French Conversation · Level 125
55 words
French word
racheter
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁaʃəte/
Meaning
- verbbuy back
Example
Il a racheté sa voiture après l'avoir vendue.
He bought his car back after selling it.
More examples
Ils ont racheté l'entreprise pour sauver des emplois.
They bought back the company to save jobs.
Core concept
Buying something back or making up for a loss, mistake, or damaged trust.
Common phrases
racheter une voiture
buy back a car
racheter une entreprise
buy back a company
Similar words
acheter: Pay for and obtain a new item or something for the first time.
récupérer: Recover something lost or restore a previous state.
regagner: Regain lost trust, status, or another former position.
compenser: Make up for a loss or shortfall through another means.
Definition in French
Acheter de nouveau un objet ou compenser une perte; au sens figuré, se racheter signifie souvent réparer une faute ou regagner la confiance.
Word origin
Racheter combines the prefix re- with acheter, meaning 'buy again', and later extends this concrete idea to making amends or restoring trust.
Usage tips
- In the figurative sense, se racheter often takes auprès de to identify the person whose trust is regained, as in se racheter auprès de ses collègues.