French Conversation · Level 15
90 words
French word
acte
Pronunciation
IPA/akt/
Meaning
- masculine nounaction
Example
Son acte a surpris tout le monde.
His action surprised everyone.
More examples
Un acte de bonté peut changer la journée de quelqu'un.
An act of kindness can change someone's day.
Core concept
One clearly bounded deed that can stand alone as an event, an official record, or a section of a play.
Common phrases
un acte de bonté
an act of kindness
un acte de violence
an act of violence
Similar words
action: A deliberate act or movement performed with a clear purpose.
fait: An event that actually happened as a matter of fact.
geste: A brief, clear gesture or movement.
Definition in French
Action accomplie par une personne, un groupe ou une institution.
Word origin
Acte comes through Old French from Latin actum, 'a thing done', the neuter past participle of the verb agere, 'to do'.
Usage tips
- The final e in acte is silent, and the plural actes has the same pronunciation as the singular.