French word

substituer

Pronunciation

IPA/sypstitɥe/

Meaning

  • verbreplace

Example

Je vais substituer le lait par de l'eau.

I am going to replace the milk with water.

Illustration for substituer (replace)

More examples

Si tu es allergique, tu peux substituer la farine de blé par de la farine de riz.

If you're allergic, you can substitute rice flour for wheat flour.

Core concept

One working part is removed from a setup, and another part takes its place without changing the job.

Common phrases

  • substituer le sucre par du sirop d'érable

    substitute maple syrup for the sugar

  • substituer la farine de blé par de la farine de riz

    substitute rice flour for wheat flour

Similar words

remplacer: To replace something with another thing that serves the same function.
mettre à la place de: To put something in another's place so it serves the same role.

Definition in French

Mettre une chose à la place d'une autre pour qu'elle remplisse la même fonction.

Word origin

French substituer developed from Latin substituere, whose meaning of putting something in place of another matches the modern replacement sense.

Usage tips

  • Substituer is relatively formal in everyday French, where remplacer or mettre à la place de is often more natural.

Opposites

Related words

  • substitutionsubstitutionnoun
  • substitutifsubstitutiveadjective
  • substitutsubstitutenoun

Word lists with this word