French Conversation · Level 172
15 words
French word
ménager
Pronunciation
IPA/menaʒe/
Meaning
- verbspare
Example
Il faut ménager les sentiments des autres.
We must spare other people's feelings.
More examples
Il doit ménager sa jambe après l'opération.
He must take care of his leg after the operation.
Core concept
Handling a person or resource gently so that none of its strength, value, or reserves is needlessly spent.
Common phrases
se ménager
take care of oneself
ménager sa santé
take care of one's health
ménager son argent
be careful with one's money
Similar words
épargner: To keep someone from experiencing pain or hardship.
économiser: To conserve time, money, or energy instead of wasting it.
préserver: To safeguard something from damage or deterioration.
prendre soin de: To look after something carefully and handle its upkeep.
Definition in French
Signifie économiser ou préserver une personne, une ressource ou soi-même en évitant un effort excessif.
Word origin
Ménager comes from ménage, historically referring to household management, and extended from careful use of household resources to sparing people and oneself.
Usage tips
- With a person as object, ménager quelqu'un means to spare or treat that person considerately, while se ménager means to avoid overexerting oneself.