French word

habiter

Pronunciation

IPA/abite/

Meaning

  • verblive

Example

Nous habitons à Tokyo.

We live in Tokyo.

Illustration for habiter (live)

More examples

Ils habitent ensemble depuis trois ans.

They have been living together for three years.

Core concept

A person has a settled home base in a dwelling, city, or wider territory.

Common phrases

  • habiter chez mes parents

    live with my parents

  • habiter en ville

    live in the city

  • habiter à la campagne

    live in the countryside

  • habiter ensemble

    live together

Similar words

vivre: To live and carry on daily life in a particular place.
emménager: To move into a new home and begin living there.
déménager: To move to a different home or place of residence.

Definition in French

Occuper de façon permanente ou habituelle un logement, une ville ou un territoire.

Word origin

French habiter comes through Old French from Latin habitare, a frequentative form related to habere, "to have" or "hold," which developed the sense of dwelling.

Usage tips

  • With a city, habiter à Paris is common, while habiter dans un appartement highlights being inside a dwelling.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word