sur

/syʁ/

#59 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

on, on top of, about, over (preposition); also 'sure, certain' as the adjective sûr/sûre

Examples

basse.

The book is on the coffee table.

économique.

He wrote an article about the economic crisis.

, fonctionne .

Two times out of three, it doesn't work.

.

Put your coat over the back of the chair.

sûre ' .

She is self-assured when she speaks in public.

Sur is the everyday preposition for "on" or "about": sur la table (on the table), un article sur le climat (an article about the climate), deux fois sur trois (two times out of three). It also forms compound expressions: sur place (on the spot), sur le moment (at the time), compter sur quelqu'un (to count on someone).

A separate but identically-spelled (in ASCII) word is the adjective sûr (with a circumflex), meaning "sure, certain, safe": je suis sûr (I am sure), en lieu sûr (in a safe place), bien sûr (of course). Forms: sûr / sûre / sûrs / sûres. The circumflex distinguishes the two in writing; in unaccented input both collapse to sur.

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