Kilo Lingo

/vi.ʁe/

Line drawing of virer
Coloured illustration of virer
#937 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

to turn, to veer; to transfer (money); (informal) to sack

Word origin

A nautical word first, meaning to turn a ship or a capstan, and the source of English 'veer'. Its Latin ancestor is disputed.

Origin
Latin
Root
*virare
English cognates
veer

Other proposed origins

  • Most often traced to a Vulgar Latin virare, itself an alteration of gyrare ('to turn round'), from Greek gyros. (gyrare)
  • Some accounts derive it instead from Latin vibrare ('to shake, to brandish'), with the sense sliding towards turning. (vibrare)

Grammar

Verb type-er regular (1st group)

Conjugation

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

Indicative

Person PresentImperfectPast historicFutureConditional
jevireviraisviraivireraivirerais
tuviresviraisvirasvirerasvirerais
il/ellevireviraitviravireravirerait
nousvironsvirionsvirâmesvireronsvirerions
vousvirezviriezvirâtesvirerezvireriez
ils/ellesvirentviraientvirèrentvirerontvireraient

Subjunctive

Person PresentImperfect
jevirevirasse
tuviresvirasses
il/ellevirevirât
nousvirionsvirassions
vousviriezvirassiez
ils/ellesvirentvirassent

Imperative

Person Affirmative
tuvire
nousvirons
vousvirez

Non-finite

Gerund / present participle
virant
Past participle
viré · virée · virés · virées

Examples

.

The car veered left without warning.

l' .

I will transfer the money to you tomorrow morning.

au au- .

The sky was turning pink above the rooftops.

l' .

They sacked him after three warnings.

, '.

Get your things off the sofa, we would like to sit down.

Where this fits

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French · Free printables

virer: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "virer" (to turn, to veer; to transfer (money); (informal) to sack): 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 19.