French Conversation · Level 116
60 words
French word
déserter
Pronunciation
IPA/dezɛʁte/
Meaning
- verbabandon
Example
Il ne faut pas déserter ses amis quand ils ont besoin de toi.
You must not abandon your friends when they need you.
More examples
Après les vacances, certains élèves choisissent de déserter les cours.
After vacation, some students choose to skip classes.
Core concept
An occupied place or required post is left empty when the person expected there walks away or fails to appear.
Common phrases
déserter ses amis
abandon one's friends
déserter les cours
skip classes
Similar words
abandonner: To leave a person or thing behind when departing.
quitter: To stop being present in a place and go away.
laisser: To leave something as it is without intervening.
négliger: To neglect care or duties and leave them unattended.
Definition in French
Abandonner un lieu, une personne ou une responsabilité, ou ne pas se présenter là où l'on doit être.
Word origin
The verb traces through Old French to Latin desertare, which developed from deserere and carried the idea of leaving or abandoning something.
Usage tips
- Déserter often conveys blame when people abandon others or their duties, whereas quitter is generally more neutral for simply leaving.