French Conversation · Level 4
88 words
French word
accident
Pronunciation
IPA/aksidɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounaccident
Example
Elle a eu un accident à vélo hier.
She had an accident on her bike yesterday.
More examples
La rue est fermée après un accident.
The street is closed after an accident.
Core concept
One unexpected event breaks the normal course of travel and may injure a person or damage a vehicle.
Common phrases
avoir un accident
have an accident
provoquer un accident
cause an accident
accident grave
serious accident
Similar words
collision: The act or event of vehicles or objects hitting each other with force.
choc: The intense jolt produced by a collision or experienced during it.
incident: A small unforeseen difficulty or occurrence.
Definition in French
Événement imprévu causant un dommage matériel ou corporel, souvent lié au trafic.
Word origin
The French noun accident derives from Latin accidens through Old French, with the Latin verb accidere expressing something that happens or befalls someone.
Usage tips
- French uses avoir un accident for experiencing an accident, as in Elle a eu un accident à vélo, rather than a literal construction with faire.
Related words
- accidentelaccidentaladjective
- accidentellementaccidentallyadverb