French word

filer

Pronunciation

IPA/file/

Meaning

  • verbhand

Example

Peux-tu me filer ton stylo ?

Can you hand me your pen?

Illustration for filer (hand)

More examples

Elle m'a filé quelques euros pour le bus.

She gave me a few euros for the bus.

Core concept

A small item, piece of information, or sum leaves one person and promptly reaches its intended recipient.

Common phrases

  • filer un coup de fil à quelqu'un

    give someone a call

  • filer de l'argent à quelqu'un

    give someone some money

Similar words

donner: To give something to another person, making it theirs.
passer: To hand an object from one person or place to another.
tendre: To extend a hand or arm toward someone with an object.
prêter: To lend something for temporary use.

Definition in French

Passer rapidement à quelqu'un, familièrement, un objet, une information ou une somme d'argent.

Word origin

Its older meaning concerns drawing out thread: filer derives from Old French filer and Latin filum, 'thread', and French developed the familiar sense of sending something swiftly.

Usage tips

  • Filer can also mean 'to leave or go quickly', so the object and context distinguish this motion sense from the colloquial passing sense.

Other meanings

  • leaveverb
  • spinverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word