French Conversation · Level 15
90 words
French word
lire
Pronunciation
IPA/liʁ/
Meaning
- verbread
Example
Je lis un livre avant de dormir.
I read a book before going to bed.
More examples
Je peux lire ton message tout de suite.
I can read your message right away.
Core concept
A mind gathers meaning while the eyes or voice moves along written signs.
Common phrases
lire un message
read a message
lire un texte
read a text
lire sur Internet
read on the Internet
Similar words
relire: Reading something again after having read it before.
feuilleter: Turning through a book or magazine to get a general idea of its contents.
parcourir: Reading a text or document quickly to grasp its main points.
consulter: Checking a dictionary or reference source to obtain needed information.
Definition in French
Décoder des signes écrits pour en restituer le message, et par extension exprimer un texte à voix haute ou percevoir un sens implicite.
Word origin
Lire descends from Latin legere through Old French, and the Latin sense of gathering or choosing developed into taking meaning from written signs.
Usage tips
- The past participle is lu, pronounced /ly/, and appears in J'ai lu for a completed reading.