French Conversation · Level 64
75 words
French word
commettre
Pronunciation
IPA/komɛtʁ/
Meaning
- verbmake a mistake
Example
Il a commis une erreur.
He made a mistake.
More examples
Elle a commis une faute lors de l'examen.
She committed a fault during the exam.
Core concept
A completed act that leaves a person answerable for a mistake, fault, or crime.
Common phrases
commettre une erreur
make a mistake
commettre une faute
commit a fault
Similar words
faire: Perform an action or activity.
agir: Take action with a specific intention.
causer: Cause an event or problem to occur.
Definition in French
Poser ou faire quelque chose de répréhensible, en particulier une faute, une erreur ou un acte criminel.
Word origin
French commettre comes through Old French from Latin committere, meaning 'to bring together' or 'to entrust', and later specialized in acts of wrongdoing.
Usage tips
- Commettre usually takes a direct object, as in commettre une erreur, and sounds more marked than English 'make' in these collocations.