French Conversation · Level 149
30 words
French word
perpétuer
Pronunciation
IPA/pɛʁpetɥe/
Meaning
- verbkeep alive
Example
Il veut perpétuer la tradition familiale.
He wants to keep the family tradition alive.
More examples
Ils transmettent des récits pour perpétuer la mémoire des ancêtres.
They pass down stories to perpetuate the memory of their ancestors.
Core concept
A memory kept alive and handed from one generation to the next.
Common phrases
perpétuer la tradition
perpetuate the tradition
perpétuer la mémoire
perpetuate the memory
perpétuer une pratique
perpetuate a practice
Similar words
faire durer: Make something last for a longer time.
continuer: Keep an ongoing action or state going without interruption.
prolonger: Extend the length of time that a period or event lasts.
maintenir: Keep a state unchanged over time.
Definition in French
Assurer la continuité dans le temps d'une chose, notamment d'une pratique ou d'un souvenir, pour qu'elle ne disparaisse pas.
Word origin
French perpétuer developed from Latin perpetuare, a verb formed from perpetuus, meaning continual or everlasting.
Usage tips
- Perpétuer is more formal than continuer or faire durer, which are often more natural in everyday speech.
Other meanings
- immortalizeverb
Opposites
- abolirabolishverb
- interrompreinterruptverb
Related words
- perpétuationperpetuationnoun
- perpétuelperpetualadjective
- perpétuellementperpetuallyadverb