French word

oser

Pronunciation

IPA/oze/

Meaning

  • verbdare

Example

Il ose dire ce qu'il pense.

He dares to say what he thinks.

Illustration for oser (dare)

More examples

Elle ose avouer ses sentiments.

She dares to confess her feelings.

Core concept

A step into uncertain ground despite fear or hesitation.

Common phrases

  • oser avouer

    dare to confess

  • oser exprimer ses sentiments

    dare to express one's feelings

Similar words

tenter: Making an attempt without knowing how it will turn out.
risquer: Acting while accepting that danger may occur.
se permettre: Acting on personal judgment without worrying about restrictions.
braver: Confronting difficulties with courage.

Definition in French

Avoir le courage de faire quelque chose malgré la peur ou la réticence.

Word origin

French oser comes from Latin audere, 'to dare', through Old French, with the core sense of having the courage to act.

Usage tips

  • Oser is commonly followed directly by an infinitive, as in oser dire, without a preposition.

Opposites

  • hésiterhesitateverb
  • s'abstenirrefrainverb

Related words

  • oséboldadjective

Word lists with this word