How do you say "discover" in French?

découvrir

Verb Noun

In French, "discover" is découvrir.

Listen to the pronunciation:

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Pronunciation

This is day-koo-VREER, with the stress landing on the final syllable and a rolled r to finish.

Grammar notes

découvrir is a verb used the same way as its English equivalent.

Example sentence

Les explorateurs espèrent découvrir de nouvelles terres.

Explorers hope to discover new lands.

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How to remember découvrir

To uncover something hidden is to discover it, and découvrir contains that same couvrir or cover root.

Related words

Browse all French words in the glossary.

Questions about découvrir

How do you pronounce découvrir?

This is day-koo-VREER, with the stress landing on the final syllable and a rolled r to finish.

Is découvrir formal or casual?

découvrir is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is découvrir used in French?

découvrir is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: Les explorateurs espèrent découvrir de nouvelles terres. (Explorers hope to discover new lands.).

Where can I practice French words for free?

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"Discover" in other languages

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