French word

souvenir

Pronunciation

IPA/suvəniʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmemory

Example

Je garde un souvenir de ce voyage.

I cherish a memory of that trip.

Illustration for souvenir (memory)

More examples

Ce film m'a laissé un souvenir précieux.

This film left me with a precious memory.

Core concept

A past experience leaves a lasting trace in the mind, ready to return when a person, place, or event is recalled.

Common phrases

  • un souvenir précieux

    a precious memory

  • laisser un souvenir

    to leave a memory

Similar words

mémoire: Knowledge or experiences that someone remembers.
cadeau: Something handed to another person as a present.

Definition in French

Image ou trace dans la mémoire qui rappelle une personne, un lieu ou un événement passé.

Word origin

French souvenir comes from Old French souvenir, related to se souvenir and ultimately to Latin subvenire, meaning "to come up."

Usage tips

  • In French, souvenir usually means a memory, while it can also mean a keepsake; context distinguishes the two senses.

Other meanings

  • keepsakenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word