Kilo Lingo

/tʁɔ̃.pe/

Line drawing of tromper
Coloured illustration of tromper
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Translation

to deceive, to cheat on, to mislead

Word origin

The origin is genuinely disputed among French etymologists, and the standard dictionaries record competing accounts.

Origin
Old French

Other proposed origins

  • The traditional account derives it from trompe ('trumpet'), so that tromper quelqu'un first meant to make a fool of someone the way a street musician plays for laughs. (trompe)
  • Other accounts reject the trumpet link and trace it to an Old French verb of the triper family meaning 'to stamp about, to play tricks'. (triper)

Grammar

Verb type-er regular (1st group)

Conjugation

Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.

Indicative

Person PresentImperfectPast historicFutureConditional
jetrompetrompaistrompaitromperaitromperais
tutrompestrompaistrompastromperastromperais
il/elletrompetrompaittrompatromperatromperait
noustromponstrompionstrompâmestromperonstromperions
voustrompeztrompieztrompâtestrompereztromperiez
ils/ellestrompenttrompaienttrompèrenttromperonttromperaient

Subjunctive

Person PresentImperfect
jetrompetrompasse
tutrompestrompasses
il/elletrompetrompât
noustrompionstrompassions
voustrompieztrompassiez
ils/ellestrompenttrompassent

Imperative

Person Affirmative
tutrompe
noustrompons
voustrompez

Non-finite

Gerund / present participle
trompant
Past participle
trompé · trompée · trompés · trompées

Examples

.

Do not let yourself be deceived by appearances.

Lyon.

I took the wrong train and ended up in Lyon.

.

He cheated on his wife for two years.

, .

If I am not mistaken, we have already met.

lecteur .

These figures mislead the reader about the reality of the market.

Where this fits

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French · Free printables

tromper: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "tromper" (to deceive, to cheat on, to mislead): 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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This word is part of lesson 16.