French word

avenir

Pronunciation

IPA/avəniʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounfuture

Example

L'avenir m'inquiète.

The future worries me.

Illustration for avenir (future)

More examples

Il faut penser à l'avenir.

It is necessary to consider the future.

Core concept

The unfolding path ahead that shows what may happen to a person or thing.

Common phrases

  • penser à l'avenir

    consider the future

  • un avenir incertain

    an uncertain future

Similar words

futur: The coming time or era, or matters relating to it.
demain: The next calendar day.

Definition in French

Désigne la perspective ou la probabilité de ce qui arrivera dans la vie d'une personne ou d'une chose.

Word origin

The noun avenir developed from the French verb avenir, which continues Latin advenire, meaning to arrive or come toward.

Usage tips

  • À l'avenir commonly means from now on, while dans l'avenir refers more generally to a future time and is less frequent in everyday speech.

Other meanings

  • prospectsnoun
  • potentialnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word