French Conversation · Level 164
30 words
French word
vaquer
Pronunciation
IPA/vake/
Meaning
- verbgo about ___
Example
Il vaque à ses occupations.
He goes about his business.
More examples
Elle vaque à ses occupations pendant que nous parlons.
She attends to her affairs while we talk.
Core concept
A person calmly attending to the practical matters that fill the day.
Common phrases
vaquer à ses occupations
attend to one's affairs
Similar words
s'occuper de: Give time and attention to handling a matter or caring for someone.
s'affairer: Work busily to deal with tasks or work quickly.
se mettre à: Begin carrying out an action or task.
Definition in French
Faire ses petites tâches ou s'occuper de ses affaires courantes, en particulier dans l'expression «vaquer à ses occupations».
Word origin
The verb vaquer developed from Old French vacquer, borrowed from Latin vacare, 'to be unoccupied or free', linking free time with attending to personal affairs.
Usage tips
- In modern French, vaquer is used chiefly in the construction vaquer à, while s'occuper de is more common in everyday speech.