French Conversation · Level 59
74 words
French word
tentative
Pronunciation
IPA/tɑ̃tativ/
Meaning
- feminine nounattempt
Example
Elle a fait une tentative pour apprendre le piano.
She made an attempt to learn to play the piano.
More examples
La tentative de fuite a échoué.
The escape attempt failed.
Core concept
One concrete effort set in motion before success or failure is known.
Common phrases
faire une tentative
make an attempt
une tentative infructueuse
an unsuccessful attempt
Similar words
essai: A trial made once to see what result it produces.
action: A concrete act taken toward a specific goal.
initiative: A proactive step taken to get something started.
Definition in French
Action d'essayer de faire quelque chose, que l'on réussisse ou non.
Word origin
The noun tentative comes from the French verb tenter and ultimately from Latin tentare, meaning 'to try or test.'
Usage tips
- Tentative often sounds more formal than essai when it describes an attempt, especially in expressions such as une tentative de fraude.