verb

affirmer

affirm · assert · claim

Dire quelque chose avec confiance et certitude, comme si c’était vrai sans hésitation.

The French verb "affirmer" means "to affirm," "to assert," or "to declare." It involves stating something confidently or firmly as true or certain.

Meaning:

  • To declare something positively.
  • To state with conviction.
  • To confirm the truth or validity of a statement.

Usage example:

  • Il affirme qu’il sera là demain. — He asserts that he will be there tomorrow.

Synonyms and differences:

  • déclarer: Means "to declare" and is often used for formal or official statements. It can be more neutral and less about personal conviction.

    Ex: Elle a déclaré son innocence (She declared her innocence).

  • assurer: Means "to assure" or "to guarantee"; it implies giving confidence or certainty but can sometimes relate to promises.

    Ex: Il m’a assuré qu’il viendrait (He assured me he would come).

  • proclamer: Means "to proclaim"; it is stronger, implying a public or official announcement.

    Ex: Le président a proclamé l'état d'urgence (The president proclaimed the state of emergency).

  • soutenir: Means "to maintain" or "to support (a claim)" and often implies defending a statement during discussion or debate.

    Ex: Elle soutient que c’est la meilleure solution (She maintains that it’s the best solution).

In summary, "affirmer" carries a sense of confidently stating something as true, often in personal or argumentative contexts, whereas the synonyms vary in tone, formality, and nuance.

Make “affirmer” part of your vocabulary.

Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Examples

Je peux affirmer que c'est vrai.verb

I can affirm that it is true.

Nous devons affirmer nos opinions avec confiance.verb

We must assert our opinions with confidence.

Pourquoi veux-tu affirmer que tout est déjà décidé ?verb

Why do you want to claim that everything is already decided?

Ils ont affirmé leur soutien au projet.verb

They affirmed their support for the project.

Keep exploring French

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).