French Conversation · Level 162
30 words
French word
empiéter
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃pjete/
Meaning
- verbencroach on ___
Example
Il ne faut pas empiéter sur le temps des autres.
You must not encroach on other people's time.
More examples
Attention à ne pas empiéter sur mon espace personnel.
Be careful not to encroach on my personal space.
Core concept
A foot crossing a boundary and taking up space that belongs to another person, schedule, or right.
Common phrases
empiéter sur
encroach on ___
empiéter sur le temps des autres
encroach on other people's time
empiéter sur la vie privée
encroach on privacy
Similar words
s'immiscer: To meddle in someone else's conversation or affairs.
s'introduire: To enter a place or group, often without being invited.
envahir: To invade another person's space or territory and occupy it extensively.
déborder: To go beyond a set boundary or allotted time.
Definition in French
Envahir ou outrepasser une limite en occupant l'espace, le temps ou les droits d'autrui.
Word origin
French empiéter derives from Old French and combines en- with pied, "foot", evoking the act of putting a foot into another area.
Usage tips
- The usual construction is empiéter sur, not empiéter de, when naming the space, time, or rights affected.