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B2 verb 10分で読める

expier

練習する例文メモとヒント expier 30秒で

解説 expier in your Level:

At the A1 level, the word 'expier' is quite advanced and not typically taught. However, you can think of it as a very serious version of 'dire pardon' (to say sorry) or 'payer' (to pay). Imagine you did something very bad, and you have to do something difficult to show you are sorry. That 'doing something difficult' is 'expier.' For now, just remember that it is a verb ending in -er, so it follows the same patterns as 'manger' or 'parler.' You probably won't use it in a cafe, but you might see it in a movie title about a hero who made a mistake.

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By A2, you are learning more about feelings and past actions. 'Expier' is a verb that describes a way to 'fix' a bad action from the past. It is more formal than 'réparer' (to fix/repair). If a character in a story goes to prison, they are 'expiating' their crime. You can notice the structure: 'Je dois expier mon erreur' (I must atone for my mistake). It doesn't use 'pour' like in English. Just remember it is for big problems, not for small things like losing a pen.

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At the B1 level, you can start to use 'expier' in your writing to add variety and depth. It is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object. You use it when talking about moral consequences or justice. For example, 'Il veut expier son passé' (He wants to atone for his past). It’s a great word to use when discussing themes in a book or a film. It implies a sense of duty and a desire to be 'clean' again after doing something wrong. Be careful not to confuse it with 'expirer' (to expire/breathe out).

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At B2, 'expier' is a key vocabulary word for formal discussions and literary analysis. It represents the concept of atonement and the fulfillment of a moral or legal debt. You should be able to use it in various tenses, including the 'conditionnel' and 'subjonctif.' For example: 'Il faudrait qu'il expie ses fautes avant de revenir' (He would need to atone for his faults before returning). It carries a heavy, serious tone and is often used in debates about justice, religion, and personal redemption. You should also recognize the noun form 'l'expiation.'

For C1 learners, 'expier' is a tool for nuanced expression. You understand that it implies a process of purification or the balancing of a 'cosmic' scale. You can use it metaphorically: 'La nation doit expier les péchés de son histoire coloniale.' It suggests a deep, often painful process of reconciliation. You should also be aware of its literary roots and how authors use it to create a sense of 'pathos' or tragedy. It is often contrasted with 'racheter,' which is more about the positive actions taken to balance the negative ones.

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At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'expier' and its philosophical implications. You can use it in highly formal academic writing or philosophical discourse. You might discuss the 'théorie de l'expiation' in legal philosophy or the role of the 'bouc émissaire' (scapegoat) who expiates the sins of the community. You understand the subtle difference between 'expier' (the act of paying) and 'se repentir' (the internal state). Your usage is precise, and you can manipulate the word in complex structures like the 'passif' or 'participe présent' to create sophisticated prose.

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練習する例文メモとヒント

expier 30秒で

Expier means to atone for or pay for a wrongdoing through punishment or sacrifice.
It is a formal, B2-level transitive verb used in legal, moral, and literary contexts.
Commonly used with direct objects like 'crime,' 'faute,' 'péché,' or 'passé.'
It differs from 'réparer' by focusing on the wrongdoer's purification rather than just fixing damage.

The French verb expier is a sophisticated term that carries significant moral, legal, and spiritual weight. Primarily, it means to atone for a wrongdoing, to make amends for a fault, or to suffer the punishment required to 'wipe the slate clean.' While it is categorized at the B2 level, its roots are deeply embedded in classical literature and formal discourse. When you use expier, you aren't just saying someone is 'fixing' a mistake; you are suggesting a process of purification or the fulfillment of a debt to society or a higher power. It implies that a price must be paid—whether that price is physical, emotional, or financial—to restore balance after a transgression.

The Moral Dimension: In a moral or religious context, to expier is to seek forgiveness through penance. It suggests that the person who committed the act acknowledges their guilt and accepts a burden to neutralize the negative impact of their actions. This is often seen in historical texts or religious sermons where one must expier ses péchés (atone for one's sins).
The Legal and Social Dimension: In modern secular French, the word is frequently used in the context of the justice system. A criminal might be said to expier son crime by serving a prison sentence. Here, the word emphasizes the 'payment' aspect of justice—that the time spent in incarceration is the currency used to pay back the debt owed to the community.

Après des années d'errance, il a enfin décidé d'affronter la justice pour expier les fautes de sa jeunesse.

Translation: After years of wandering, he finally decided to face justice to atone for the mistakes of his youth.

Historically, the word comes from the Latin expiare, which meant to 'cleanse by sacrifice.' This sense of sacrifice remains central to the word's identity. Unlike the English word 'atone,' which can sometimes feel abstract, expier often feels tangible. You don't just 'atone' in a vacuum; you expier a specific crime, a specific fault, or a specific past. It is a transitive verb, meaning it almost always takes a direct object. You expier something.

Le héros de la tragédie doit souvent expier son orgueil par une chute brutale.

Translation: The hero of the tragedy must often atone for his pride through a brutal fall.

Literary Usage: In the works of Victor Hugo or Honoré de Balzac, characters often spend entire novels trying to expier a single moment of weakness. Jean Valjean in Les Misérables is a classic example of a character whose life is an attempt to expier his past as a convict, even though his original 'crime' was merely stealing bread.

In summary, use expier when the stakes are high. It is not for forgetting to take out the trash; it is for the heavy burdens of the soul and the law. It is a word of gravity, consequence, and ultimately, the hope for redemption through payment.

Using expier correctly requires understanding its role as a transitive verb. It follows the standard conjugation patterns of regular -er verbs, but its placement in a sentence usually demands a direct object—the thing being atoned for. You do not 'expier' at someone; you 'expier' a 'faute' (fault), a 'crime' (crime), or a 'passé' (past).

The Direct Object Construction: The most common structure is [Subject] + [Conjugated Expier] + [Noun Phrase]. For example: "Il expie ses erreurs." (He is atoning for his mistakes). Notice that there is no preposition like 'for' in French; the 'for' is built into the verb itself.

Elle a passé sa vie à tenter d'expier la trahison qu'elle avait commise envers sa famille.

Translation: She spent her life trying to atone for the betrayal she had committed against her family.

When used in the passive voice, expier highlights the debt itself. "Le crime doit être expié." (The crime must be atoned for). This usage is very common in legal or philosophical debates about the nature of punishment. It shifts the focus from the individual to the necessity of cosmic or social balance.

Peut-on jamais vraiment expier un acte d'une telle cruauté ?

Translation: Can one ever truly atone for an act of such cruelty?

Infinitive After Verbs of Desire/Necessity: Because expier is often a goal or a requirement, it frequently appears in the infinitive after verbs like devoir (must), vouloir (want), or chercher à (seek to). Example: "Il cherche à expier son passé."

Finally, consider the reflexive form, though rare: s'expier. This is almost exclusively used in very high-level literature to describe a situation or a thing that 'atones for itself' or is purified through its own process. For most learners, sticking to the transitive active form is the best path to natural-sounding French.

While expier isn't a word you'll hear every day at the bakery or in casual text messages, it has a firm place in several specific domains of French life and culture. Understanding these contexts will help you recognize the 'vibe' of the word and use it appropriately.

1. High Literature and Classic Cinema: French culture places a high value on the 'tragic hero' and the concept of redemption. In classic films (think Noir or period dramas), a character might say, "Je dois expier ce que j'ai fait." It adds a layer of dramatic intensity that words like 'réparer' simply cannot provide. It signals that the character is undergoing a deep personal transformation.
2. Judicial and Journalistic Reporting: When a high-profile criminal case reaches its conclusion, journalists often use expier to describe the sentencing. You might read in Le Monde or Le Figaro: "Le condamné devra expier son crime derrière les barreaux." (The convicted man will have to atone for his crime behind bars). It frames the prison sentence as a moral necessity rather than just a legal procedure.

Dans son dernier roman, l'auteur explore la difficulté d'expier une faute que personne d'autre ne connaît.

Translation: In his latest novel, the author explores the difficulty of atoning for a fault that no one else knows.

You will also encounter it in religious or spiritual discussions. France has a deep Catholic heritage, and even for secular French people, the vocabulary of the Church remains part of the linguistic DNA. L'expiation (the noun form) is a central concept in theology, and you might hear it in a sermon or a philosophical podcast discussing ethics and forgiveness.

Le meurtrier a enfin commencé à expier sa peine après dix ans de cavale.

Translation: The murderer has finally begun to serve his sentence (atone via his sentence) after ten years on the run.

In contemporary political speeches, a leader might use expier to talk about a nation facing its past (e.g., colonial history). It is a way to acknowledge a collective guilt and the need for a collective 'payment' or 'cleansing' of the national conscience. It is a powerful, heavy word that demands attention whenever it is spoken.

Because expier is a B2-level word, many learners stumble over its specific usage and its phonetic similarities to other common French verbs. Avoiding these pitfalls will make your French sound much more precise and sophisticated.

1. The 'Expirer' Confusion: This is the most frequent error. Expirer means to exhale or to expire (like a passport or milk). Expier means to atone. Saying "Je dois expirer ma faute" would literally mean "I must exhale my fault," which is nonsensical. Always double-check that 'i' in the middle!
2. Adding Unnecessary Prepositions: English speakers are tempted to say "expier pour ses péchés" because we say "atone for one's sins." In French, expier is direct. You expier [something]. Correct: "Il expie ses péchés." Incorrect: "Il expie pour ses péchés."

Faites attention : on expie une erreur, mais un passeport expire.

Translation: Pay attention: one atones for a mistake, but a passport expires.

Another mistake is using expier for trivial matters. If you forgot to buy milk, you don't expier that mistake; you réparer it or s'excuser (apologize). Using expier for small things can sound overly dramatic or even sarcastic. Save it for serious moral or legal transgressions.

Il ne suffit pas de demander pardon ; il faut aussi expier les conséquences de ses actes.

Translation: It is not enough to ask for forgiveness; one must also atone for the consequences of one's actions.

Lastly, learners often forget the difference between expier and se repentir. Se repentir is the internal feeling of regret (to repent), whereas expier is the external action or suffering that pays for the fault. You can repent without expiating, and you can expiate (by force of law) without repenting.

While expier is a powerful word, it's helpful to have a toolkit of related terms to use depending on the register (formal vs. informal) and the specific context of the 'atonement.'

Expier vs. Racheter: Racheter (literally 'to buy back') is the most common alternative. It is used when someone does something good to make up for something bad. "Il a racheté ses fautes par son courage." It is slightly less heavy than expier and focuses on the restoration of one's reputation.
Expier vs. Réparer: Réparer is used for fixing the damage. If you break a window, you réparer it. If you hurt someone's feelings, you réparer le tort. It is more practical and less focused on the 'soul' or 'punishment' than expier.

L'accusé a cherché à racheter sa conduite passée en s'engageant dans l'humanitaire.

Translation: The accused sought to redeem (buy back) his past conduct by engaging in humanitarian work.

In a religious context, you might also use faire pénitence (to do penance). This is more about the specific rituals or actions prescribed by a priest. Expier is broader—it can be the penance itself, or it can be the suffering of a life-long regret.

Il est parfois impossible de compenser la douleur causée par un mensonge.

Translation: It is sometimes impossible to compensate for the pain caused by a lie.

When you want to sound very formal or literary, you might use purger, especially with 'peine' (sentence). "Purger sa peine" is the standard way to say 'serve one's time.' While expier emphasizes the moral cleansing, purger emphasizes the completion of the legal requirement. Choose expier when you want to touch on the human soul and the concept of justice in its highest form.

How Formal Is It?

豆知識

The root 'piare' is also related to the word 'piété' (piety) and 'pieux' (pious). So, to expiate is literally to act with extreme 'piety' to fix a wrong.

発音ガイド

UK /ɛks.pje/

US /ɛks.pjeɪ/

In French, the stress is evenly distributed, with a slight emphasis on the final syllable 'er' (ay).

韻が合う語

prier crier lier nier trier skier oublier confier

よくある間違い

Pronouncing it like 'expirer' (ex-pee-ray), which means to expire.
Dropping the 'i' and saying 'exper' (not a word).
Over-emphasizing the 'x' sound.
Pronouncing the final 'r' (it is silent).
Confusing the vowel sound in 'ex' with 'ax'.

難易度

読解 4/5

Common in literature and newspapers, but requires understanding of formal tone.

ライティング 4/5

Requires knowledge of transitive verb structures and avoiding the 'expirer' trap.

スピーキング 5/5

Hard to use naturally in casual conversation without sounding overly dramatic.

リスニング 4/5

Phonetically similar to 'expirer', making it tricky in fast speech.

次に学ぶべきこと

前提知識

faute crime pardon payer erreur

次に学ぶ

racheter pénitence rédemption châtiment remords

上級

propitiation imputer absoudre réhabiliter

知っておくべき文法

Transitive Direct Verbs

On expie [quelque chose]. Jamais 'expier de' ou 'expier pour'.

-er Verb Conjugation

J'expie, Tu expies, Il expie, Nous expions, Vous expiez, Ils expient.

Passé Composé with Avoir

Il a expié sa faute.

Subjunctive after 'Il faut que'

Il faut qu'il expie ses actes.

Infinitive as a Noun

Expier est sa seule obsession.

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レベル別の例文

Il doit expier son erreur.

He must atone for his mistake.

Direct object 'son erreur' follows the verb.

Elle expie son crime en prison.

She is atoning for her crime in prison.

Present tense of a regular -er verb.

Ils veulent expier le passé.

They want to atone for the past.

Infinitive 'expier' follows 'veulent'.

Tu vas expier ta faute.

You are going to atone for your fault.

Futur proche: aller + infinitive.

L'homme a expié ses péchés.

The man atoned for his sins.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

Nous expions nos fautes.

We are atoning for our faults.

First person plural present.

Il faut expier ce mal.

It is necessary to atone for this evil.

Impersonal 'il faut' + infinitive.

Elle ne peut pas expier cela.

She cannot atone for that.

Negative construction 'ne... pas'.

Le coupable doit expier sa peine.

The guilty party must serve his sentence (atone via sentence).

Modal verb 'devoir' expresses necessity.

Il a expié sa trahison pendant des années.

He atoned for his betrayal for years.

Duration expressed with 'pendant'.

Comment expier une telle insulte ?

How to atone for such an insult?

Interrogative structure with 'comment'.

Elle cherche un moyen d'expier sa négligence.

She is looking for a way to atone for her negligence.

Verb 'chercher' + 'un moyen de' + infinitive.

Ils ont enfin fini d'expier leurs dettes.

They finally finished atoning for their debts.

Verb 'finir de' + infinitive.

Le héros expie son orgueil à la fin du film.

The hero atones for his pride at the end of the movie.

Simple present describing a plot.

On ne peut pas expier sans souffrir.

One cannot atone without suffering.

Preposition 'sans' followed by infinitive.

Il a promis d'expier ses actes.

He promised to atone for his acts.

Verb 'promettre de' + infinitive.

Il espère que son travail acharné l'aidera à expier ses fautes.

He hopes that his hard work will help him atone for his faults.

Complex sentence with a subordinate clause.

L'expiation est un thème central dans ce roman classique.

Atonement is a central theme in this classic novel.

Using the noun form 'expiation'.

Elle a décidé d'expier son passé en aidant les autres.

She decided to atone for her past by helping others.

Gerund 'en aidant' shows the means.

Chaque jour, il tente d'expier le mal qu'il a fait.

Every day, he tries to atone for the harm he has done.

Relative clause 'qu'il a fait'.

Le prisonnier a expié sa faute après vingt ans de réclusion.

The prisoner atoned for his fault after twenty years of imprisonment.

Time marker 'après' + duration.

Peut-on vraiment expier un crime par de simples excuses ?

Can one really atone for a crime with simple apologies?

Rhetorical question.

Il se sent obligé d'expier les erreurs de son père.

He feels obliged to atone for his father's mistakes.

Adjective 'obligé' + 'de' + infinitive.

Elle ne cessera jamais d'expier ce moment de faiblesse.

She will never stop atoning for that moment of weakness.

Negative 'ne... jamais' with future tense.

La tragédie grecque montre souvent des personnages qui doivent expier un crime ancestral.

Greek tragedy often shows characters who must atone for an ancestral crime.

Relative pronoun 'qui' connecting clauses.

Il est rare qu'un homme accepte d'expier une faute qu'il n'a pas commise.

It is rare for a man to accept to atone for a fault he did not commit.

Subjunctive mood 'accepte' after 'il est rare que'.

L'accusé a exprimé le désir d'expier ses actes devant la société.

The accused expressed the desire to atone for his acts before society.

Noun 'désir' + 'de' + infinitive.

Le remords ne suffit pas ; il faut encore expier par l'action.

Remorse is not enough; one must still atone through action.

Semi-colon used to link related thoughts.

Elle a passé sa vie à expier une trahison dont elle seule connaissait l'ampleur.

She spent her life atoning for a betrayal whose scale only she knew.

Relative pronoun 'dont' indicating possession or source.

Dans certaines cultures, on expie les péchés collectifs par des rituels de purification.

In some cultures, collective sins are atoned for through purification rituals.

Indefinite pronoun 'on' for general truth.

Il a dû expier son arrogance par une ruine totale et humiliante.

He had to atone for his arrogance through total and humiliating ruin.

Past tense of necessity 'a dû'.

L'idée d'expier une faute par le sacrifice est universelle.

The idea of atoning for a fault through sacrifice is universal.

Abstract noun phrase as subject.

Le protagoniste cherche désespérément à expier son passé trouble à travers des actes de charité anonymes.

The protagonist desperately seeks to atone for his troubled past through anonymous acts of charity.

Adverb 'désespérément' modifying the verb 'cherche'.

L'expiation ne saurait être complète sans une véritable prise de conscience de la part de l'offenseur.

Atonement cannot be complete without a true realization on the part of the offender.

Formal 'ne saurait' for 'cannot'.

Il est fascinant de voir comment les sociétés modernes tentent d'expier leurs erreurs historiques.

It is fascinating to see how modern societies attempt to atone for their historical errors.

Interrogative adverb 'comment' introducing a clause.

Bien qu'il ait expié sa peine, la société refuse toujours de lui accorder une seconde chance.

Although he has served his sentence (atoned), society still refuses to give him a second chance.

Conjunction 'bien que' + subjunctive 'ait expié'.

L'auteur suggère que certaines fautes sont si graves qu'on ne peut jamais vraiment les expier.

The author suggests that some faults are so serious that they can never truly be atoned for.

Result clause 'si... que'.

L'expiation, dans ce contexte, devient une forme de catharsis pour le spectateur.

Atonement, in this context, becomes a form of catharsis for the viewer.

Parenthetical phrase 'dans ce contexte'.

Il a choisi de s'exiler pour expier, dans le silence, la honte qui le rongeait.

He chose to go into exile to atone, in silence, for the shame that was gnawing at him.

Infinitive of purpose 'pour expier'.

La nécessité d'expier semble être un besoin psychologique profond chez l'être humain.

The necessity to atone seems to be a deep psychological need in human beings.

Infinitive phrase as subject.

La dimension métaphysique de l'œuvre réside dans la quête incessante du héros pour expier un péché originel dont il n'est pourtant pas l'auteur.

The metaphysical dimension of the work lies in the hero's incessant quest to atone for an original sin of which he is not, however, the author.

Complex relative clause 'dont il n'est pourtant pas l'auteur'.

On pourrait arguer que le système carcéral actuel vise moins à la réinsertion qu'à obliger le condamné à expier sa dette envers la collectivité.

One could argue that the current prison system aims less at reintegration than at forcing the convicted person to atone for their debt to the community.

Comparative structure 'moins... que'.

L'expiation tragique, loin d'être une simple punition, s'apparente à une véritable transfiguration de l'âme.

Tragic atonement, far from being a simple punishment, is akin to a true transfiguration of the soul.

Negative participial phrase 'loin d'être'.

Il s'agit d'une tentative désespérée d'expier, par le sang, une offense faite aux dieux.

It is a desperate attempt to atone, by blood, for an offense made to the gods.

Impersonal 'il s'agit de'.

L'expiation, pour être effective, requiert une abnégation totale de la part de celui qui cherche le pardon.

Atonement, to be effective, requires total self-sacrifice on the part of the one seeking forgiveness.

Conditional phrase 'pour être effective'.

Certains philosophes voient dans la souffrance humaine une manière d'expier une faute cosmique inhérente à la condition humaine.

Some philosophers see in human suffering a way to atone for a cosmic fault inherent to the human condition.

Prepositional phrase 'dans la souffrance humaine' used for emphasis.

Elle a fini par se convaincre que seule sa propre mort pourrait expier l'ampleur de son crime.

She eventually convinced herself that only her own death could atone for the scale of her crime.

Reported thought with 'se convaincre que'.

L'expiation est ici présentée comme le seul chemin possible vers une rédemption authentique et durable.

Atonement is presented here as the only possible path toward authentic and lasting redemption.

Passive voice 'est présentée'.

類義語

racheter réparer compenser solder amender purger payer laver

反対語

commettre aggraver persister nier

よく使う組み合わせ

expier un crime

expier une faute

expier ses péchés

expier son passé

expier par le sang

expier une peine

expier son orgueil

expier une trahison

expier dans la douleur

expier sa négligence

よく使うフレーズ

expier ses torts

— To make up for the wrongs one has done.

Il a tout fait pour expier ses torts envers elle.

expier une offense

— To atone for an insult or a slight against someone.

Il a fallu expier cette offense publique.

expier la honte

— To perform an act that removes a sense of shame.

Il voulait expier la honte qui pesait sur sa famille.

expier le mal

— To atone for the evil or harm one has caused.

Il a consacré sa vie à expier le mal qu'il avait fait.

expier sa culpabilité

— To take actions to resolve one's feelings of guilt.

L'exil était pour lui une façon d'expier sa culpabilité.

expier une erreur judiciaire

— To make amends for a mistake made by the justice system.

L'État a tenté d'expier cette erreur judiciaire par une indemnité.

expier par le sacrifice

— To atone through giving up something valuable or through personal suffering.

Elle a expié son erreur par le sacrifice de sa carrière.

expier ses crimes passés

— To pay for things done long ago.

Il est hanté par le besoin d'expier ses crimes passés.

expier dans le silence

— To atone privately without seeking public recognition.

Il a choisi d'expier dans le silence de son monastère.

expier la trahison

— To pay the price for being unfaithful or disloyal.

Le traître dut expier sa trahison sur l'échafaud.

よく混同される語

expier vs expirer

To breathe out or to end (as in a deadline). Expier is to atone.

expier vs expliquer

To explain. Phonetically different but beginners sometimes mix them up.

expier vs exposer

To expose or display. Unrelated meaning.

慣用句と表現

"expier les péchés d'autrui"

— To suffer for the mistakes of others.

L'enfant ne devrait pas avoir à expier les péchés d'autrui.

formal

"faire expier à quelqu'un"

— To make someone pay for something (often used in revenge).

Il lui fera expier cet affront.

neutral

"expier jusqu'à la lie"

— To atone or suffer to the very end/to the fullest extent.

Il a dû expier sa faute jusqu'à la lie.

literary

"expier son existence"

— To live a life that is seen as a constant atonement for being born or for a past life.

Il semblait expier son existence même.

philosophical

"expier une dette de sang"

— To atone for a killing, often through another death.

La dette de sang doit être expiée.

literary/historical

"expier ses fautes au grand jour"

— To atone publicly for one's mistakes.

Il a décidé d'expier ses fautes au grand jour.

journalistic

"expier par procuration"

— To have someone else atone on your behalf.

Il cherche à expier par procuration en envoyant son fils au front.

academic

"expier une vie de débauche"

— To atone for a life of excess and immorality.

Il a fini ses jours dans un couvent pour expier une vie de débauche.

literary

"expier le prix fort"

— To pay the highest price to atone for something.

Il a expié son erreur au prix fort.

neutral

"expier ses crimes devant Dieu"

— To seek divine atonement.

Il espère expier ses crimes devant Dieu.

religious

間違えやすい

expier vs expirer

Phonetic similarity.

Expirer means to reach the end of a period or to exhale. Expier means to pay for a fault.

Le lait expire demain, mais il doit expier son crime aujourd'hui.

expier vs racheter

Semantic similarity.

Racheter is more common and focuses on the positive action to fix a reputation. Expier focuses on the punishment or sacrifice.

Il a racheté son image, mais il doit encore expier sa faute.

expier vs réparer

Semantic similarity.

Réparer is for physical objects or specific damages. Expier is for moral or legal guilt.

Il a réparé la voiture, mais il ne peut pas expier l'accident.

expier vs se repentir

Contextual similarity.

Se repentir is the internal feeling of regret. Expier is the external action of atonement.

Il s'est repenti, mais il doit quand même expier sa peine.

expier vs purger

Legal context.

Purger is specifically for serving a prison sentence. Expier is broader and more moral.

Il purge sa peine pour expier son crime.

文型パターン

S + devoir + expier + objet

Je dois expier mon erreur.

S + chercher à + expier + objet

Il cherche à expier son passé.

S + a expié + objet + par + moyen

Elle a expié sa faute par le travail.

C'est en + gérondif + que S + expie + objet

C'est en aidant les pauvres qu'il expie son crime.

L'expiation de + objet + nécessite + N

L'expiation de ce crime nécessite une vie de sacrifice.

Il est temps de + expier + objet

Il est temps d'expier nos fautes.

Bien que + S + ait expié + objet...

Bien qu'il ait expié sa faute, il reste triste.

S + ne peut pas + expier + objet

On ne peut pas expier un tel acte.

語族

名詞

expiation (atonement)

expiateur (atoner/one who atones)

expiatrice (feminine form of atoner)

動詞

expier (to atone)

形容詞

expiatoire (expiatory/serving to atone)

expié (atoned)

使い方

frequency

Medium-Low (Higher in written French than spoken).

よくある間違い

Il doit expirer son crime. → Il doit expier son crime.
Expirer means to breathe out or expire. Expier means to atone.
Elle expie pour ses erreurs. → Elle expie ses erreurs.
Expier is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'pour'.
J'ai expié à mon ami. → J'ai expié ma faute envers mon ami.
You expiate the fault, not the person. You use 'envers' to indicate who was wronged.
L'expiation de ses péchés sont difficiles. → L'expiation de ses péchés est difficile.
The subject is 'l'expiation' (singular), so the verb must be singular.
Il expie son erreur en demandant pardon. → Il se rachète en demandant pardon.
Expier usually implies a heavier penalty than just saying sorry. 'Se racheter' is better for simple apologies.

ヒント

Formal Writing

Use 'expier' in essays or formal letters when discussing responsibility and consequences. It shows a high level of vocabulary.

Literature

When reading 19th-century French novels, look for this word to understand the moral stakes of the characters.

Clear Vowels

Make sure to separate the 'i' and 'e' sounds. It's not one sound; it's two distinct syllables at the end: pee-ay.

Direct Object

Always follow the verb with a noun phrase. 'Il expie sa trahison' is the perfect structure.

The 'I' in Expier

Remember the 'i' stands for 'Iniquity' (the bad thing) that you are trying to get rid of.

Justice System

In French news, 'expier' is often used to give a moral weight to a prison sentence.

Don't Overuse

Don't use 'expier' for small social blunders. It will make you sound like a character from a Shakespeare play.

Use 'Racheter' for Balance

If you want to talk about doing good things to fix a bad past, 'se racheter' is often a more natural-sounding choice.

Context Clues

If you hear 'expier' in a movie, pay attention to the music. It's usually playing during a serious or sad scene.

B2 Milestone

Mastering this word is a great sign that you are moving from intermediate to advanced French.

暗記しよう

記憶術

Think of 'Ex-Pier'. Imagine a man named Pier who was an 'Ex-con'. He is now working hard to 'Expier' (atone) for his past crimes.

視覚的連想

Visualize a scale. On one side is a heavy black stone (the crime). On the other, a person is placing many small white stones (the acts of atonement) until the scale is balanced.

Word Web

Justice Guilt Sacrifice Debt Cleanse Religion Prison Remorse

チャレンジ

Write a short paragraph about a historical figure who had to expier a major mistake. Use 'expier' at least twice.

語源

Derived from the Latin 'expiare', which is composed of 'ex-' (thoroughly) and 'piare' (to appease, to purify with sacred rites).

元の意味： To cleanse, purify, or appease a deity through sacrifice or religious ritual.

Indo-European > Italic > Romance > French.

文化的な背景

Be aware that 'expier' can have strong religious overtones. In a purely business context, 'compenser' or 'réparer' is usually more appropriate.

English speakers often use 'atone' or 'make up for.' 'Expier' is more formal and carries a stronger sense of 'paying a price' than 'make up for.'

'L'Expiation' - a famous poem by Victor Hugo about Napoleon's retreat from Russia. The film 'Atonement' is translated as 'Reviens-moi' in French, but the concept of the title is 'expiation'. Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' (Crime et Châtiment) deals heavily with the theme of expier.

実生活で練習する

実際の使用場面

Justice and Law

expier sa peine
expier un crime
la dette à expier
purger et expier

Religion and Ethics

expier ses péchés
acte d'expiation
expier devant Dieu
pénitence pour expier

Literature and Film

le héros doit expier
expier son orgueil
une fin expiatoire
chercher à expier son passé

Personal Relationships

expier une trahison
vouloir expier ses torts
comment expier cet affront ?
expier sa négligence

History and Society

expier les erreurs du passé
un peuple qui expie
expier une faute collective
monument pour expier

会話のきっかけ

"Pensez-vous qu'on puisse vraiment expier toutes ses erreurs ?"

"Comment un criminel peut-il expier sa faute envers la société, selon vous ?"

"Avez-vous déjà lu un livre où le personnage principal doit expier un lourd secret ?"

"Est-ce que le système de justice moderne permet vraiment d'expier ses actes ?"

"Quelle est la différence pour vous entre s'excuser et expier ?"

日記のテーマ

Décrivez une situation où vous avez dû faire un effort particulier pour expier une petite erreur.

Réfléchissez à un personnage historique. Quelles fautes a-t-il dû expier au cours de sa vie ?

L'expiation est-elle nécessaire pour obtenir le pardon sincère d'une autre personne ?

Écrivez une scène de film où un homme revient dans son village pour expier un crime commis vingt ans plus tôt.

Pensez-vous que la souffrance soit une étape obligatoire pour expier une faute morale ?

よくある質問

10 問

Rarely. It is quite formal. You would more likely hear 'payer pour ses erreurs' or 'se racheter' in casual speech. However, you will hear it in news reports or see it in books.

No, that is an anglicism. In French, 'expier' is a transitive verb. You should say 'expier mes fautes' directly, without the 'pour'.

The noun form is 'expiation' (feminine). For example: 'C'est un acte d'expiation.' (It is an act of atonement.)

No, while it has religious roots, it is very commonly used in legal contexts (expiating a crime) and general moral contexts (expiating a betrayal or a mistake).

It is a regular -er verb using 'avoir'. Example: J'ai expié, tu as expié, il a expié, etc.

No, it is almost exclusively used for negative actions, crimes, faults, or sins that need to be cleared.

An 'expiateur' is a person who atones. It is a very formal and somewhat rare term, often used in religious or literary texts.

Not necessarily. One can expiate a crime by force of law (going to prison) without feeling sorry. 'Se repentir' is the word for feeling sorry.

Yes. 'Payer' is more literal and common. 'Expier' implies a deeper, more moral or spiritual process of cleansing.

Yes, 'La faute doit être expiée' is a very common and natural structure in formal French.

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