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A1 verb #1,800 más común 4 min de lectura

éviter

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Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos éviter en 30 segundos

Explicación éviter in your Level:

At the A1 level, you use 'éviter' for simple, concrete things. You might talk about avoiding certain foods ('J'évite le sucre') or avoiding a specific place ('J'évite le parc le soir'). The focus is on the present tense and simple direct objects. You learn that it is a regular verb ending in -er, making it easy to conjugate: j'évite, tu évites, il évite, nous évitons, vous évitez, ils évitent. You also start to see the phrase 'éviter de' + verb, like 'éviter de manger'. This is the foundation of using the verb in daily life. At this stage, 'éviter' is a tool for expressing preferences and basic safety or health choices. It is often used in the context of 'I don't like this, so I avoid it.'

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'éviter' in more varied tenses, such as the passé composé ('J'ai évité l'accident') and the futur simple ('J'éviterai les problèmes'). You also start using it in social contexts, such as avoiding a person or a conversation. You understand the difference between 'éviter' (to avoid) and 'empêcher' (to prevent). You might use it to describe your habits or routines in more detail, such as 'Pour rester en forme, j'évite de prendre l'ascenseur.' You are also introduced to the imperative form for giving advice to others: 'Évitez de sortir s'il pleut.' This level expands the verb's use from simple objects to more complex behavioral descriptions.

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At the B1 level, you use 'éviter' to express more abstract concepts and hypothetical situations. You might use the conditional tense: 'J'éviterais de lui dire la vérité si j'étais toi.' You also start to use the pronominal form 's'éviter' in the sense of 'to spare oneself' ('s'éviter des soucis'). You can discuss social nuances, like avoiding a conflict or a misunderstanding. Your vocabulary around 'éviter' grows to include synonyms like 'esquiver' or 'contourner', and you know when 'éviter' is the most appropriate choice. You can write longer paragraphs explaining why you avoid certain things, using connectors like 'parce que' or 'afin de'. This level is about nuance and the ability to justify your choices of avoidance.

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At the B2 level, 'éviter' is used in complex sentence structures and formal contexts. You might use it with the subjunctive mood in subordinate clauses, although 'éviter' itself doesn't trigger the subjunctive, it often appears in sentences that do. You understand the 'ne explétif' which can sometimes follow verbs of prevention (though less common with éviter than with empêcher). You can use 'éviter' in professional settings, such as 'éviter les litiges' (avoiding litigation) or 'éviter les redondances' (avoiding redundancies). You are comfortable with the passive voice: 'Cela a été évité de justesse.' You also understand idiomatic expressions and can use the verb to discuss societal issues, like avoiding waste or environmental damage.

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At the C1 level, you appreciate the stylistic uses of 'éviter'. You can use it to describe subtle psychological states or complex political maneuvers. You might use the noun form 'évitement' (avoidance) and discuss 'comportements d'évitement' in a psychological or sociological context. You can use 'éviter' in literary analysis or high-level business negotiations. You understand the historical and etymological roots of the word and how it differs from 'éluder' (to elude) or 'parer' (to ward off). Your use of the verb is precise, choosing it specifically to convey a sense of intentional bypass or strategic prevention. You can handle complex pronominal uses like 's'éviter mutuellement' in a narrative context.

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At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'éviter' and its derivatives. You can use it in philosophical discourse, such as 'l'évitement de la souffrance' (the avoidance of suffering). You are aware of its use in legal and technical jargon. You can play with the word in creative writing, using it to create specific rhythms or tones. You understand the most obscure synonyms and can explain the subtle differences between 'éviter', 'dévier', and 'transgresser'. Your usage is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You can use 'éviter' in complex rhetorical figures and understand its role in the history of the French language. You can discuss the philosophy of 'non-agir' (non-action) and how 'éviter' fits into different worldviews.

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Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

éviter en 30 segundos

Éviter is a regular -er verb meaning 'to avoid' or 'to prevent'. It is essential for daily French.
Use 'éviter de' before another verb (e.g., éviter de fumer). This is a common grammar rule.
It can be used physically (avoiding a car) or abstractly (avoiding a mistake or a conflict).
The pronominal form 's'éviter' means to avoid each other or to spare oneself from something.

The French verb éviter is a cornerstone of daily communication, functioning primarily as a way to describe the act of staying away from someone or something, or preventing something from happening. At its core, it is an action of bypass—whether physical, social, or abstract. When you évite a puddle on the sidewalk, you are performing a physical maneuver. When you évite a difficult conversation, you are performing a psychological or social maneuver. This versatility makes it an essential verb for learners at the A1 level and beyond.

Physical Avoidance: This refers to changing one's path to not hit or touch something. For example, 'éviter un accident' (to avoid an accident) or 'éviter un obstacle' (to avoid an obstacle). It implies a conscious movement to maintain distance.
Social and Behavioral Avoidance: In social contexts, it means to intentionally not meet or speak to someone. 'Il m'évite depuis hier' (He has been avoiding me since yesterday). It can also mean refraining from an action: 'éviter de fumer' (to avoid smoking).
Abstract Prevention: Used when one wants to prevent a negative outcome. 'Pour éviter les erreurs' (To avoid mistakes). Here, the focus is on the result rather than a physical object.

Je préfère éviter le centre-ville aux heures de pointe pour ne pas perdre de temps.

Translation: I prefer to avoid the city center during rush hour to not waste time.

Nous devons éviter tout malentendu entre nous.

Il a réussi à éviter la question piège du journaliste.

Il faut éviter de marcher sur la pelouse fraîchement tondue.

Elle a tourné la tête pour éviter son regard.

Using éviter correctly involves understanding its syntactic patterns. It is a regular '-er' verb, which makes its conjugation predictable and friendly for beginners. However, the nuances lie in how it connects to nouns versus verbs. When followed by a noun, it is direct: 'éviter le danger'. When followed by a verb, it requires 'de': 'éviter de tomber'. This distinction is crucial for sounding natural in French.

The 'De' Rule: Always remember: éviter + de + infinitive. 'J'évite de boire du café le soir.' Without the 'de', the sentence becomes ungrammatical. This is one of the most frequent errors for English speakers who are used to saying 'avoid doing something' (gerund).
Pronominal Form: S'éviter: The reflexive form 's'éviter' can mean to avoid each other ('Ils s'évitent') or to spare oneself something ('s'éviter une peine'). It is a more advanced usage but very common in literature and formal speech.

Vous devriez éviter de lui parler de son ex-mari.

You will encounter éviter in a variety of real-world scenarios, from health warnings to traffic reports. It is a word that spans across all registers of the French language. In a doctor's office, you might hear advice on diet; on the radio, you might hear about road closures; in a drama, you might hear about a character avoiding their past.

In Public Health: 'Pour votre santé, évitez de manger trop gras, trop sucré, trop salé.' This is a ubiquitous slogan in French television commercials for food products.
In Transportation: GPS applications often say: 'Éviter les péages' (Avoid tolls) or 'Éviter les autoroutes' (Avoid highways). It is a standard term in navigation settings.

Le GPS nous a conseillé d'éviter l'A7 à cause d'un bouchon.

Even though éviter is relatively straightforward, learners often stumble on its prepositional requirements and its distinction from similar verbs. Understanding these pitfalls will elevate your French from 'functional' to 'fluent'.

Mistake 1: Forgetting 'De': Incorrect: 'J'évite fumer.' Correct: 'J'évite de fumer.' The 'de' is the bridge between the two verbs.
Mistake 2: Using 'Éviter' for 'Prevent': While 'éviter' can mean to prevent a situation, it cannot be used with a person as the object of prevention. You don't 'éviter someone from doing something'; you 'empêcher someone de faire quelque chose'.

French has several verbs that overlap with éviter, each with its own specific flavor. Choosing the right one depends on the context of the avoidance.

Esquiver vs. Éviter: 'Esquiver' is more agile. It's like dodging a punch or dodging a question with cleverness. 'Éviter' is more general.
Fuir vs. Éviter: 'Fuir' means to flee or run away from. It implies fear or a much stronger desire to be far away than 'éviter'.

How Formal Is It?

Guía de pronunciación

Rima con

er, é

Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Verb + de + Infinitive

Regular -er verb conjugation

Direct object pronouns

Imperative mood

Pronominal verbs

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Ejemplos por nivel

J'évite le sucre.

I avoid sugar.

Direct object 'le sucre'.

Il évite le chien.

He avoids the dog.

Present tense of 'éviter'.

Nous évitons la pluie.

We avoid the rain.

First person plural.

Évitez de tomber !

Avoid falling!

Imperative + de + infinitive.

Elle évite de manger de la viande.

She avoids eating meat.

Éviter de + infinitive.

Tu évites les problèmes.

You avoid problems.

Second person singular.

Ils évitent le centre-ville.

They avoid the city center.

Third person plural.

J'évite de boire du café.

I avoid drinking coffee.

Éviter de + infinitive.

J'ai évité un accident ce matin.

I avoided an accident this morning.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

Elle m'évite depuis lundi.

She has been avoiding me since Monday.

Direct object pronoun 'm''.

Nous allons éviter les autoroutes.

We are going to avoid the highways.

Futur proche.

Il évite de répondre au téléphone.

He avoids answering the phone.

Verb + de + infinitive.

Vous devriez éviter ce quartier.

You should avoid this neighborhood.

Conditional 'devriez' + infinitive.

Ils ont évité de faire du bruit.

They avoided making noise.

Passé composé.

Évitez de fumer ici.

Avoid smoking here.

Imperative plural.

Elle évite les vêtements noirs.

She avoids black clothes.

Plural direct object.

J'aimerais éviter tout conflit inutile.

I would like to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

Conditional 'aimerais'.

Ils s'évitent depuis leur dispute.

They have been avoiding each other since their argument.

Pronominal 's'éviter' (reciprocal).

Il faut éviter que la situation ne s'aggrave.

We must avoid the situation getting worse.

Éviter que + subjunctive (though 'que' is less common than 'de').

Elle s'est évité beaucoup de peine.

She spared herself a lot of trouble.

Pronominal 's'éviter' (reflexive).

Nous évitons de prendre des risques.

We avoid taking risks.

General habit.

Comment éviter les erreurs de débutant ?

How to avoid beginner mistakes?

Infinitive as a question.

Il a réussi à éviter le pire.

He managed to avoid the worst.

Réussir à + infinitive.

Vous éviterez ainsi les malentendus.

You will thus avoid misunderstandings.

Futur simple.

Le gouvernement veut éviter une crise économique.

The government wants to avoid an economic crisis.

Political context.

Il est préférable d'éviter les sujets sensibles.

It is preferable to avoid sensitive subjects.

Impersonal expression 'Il est préférable de'.

L'entreprise cherche à éviter les litiges.

The company seeks to avoid litigation.

Professional context.

Elle a évité de justesse de se faire renverser.

She narrowly avoided being run over.

Adverbial phrase 'de justesse'.

Nous devons éviter de tomber dans le piège.

We must avoid falling into the trap.

Metaphorical usage.

Évitez de trop vous exposer au soleil.

Avoid exposing yourself too much to the sun.

Reflexive verb after 'éviter de'.

Il a tout fait pour éviter la confrontation.

He did everything to avoid confrontation.

Pour + infinitive.

On ne peut pas éviter l'inévitable.

One cannot avoid the inevitable.

Philosophical usage.

Il s'agit d'éviter tout écueil diplomatique.

It is a matter of avoiding any diplomatic pitfalls.

Formal 'Il s'agit de'.

L'auteur évite soigneusement les clichés.

The author carefully avoids clichés.

Literary context.

Cette mesure permet d'éviter une dérive autoritaire.

This measure helps avoid an authoritarian drift.

Political science context.

Il a su éviter les chausse-trapes du débat.

He knew how to avoid the pitfalls of the debate.

Advanced vocabulary 'chausse-trapes'.

L'évitement systématique n'est pas une solution.

Systematic avoidance is not a solution.

Noun form 'évitement'.

Elle a évité d'aborder la question de front.

She avoided addressing the issue head-on.

Nuanced social interaction.

Nous avons évité le naufrage de justesse.

We narrowly avoided a disaster (metaphorical shipwreck).

Metaphorical usage.

Il s'est agi d'éviter une rupture de contrat.

It was about avoiding a breach of contract.

Legal context.

L'œuvre évite l'écueil du sentimentalisme facile.

The work avoids the pitfall of easy sentimentalism.

High-level aesthetic criticism.

On ne saurait éviter de s'interroger sur l'éthique.

One cannot avoid questioning ethics.

Formal 'ne saurait' construction.

Le stratège a évité l'encerclement par une manœuvre audacieuse.

The strategist avoided encirclement through a bold maneuver.

Military/Strategic context.

Il convient d'éviter toute interprétation hâtive.

It is appropriate to avoid any hasty interpretation.

Formal 'Il convient de'.

La prose de Proust évite toute linéarité simpliste.

Proust's prose avoids any simplistic linearity.

Literary analysis.

Éviter le regard de l'autre est un acte lourd de sens.

Avoiding the other's gaze is an act heavy with meaning.

Existential/Psychological context.

Le projet évite les redondances structurelles.

The project avoids structural redundancies.

Technical/Architectural context.

Elle a évité de sombrer dans le nihilisme.

She avoided sinking into nihilism.

Philosophical context.

Colocaciones comunes

éviter le pire

éviter les ennuis

éviter de fumer

éviter un obstacle

éviter le regard

éviter les pièges

éviter les malentendus

éviter les accidents

éviter les graisses

éviter les répétitions

Frases Comunes

C'est à éviter.

Il faut éviter de...

Évitez les zones...

On ne peut pas l'éviter.

Pour éviter tout problème...

Éviter de justesse.

S'éviter des soucis.

Éviter le sujet.

Éviter la foule.

Éviter les heures de pointe.

Se confunde a menudo con

éviter vs empêcher

Empêcher means to prevent someone from doing something; éviter is to stay away from something.

éviter vs esquiver

Esquiver is more about physical dodging or clever avoidance.

éviter vs ignorer

Ignorer is to not know or to purposefully not pay attention to; éviter is to actively stay away.

Modismos y expresiones

"Éviter le pire (To avoid the worst)"

"Éviter comme la peste (To avoid like the plague)"

"Éviter de justesse (To narrowly avoid)"

"Éviter un écueil (To avoid a pitfall)"

"S'éviter une peine (To spare oneself a trouble)"

"Éviter le regard de quelqu'un (To avoid someone's gaze)"

"Éviter les foudres de quelqu'un (To avoid someone's wrath)"

"Éviter de se mouiller (To avoid getting involved/taking a side)"

"Éviter le sujet qui fâche (To avoid the touchy subject)"

"Éviter les coups (To avoid the blows/trouble)"

Fácil de confundir

éviter vs

Patrones de oraciones

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Cómo usarlo

nuance

Less forceful than 'empêcher'.

preposition

Always use 'de' before an infinitive.

Errores comunes

Using 'éviter' without 'de' before an infinitive (e.g., 'J'évite courir').
Confusing 'éviter' with 'empêcher' when trying to say 'to prevent someone from doing something'.
Mispronouncing the final 'r' in the infinitive.
Using 'éviter' for 'to ignore' (the correct word is 'ignorer').
Forgetting to conjugate the verb in the present tense (e.g., 'Je éviter').

Consejos

The 'De' Rule

Always remember to place 'de' between 'éviter' and a following verb. This is the most important rule for using this verb correctly. For example, say 'Évitez de crier' instead of 'Évitez crier'. It sounds much more natural and is grammatically correct.

Avoid 'Empêcher' Confusion

Remember that 'éviter' is about staying away, while 'empêcher' is about stopping. If you want to say 'I avoided the problem,' use 'éviter'. If you want to say 'I stopped the problem from happening,' use 'empêcher'. This distinction is key for clear communication.

The Silent 'R'

In the infinitive form 'éviter', the final 'r' is always silent. The word ends with the sound of the 'é'. This is true for all regular -er verbs in French. Practice saying it like 'é-vi-té' to get the sound right.

Traffic Talk

If you are driving in France, listen for 'éviter' on the radio. It's the standard word used to tell drivers to stay away from certain roads due to accidents or construction. Knowing this word can save you a lot of time on the road!

Dietary Advice

You will see 'éviter' on almost every food package in France as part of health warnings. 'Évitez de manger trop sucré' is a national slogan. Recognizing this will help you understand health and nutrition advice in French-speaking countries.

Social Nuance

Using 'éviter' can be a polite way to say you don't want to do something. Instead of saying 'I don't want to go,' you can say 'J'aimerais éviter d'y aller,' which sounds a bit more considered and less blunt.

Formal Writing

In essays, 'éviter' is a great word to use when discussing solutions to problems. 'Pour éviter cette situation...' is a very common and professional way to start a sentence when proposing a preventative measure.

The 'E' Connection

Associate 'Éviter' with 'Escape' and 'Evade'. All three words start with 'E' and involve staying away from something. This simple mental link can help you recall the word when you need it in a conversation.

S'éviter for Efficiency

Use the reflexive 's'éviter' to talk about saving yourself time or trouble. 'Je me suis évité un trajet inutile' (I spared myself a useless trip). it's a sophisticated way to express that you were efficient.

Context Clues

When you hear 'éviter', look at the context. Is the person moving their body? Then it's physical avoidance. Are they talking about a person? Then it's social avoidance. Are they talking about a mistake? Then it's abstract prevention.

Memorízalo

Origen de la palabra

Latin 'evitare'

Contexto cultural

The 'Manger Bouger' campaign uses 'éviter' to promote healthy habits.

Avoiding eye contact in the metro is common in Paris to maintain personal space.

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"Qu'est-ce que tu évites de manger ?"

"Comment évites-tu le stress au travail ?"

"Y a-t-il des endroits que tu évites dans cette ville ?"

"Comment peut-on éviter les disputes en famille ?"

"As-tu déjà évité un accident de justesse ?"

Temas para diario

Écris sur une situation où tu as évité un gros problème.

Quelles sont les choses que tu évites de faire le lundi matin ?

Pourquoi est-il important d'éviter les malentendus ?

Décris une personne que tu as essayé d'éviter et pourquoi.

Comment évites-tu de perdre ton temps sur les réseaux sociaux ?

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, 'éviter' is a regular -er verb. This means it follows the standard conjugation pattern for the largest group of French verbs. You simply remove the -er and add the endings -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. This makes it very easy for beginners to learn and use correctly in various tenses like the present, imperfect, and future.

It depends on what follows the verb. If you are avoiding a noun (like 'le sucre'), you do not need a preposition. However, if you are avoiding an action (another verb), you must use the preposition 'de'. For example, 'J'évite de fumer.' Forgetting this 'de' is a very common mistake for English speakers.

This is a common point of confusion. 'Éviter' means to stay away from something or to bypass it (e.g., avoiding a hole in the road). 'Empêcher' means to actively stop something or someone from doing something (e.g., preventing a child from crossing the street). 'Éviter' is about avoidance, while 'empêcher' is about prevention or blocking.

Yes, 's'éviter' exists. It can mean 'to avoid each other' (reciprocal), such as 'Ils s'évitent depuis leur rupture.' It can also mean 'to spare oneself' something unpleasant (reflexive), like 'Je me suis évité une longue attente en réservant mon billet.' This usage is slightly more advanced but very useful.

The most common way to say this is 'éviter de justesse'. For example, 'Il a évité l'accident de justesse.' The phrase 'de justesse' adds the meaning of 'barely' or 'narrowly'. It is a very common collocation that you will hear in news reports or stories about close calls.

Yes, 'éviter' is used in all registers of French, from very informal to highly formal. In formal writing, it is often used to discuss strategic prevention or the avoidance of errors. In informal speech, it's used for everyday things like avoiding traffic or avoiding a person you don't like.

The noun form is 'l'évitement' (masculine). It is used to describe the act or habit of avoiding something. In psychology, you might hear about 'comportement d'évitement' (avoidance behavior). While the verb is much more common in daily life, the noun is useful in technical or formal contexts.

No, 'éviter' does not trigger the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows it. You usually use 'éviter de' + infinitive. If you use 'éviter que', it is usually followed by the indicative or a 'ne explétif' + subjunctive, but this construction is much rarer and more formal than simply using the infinitive.

Yes, 'éviter' can mean 'to dodge' in a general sense, like dodging a ball or a car. However, if you want to emphasize the agility or the cleverness of the movement, the verb 'esquiver' is often a better choice. 'Éviter' is the more neutral and common term.

Common synonyms include 'esquiver' (to dodge), 'fuir' (to flee), 'contourner' (to bypass), and 'éluder' (to elude/evade a question). Each has a slightly different nuance, but 'éviter' is the most versatile and frequently used word among them.

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