétenîtes | prétendrez | prétendriez |
| ils/elles | prétendent | prétendaient | prétenirent | prétendront | prétendraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | prétende | prétenisse |
| tu | prétendes | prétenisses |
| il/elle | prétende | prétenît |
| nous | prétendions | prétenissions |
| vous | prétendiez | prétenissiez |
| ils/elles | prétendent | prétenissent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | prétends |
| nous | prétendons |
| vous | prétendez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- prétendant
- Past participle
- prétenu
Examples
.
He claims he has known the director for twenty years.
' ' au .
She claims that she did not know.
.
I do not claim to know everything.
.
The authors claim to have solved the problem.
au .
That candidate is laying claim to the post of director.
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
prétendre: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "prétendre" (to claim, to assert (a false friend, it does not mean 'to pretend', which is faire semblant)): 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 32.