French Conversation · Level 19
89 words
French word
essayer
Pronunciation
IPA/eseje/
Meaning
- verbtry
Example
Je vais essayer demain.
I am going to try tomorrow.
More examples
Je vais essayer ce nouveau plat ce soir.
I am going to try this new dish tonight.
Core concept
A person puts an option into practice or onto the body, then checks the result.
Common phrases
essayer de faire
try to do
essayer quelque chose
try something
essayer un vêtement
try on a garment
Similar words
tenter: To make an attempt at something difficult or potentially worthwhile.
tester: To test something to verify that it functions correctly or produces results.
goûter: To sample a little food or drink to find out how it tastes.
Definition in French
Tenter ou faire une action pour vérifier si quelque chose fonctionne ou convient, ou enfiler un vêtement pour contrôler sa taille ou son rendu.
Word origin
The verb comes from Old French essai, meaning an attempt, and is ultimately linked to Latin exigere, meaning to weigh or examine.
Usage tips
- For an attempted action, essayer takes de plus an infinitive, as in essayer de comprendre, while a thing takes a direct object, as in essayer une veste.