French word

imaginer

Pronunciation

IPA/imaʒine/

Meaning

  • verbimagine

Example

Je m'imagine une maison au bord de la mer.

I imagine a house by the sea.

Illustration for imaginer (imagine)

More examples

Il est difficile d'imaginer que cela arrive.

It is difficult to imagine that this happens.

Core concept

An unseen object takes shape as a picture held in the mind.

Common phrases

  • imaginer que

    imagine that

  • imaginer la scène

    imagine the scene

  • imaginer des conséquences

    imagine consequences

Similar words

penser: To have a thought or opinion about something.
supposer: To tentatively accept something as true without firm evidence.
s'imaginer: To picture oneself in a particular scene or state.
visualiser: To form a clear visual image in the mind.

Definition in French

Former dans son esprit la représentation d'une chose, d'une scène ou d'une personne qui n'existe pas ou qui n'est pas présente ici.

Word origin

The French verb traces back to Latin imaginari and the noun imago, meaning 'image,' which links the word to mental representation.

Usage tips

  • J'imagine que often introduces a tentative inference or assumption, not only a newly invented mental picture.

Other meanings

  • pictureverb
  • visualizeverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word