French Conversation · Level 53
75 words
French word
réfléchir
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁefleʃiʁ/
Meaning
- verbthink
Example
Je dois réfléchir avant de répondre.
I have to think before I answer.
More examples
Il faut réfléchir aux avantages et aux inconvénients.
It is necessary to think about the advantages and disadvantages.
Core concept
A mind turns a question around, weighing its possible results before an answer or decision.
Common phrases
réfléchir à
think about
réfléchir avant de
think before ___
Similar words
penser: To have a thought or hold an opinion about something.
hésiter: To be unable to decide quickly between different options.
décider: To choose one option and reach a conclusion.
considérer: To examine information or circumstances when deciding how to treat or evaluate them.
Definition in French
Penser attentivement à une question ou à une situation avant de prendre une décision.
Word origin
Réfléchir derives from Latin reflectere, meaning 'to bend back', whose physical image developed into the sense of turning a matter over in thought.
Usage tips
- Réfléchir normally takes à before a noun or pronoun, as in réfléchir à la question.