French Conversation · Level 23
90 words
French word
action
Pronunciation
IPA/aksjɔ̃/
Meaning
- feminine nounaction
Example
Il faut passer à l'action.
It is necessary to take action.
More examples
Son action a changé la situation.
His action changed the situation.
Core concept
A person turns an intention into a purposeful step that can produce a result.
Common phrases
passer à l'action
take action
action concrète
concrete action
mener une action
carry out an action
Similar words
acte: A distinct act or event that can be clearly identified.
geste: A brief movement or gesture made with the body or hands.
initiative: A self-directed effort or proposal to get something started.
activité: Work or activity carried out for a specific purpose.
Definition in French
Fait de faire quelque chose; initiative ou geste posé par une personne pour atteindre un objectif.
Word origin
French action comes from Latin actio, formed from agere, 'to do' or 'to drive', and entered French through learned and medieval usage.
Usage tips
- Action is feminine, so the usual form is une action, and the phrase passer à l'action means moving from a decision to actual doing.
Other meanings
- effectnoun
- sharenoun
Opposites
- inactioninactionnoun
- passivitépassivitynoun
Related words
- actionneroperateverb
- réactionreactionnoun
- actionnaireshareholdernoun