French word

chaparder

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃapaʁde/

Meaning

  • verbsteal

Example

Il chaparde souvent des stylos au bureau.

He often steals pens at the office.

Illustration for chaparder (steal)

More examples

En soirée, quelqu'un lui a chapardé son portefeuille.

In the evening, someone pilfered her wallet.

Core concept

A hand quietly slips a cheap pen into a pocket, treating a small theft almost casually.

Common phrases

  • se faire chaparder un sac

    have a bag pilfered

  • chaparder des bijoux

    pilfer jewelry

Similar words

voler: Taking and carrying away another person's property without permission.
chiper: Casually taking a small item without being noticed.
piquer: Informally taking someone else's property without their knowledge.

Definition in French

Prendre furtivement et sans autorisation un objet de peu de valeur, souvent de façon légère ou ludique.

Word origin

French chaparder was formed from chapard, a colloquial noun for a petty thief, with the verb ending -er.

Usage tips

  • Chaparder is colloquial and suits minor, almost playful thefts, whereas voler is the broader and more neutral verb for stealing.

Other meanings

  • pilferverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word