French Conversation · Level 23
90 words
French word
raconter
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁakɔ̃te/
Meaning
- verbtell
Example
Elle m'a raconté une histoire pour m'endormir.
She told me a story to help me fall asleep.
More examples
Peux-tu raconter ce qui s'est passé hier soir ?
Can you tell what happened last night?
Core concept
Someone unfolds a story scene by scene so another person can follow its progress.
Common phrases
raconter une histoire
tell a story
raconter un secret
tell a secret
raconter sa vie
tell one's life story
Similar words
dire: Expressing a brief fact or main point aloud.
décrire: Conveying an object's appearance or features in detail to create a clear mental picture.
rapporter: Passing on an event or another person's words to a third party.
relater: Giving a factual account of events in their order.
Definition in French
Dire à quelqu'un, de façon organisée et souvent détaillée, une suite d'événements ou une histoire afin que l'auditeur comprenne le déroulement.
Word origin
The verb developed in Old French from reconter, while conter traces back through French to Latin computare, whose counting sense expanded to ordered narration.
Usage tips
- Dire can report a fact briefly, whereas raconter suits a story, anecdote, or sequence presented with its progression.