verb

considérer

consider

Penser à quelque chose ou quelqu’un avec attention avant de prendre une décision.

Definition & meaning

The verb "considérer" has several nuances in French, primarily revolving around the act of mental observation or evaluation:

To examine or reflect upon: It means to look at something attentively or to think deeply about a situation before making a decision. For example, "considérer une proposition" means to weigh the pros and cons of a proposal.
To regard or view as: It is used to describe how one perceives a person or an object. If you say you "considérer quelqu'un comme un ami," you view that person as a friend.
To hold in high esteem: In a more formal sense, it means to respect or value someone. A person who is "très considéré" is someone who is highly respected or well-regarded by others.
To take into account: It can mean to acknowledge a fact or a circumstance. In legal or formal writing, "considérant que" is often used to mean "given that" or "taking into account that."

Grammar & Word origin

"Considérer" is a first-group verb (ending in -er). It follows a regular conjugation pattern, but it features a spelling change called an "accent change" for phonetic reasons. In the present tense, the acute accent (é) changes to a grave accent (è) when the following syllable is a silent "e," such as in "je considère" or "ils considèrent."

The word comes from the Latin verb considerare, which originally had a literal meaning related to navigation and divination: "to observe the stars." It is formed from the prefix cum (with/together) and sidus, sideris (star/constellation). Just as ancient observers studied the stars to predict the future or find their way, the word evolved to mean examining or contemplating any subject with care.