agir
agir 30초 만에
- Agir means to take action or behave, often implying purpose or responsibility.
- It is a regular -ir verb (2nd group) like 'finir', with the plural stem 'agiss-'.
- The impersonal phrase 'il s'agit de' is essential and means 'it is about' or 'it's a matter of'.
- It is more formal than 'faire' and is common in news, law, and professional settings.
The French verb agir is a cornerstone of the language, representing the transition from thought or potential into reality. At its core, it means 'to act' or 'to take action.' Unlike the more general verb faire (to do/make), agir specifically denotes the exercise of agency or the manifestation of a force. It is a second-group verb, ending in -ir, which means it follows the regular conjugation pattern of finir (e.g., nous agissons). Understanding agir requires looking beyond simple movement; it often implies a moral or purposeful decision to intervene in a situation.
- Primary Agency
- The most common use involves a human subject making a choice to change their environment or respond to a stimulus. It is the opposite of passivity.
Il est temps d'agir pour sauver la planète.
Beyond human action, agir can describe the effect of a substance or a force. For instance, a medicine 'acts' on a virus, or gravity 'acts' on a body. This nuance is vital for scientific or technical contexts where cause and effect are discussed. In these cases, the verb is often followed by the preposition sur (on).
- Functional Effect
- Describes how one thing influences another, such as chemical reactions or physical forces impacting a system.
Furthermore, agir is frequently found in the impersonal construction il s'agit de. This is one of the most common idioms in French, meaning 'it is about' or 'it is a matter of.' While it looks like the verb agir, its meaning is distinct and essential for identifying the subject of a conversation or the nature of a problem. Mastery of this verb involves balancing its literal meaning of taking action with its grammatical role in defining topics.
Dans ce film, il s'agit d'une histoire d'amour impossible.
- Impersonal Usage
- The phrase 'il s'agit de' is used to define the topic or the essence of something, completely separate from the idea of 'taking action'.
Le médicament commence à agir après trente minutes.
Vous devez agir en citoyen responsable.
Using agir correctly involves understanding its conjugation and the prepositions that follow it. As a regular -ir verb, its stems are ag- (singular) and agiss- (plural). For example, in the present tense: j'agis, tu agis, il agit, nous agissons, vous agissez, ils agissent. This 'iss' sound in the plural is the hallmark of the second group and is crucial for correct pronunciation and spelling.
- Conjugation Tip
- Think of 'finir'. If you can conjugate 'finir', you can conjugate 'agir'. The patterns are identical across all tenses.
The verb is often paired with adverbs to describe how someone acts. Common pairings include agir prudemment (to act cautiously), agir vite (to act quickly), or agir sagement (to act wisely). These adverbs provide the necessary context to evaluate the nature of the action. In more formal writing, you might see agir de concert (to act together) or agir en conséquence (to act accordingly).
Après avoir analysé les risques, nous avons décidé d'agir prudemment.
Prepositions play a vital role. Agir sur means to have an effect on something. Agir envers or agir à l'égard de means to behave toward someone. For example, 'Il agit mal envers ses amis' (He behaves badly toward his friends). This usage shifts the meaning from 'taking action' to 'behaving' or 'conducting oneself'.
- Prepositional Nuance
- Use 'sur' for influence and 'envers' for social behavior or treatment of others.
Finally, the reflexive form s'agir is almost exclusively used in the third person singular. You will rarely see 'je m'agis'. Instead, 'il s'agit de' is the standard. It can be followed by a noun, a pronoun, or an infinitive verb. 'Il s'agit de réussir' (It is about succeeding / The goal is to succeed). This construction is indispensable for summarizing the point of a discussion or a task.
Dans cette affaire, il s'agit de protéger les droits des mineurs.
- The 'De' Rule
- Always remember the 'de' after 'il s'agit'. It's a common mistake to omit it or replace it with 'que'.
Le vent agit sur la direction des voiliers.
Il ne suffit pas de parler, il faut agir.
You will encounter agir in a variety of professional and civic environments. In French news broadcasts (le JT), journalists frequently use it when discussing government policies or environmental crises. Phrases like 'le gouvernement doit agir' (the government must act) are common headlines. It carries a weight of responsibility and urgency that faire lacks.
- Political Context
- Used to demand intervention or to describe the implementation of new laws and social measures.
Face à la crise, nous devons agir collectivement.
In the workplace, agir is used to describe professional conduct and initiative. A manager might praise an employee by saying they 'savent agir en autonomie' (know how to act independently). It is also the verb of choice in legal and administrative documents to describe the capacity in which someone is acting, such as 'agir au nom de' (to act on behalf of).
- Professional Conduct
- Refers to the manner in which tasks are executed and the authority one holds during a transaction.
The impersonal il s'agit de is heard everywhere—from classrooms to business meetings. A teacher might start a lesson by saying, 'Aujourd'hui, il s'agit d'étudier la Révolution française.' It sets the agenda. In casual conversation, if someone is being vague, you might ask, 'De quoi s'agit-il ?' (What is it about? / What's going on?), which is a polite but direct way to seek clarification.
Dans ce dossier, il s'agit de simplifier les procédures.
- Setting the Scene
- Commonly used in introductions to define the scope of a project, book, or discussion.
L'avocat agit au nom de son client.
Il est impératif d'agir avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.
One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is confusing agir with faire. While both can translate to 'to do' in certain contexts, agir is about the process of taking action or the manner of behaving, whereas faire is about the production of a result or the performance of a specific task. You wouldn't say 'j'agis mes devoirs' (I act my homework); you must use 'je fais mes devoirs'.
- Agir vs. Faire
- Agir is intransitive (it doesn't take a direct object like 'a cake' or 'homework'). Faire is transitive.
Incorrect: Il agit une erreur. Correct: Il fait une erreur.
Another major pitfall is the misuse of il s'agit de. Many learners try to use it like 'it is' (c'est). For example, saying 'Il s'agit mon ami' is incorrect; it should be 'C'est mon ami'. Il s'agit de is used for topics or issues, not for identifying people or objects in a simple way. Furthermore, the preposition de is mandatory. Learners often forget it or try to follow the phrase with que, which is grammatically incorrect in standard French.
- The 'C'est' Confusion
- Don't use 'il s'agit de' to simply identify something. Use it to explain what something is 'about'.
Conjugation errors are also common, specifically forgetting the -iss- in the plural forms. Because many -ir verbs are irregular (like partir or sortir), students often conjugate agir as 'nous agissons' correctly but then trip up on other forms like the imperfect 'nous agissions'. Consistency with the second-group rules is key here.
Nous agissons (correct) vs. Nous agissons (incorrectly spelled as agissons without the double s).
- Preposition Errors
- Confusing 'agir sur' (to affect) with 'agir pour' (to act in favor of). The meaning changes drastically based on the preposition.
Il s'agit de comprendre la règle, pas seulement de l'apprendre.
Attention à ne pas agir sous le coup de la colère.
To truly master agir, you must distinguish it from its synonyms. Faire is the most common alternative, but it is much broader. While agir emphasizes the agency, faire focuses on the task. Another close relative is procéder, which is often used in formal or technical contexts to mean 'to proceed' or 'to go about doing something' in a systematic way.
- Agir vs. Procéder
- Agir is about the initiative; procéder is about the method or the steps taken.
Nous devons agir maintenant, mais comment allons-nous procéder ?
Intervenir is another important synonym, meaning 'to intervene'. While agir is general, intervenir specifically implies stepping into an ongoing situation to change its course. Similarly, opérer is used in medical or technical contexts to describe a specific type of action or 'operation'. In a more literary sense, se comporter (to behave) overlaps with agir when describing conduct toward others.
- Agir vs. Intervenir
- Agir is simply taking action; intervenir is taking action specifically to interfere or help in a situation.
Finally, consider influer or influencer when you want to say 'to act upon' in the sense of having an influence. While agir sur is common, influer is more precise for abstract influences like ideas or trends. Understanding these distinctions allows for more nuanced and sophisticated French communication, moving beyond basic verbs to more descriptive ones.
Son discours a agi comme un déclic pour la foule.
- Comparison Summary
- Agir (General action/agency), Intervenir (Intervention), Procéder (Methodical action), Se comporter (Behavior).
La police a dû intervenir pour calmer la situation.
Il agit toujours avec beaucoup de réflexion.
How Formal Is It?
난이도
알아야 할 문법
Regular -ir verb conjugation
Impersonal verbs
Prepositional verbs
Adverb placement
Subjunctive mood after expressions of necessity
수준별 예문
Il faut agir maintenant.
It is necessary to act now.
Present tense, impersonal 'il faut'.
Elle agit bien.
She acts well.
Simple subject-verb-adverb structure.
Nous agissons ensemble.
We act together.
First person plural -ir verb ending.
Agis vite !
Act fast!
Imperative mood, singular.
Ils agissent pour la paix.
They act for peace.
Third person plural present.
Je veux agir.
I want to act.
Infinitive after 'vouloir'.
Il s'agit d'un chat.
It is about a cat.
Basic 'il s'agit de' usage.
Tu agis comme un ami.
You act like a friend.
Comparison using 'comme'.
Le médicament agit sur la douleur.
The medicine acts on the pain.
Agir sur + noun.
J'ai agi sans réfléchir.
I acted without thinking.
Passé composé with 'avoir'.
Il s'agit de mon frère.
It is about my brother.
Impersonal construction.
Vous agissez sagement.
You are acting wisely.
Adverbial modification.
Elle a agi en secret.
She acted in secret.
Passé composé with adverbial phrase.
De quoi s'agit-il ?
What is it about?
Inverted question with 'il s'agit'.
Nous n'avons pas agi à temps.
We did not act in time.
Negative passé composé.
Il s'agit d'un nouveau projet.
It's about a new project.
Defining a topic.
Il faut agir avec prudence dans cette situation.
One must act with caution in this situation.
Agir avec + noun.
Le gouvernement a décidé d'agir contre la pollution.
The government decided to act against pollution.
Agir contre + noun.
Il s'agit de trouver une solution durable.
It is a matter of finding a sustainable solution.
Il s'agit de + infinitive.
Elle agit toujours en fonction de ses principes.
She always acts according to her principles.
En fonction de (according to).
Comment agirais-tu à ma place ?
How would you act in my place?
Conditional mood.
Il s'agit d'une erreur de compréhension.
It is a misunderstanding.
Abstract topic definition.
Nous devons agir pour protéger l'environnement.
We must act to protect the environment.
Agir pour + infinitive.
Il agit en tant que responsable du groupe.
He acts as the group leader.
Agir en tant que (acting as).
L'entreprise doit agir pour redresser sa situation financière.
The company must act to improve its financial situation.
Agir pour + infinitive.
Il s'agit là d'un problème majeur pour notre société.
This is a major problem for our society.
Use of 'là' for emphasis.
Elle a agi de son propre chef sans consulter personne.
She acted on her own initiative without consulting anyone.
Idiom: de son propre chef.
Il est crucial que nous agissions avant la fin du mois.
It is crucial that we act before the end of the month.
Subjunctive mood after 'il est crucial que'.
Le venin agit rapidement sur le système nerveux.
The venom acts quickly on the nervous system.
Scientific usage.
Il ne s'agit pas seulement d'argent, mais de dignité.
It's not just about money, but about dignity.
Negative 'il s'agit' with contrast.
Agissez comme si vous étiez déjà le patron.
Act as if you were already the boss.
Imperative + comme si + imperfect.
Dans ce livre, il s'agit de la quête du bonheur.
In this book, it is about the quest for happiness.
Literary summary.
Il s'agit d'analyser les ressorts profonds de cette crise.
It is a matter of analyzing the deep-seated causes of this crisis.
Formal academic register.
L'individu agit souvent sous l'influence de pressions sociales.
The individual often acts under the influence of social pressures.
Sociological context.
Il s'est agi, tout au long de ce procès, de rétablir la vérité.
Throughout this trial, it has been about restoring the truth.
Passé composé of the impersonal 'il s'agit'.
Le poète agit sur le langage pour en extraire une beauté nouvelle.
The poet acts on language to extract a new beauty from it.
Metaphorical usage.
Quoi qu'il arrive, nous agirons en conformité avec la loi.
Whatever happens, we will act in accordance with the law.
Future tense + formal prepositional phrase.
Il ne s'agit nullement d'une attaque personnelle.
It is by no means a personal attack.
Use of 'nullement' for strong negation.
L'art d'agir consiste parfois à savoir attendre.
The art of acting sometimes consists in knowing how to wait.
Philosophical subject.
Il s'agit de déterminer si le prévenu a agi avec préméditation.
It is a matter of determining if the defendant acted with premeditation.
Legal terminology.
L'essence même de la politique est la capacité d'agir sur le réel.
The very essence of politics is the capacity to act upon reality.
Abstract political philosophy.
Il s'agit, en l'occurrence, d'un manquement grave aux règles d'éthique.
In this instance, it is a serious breach of ethical rules.
Use of 'en l'occurrence' (in this case).
Le romancier fait agir ses personnages dans un monde clos.
The novelist makes his characters act within a closed world.
Causative construction 'faire + infinitive'.
S'agirait-il d'une manœuvre visant à déstabiliser le marché ?
Could it be a maneuver aimed at destabilizing the market?
Conditional of 'il s'agit' expressing doubt.
Les agissements de cette organisation sont sous surveillance.
The activities of this organization are under surveillance.
Noun form 'agissements' (usually pejorative).
Il s'agit de ne pas confondre l'effet et la cause.
It is a matter of not confusing the effect and the cause.
Logical distinction.
Agir dans l'urgence ne dispense pas de réfléchir.
Acting in an emergency does not excuse one from thinking.
Infinitive as subject.
Il s'agit d'une œuvre dont la portée agit encore sur nous aujourd'hui.
It is a work whose impact still acts on us today.
Relative clause with 'dont'.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
자주 혼동되는 단어
관용어 및 표현
혼동하기 쉬운
To shake or agitate, not to take action.
To accept or approve.
To make worse.
To be dying.
To sharpen.
문장 패턴
사용법
'Agir' implies a moral or logical weight that 'faire' does not.
'Il s'agit de' cannot be used with 'je', 'tu', etc.
- Using 'agir' with a direct object (e.g., agir un plan).
- Omitting the 'de' in 'il s'agit de'.
- Using 'il s'agit de' to mean 'it is' for simple identification.
- Forgetting the -iss- in plural conjugations.
- Confusing 'agir sur' with 'agir pour'.
팁
Conjugation
Always remember the double 's' in the plural: nous agissons, vous agissez, ils agissent.
Impersonal phrase
Use 'il s'agit de' to summarize the main point of any story or task.
Agir vs Faire
Use 'agir' for the 'how' and 'why' of action, and 'faire' for the 'what'.
The Soft G
The 'g' in 'agir' is soft, like the 'j' in 'je'. Never a hard 'g' sound.
Formal Reports
In reports, use 'agir en qualité de' to specify someone's professional role.
Urgency
Say 'Il faut agir !' to sound decisive and motivated.
Engagement
In France, 'agir' is often linked to social and political activism.
Cause and Effect
Use 'agir sur' to describe how one variable affects another in science.
Avoid 'Agir Que'
Never say 'il s'agit que'. It's always 'il s'agit de'.
Agent
Associate 'agir' with 'agent'—someone who acts.
암기하기
어원
Latin 'agere'
문화적 맥락
Commonly used in political slogans (e.g., 'Agir pour la France').
Using 'agir envers' correctly shows a high level of social awareness in French.
Central to existentialist thought (Sartre), where man is defined by his actions.
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
대화 시작하기
"De quoi s'agit-il dans ton nouveau livre ?"
"Comment devrions-nous agir face à ce problème ?"
"Est-ce que ce médicament agit rapidement ?"
"Pourquoi est-il si difficile d'agir parfois ?"
"Dans quel but agis-tu ainsi ?"
일기 주제
Décrivez une situation où vous avez dû agir rapidement.
S'agit-il plus souvent de suivre son cœur ou sa raison ?
Comment agissez-vous quand vous êtes stressé ?
Écrivez sur un film : de quoi s'agit-il ?
Pensez-vous qu'il soit temps d'agir pour le climat ?
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문No, 's'agir' is only used impersonally with 'il'. To say 'I am acting', use 'J'agis'.
Agir is to take action or behave (intransitive). Faire is to do or make something specific (transitive).
Yes, it is a regular second-group verb ending in -ir, like 'finir'.
You say 'De quoi s'agit-il ?'
Yes, 'Le médicament agit' means the medicine is working or having an effect.
Use 'envers' (e.g., agir envers ses parents).
No, it is usually followed by an infinitive or a noun. However, 'il faut qu'il s'agisse de' would use the subjunctive if nested.
The past participle is 'agi'.
Usually, we use 'jouer'. However, 'faire agir des personnages' is used for a director or writer.
It is more formal than 'faire', but common in everyday speech in the phrase 'il s'agit de'.
셀프 테스트 180 질문
Faites une phrase avec 'agir' au présent.
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Utilisez 'il s'agit de' pour décrire votre film préféré.
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Écrivez une phrase sur l'environnement avec 'agir'.
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Comment agiriez-vous si vous gagniez au loto ?
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Expliquez l'effet d'un médicament avec 'agir sur'.
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Utilisez le subjonctif : 'Il est important que nous...'
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Décrivez un comportement avec 'agir envers'.
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Utilisez 'agir de son propre chef' dans une phrase.
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Faites une phrase avec 'il s'est agi de'.
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Que signifie 'agir en citoyen' pour vous ?
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Utilisez 'agir de concert' dans un contexte professionnel.
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Faites une phrase avec 'agissements'.
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Utilisez 'agir en connaissance de cause'.
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Transformez : 'C'est un livre sur Paris' avec 'il s'agit de'.
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Donnez un conseil avec l'impératif d'agir.
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Utilisez 'agir sous la pression'.
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Faites une phrase au futur simple.
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Utilisez 'agir au nom de'.
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Expliquez 'agir par intérêt'.
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Utilisez 'il s'agirait de' pour exprimer une hypothèse.
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Dites : 'Il faut agir vite.'
Read this aloud:
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Dites : 'De quoi s'agit-il ?'
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Dites : 'Nous agissons ensemble.'
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Expliquez de quoi parle votre livre préféré avec 'Il s'agit de'.
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Dites : 'Le médicament agit sur la douleur.'
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Dites : 'Il est temps d'agir.'
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Dites : 'Agissez avec prudence.'
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Dites : 'Il s'agit d'une erreur.'
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Dites : 'Comment agirais-tu ?'
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Dites : 'Il s'agit de gagner.'
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Dites : 'Elle agit en secret.'
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Dites : 'Nous agissons pour le futur.'
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Dites : 'Il s'agit de mon avenir.'
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Dites : 'Ils agissent contre nous.'
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Dites : 'Il faut que nous agissions.'
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Dites : 'Agis maintenant !'
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Dites : 'De quoi s'agissait-il ?'
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Dites : 'Il agit de son propre chef.'
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Dites : 'Il s'agit là d'un défi.'
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Dites : 'Agissons de concert.'
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Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il faut agir.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'De quoi s'agit-il ?'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Nous agissons.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit d'elle.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Agissez vite.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Le venin agit.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit de toi.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Ils agissent mal.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit de partir.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'J'ai agi seul.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit d'un test.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Nous agirons.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit de l'eau.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Agis prudemment.'
Écoutez et écrivez : 'Il s'agit d'un crime.'
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Summary
Agir is the verb of agency and impact. Whether you are taking a stand, describing how a chemical works, or explaining what a movie is about (il s'agit de), this verb is your primary tool for moving from theory to reality. Example: 'Il ne suffit pas de parler, il faut agir.'
- Agir means to take action or behave, often implying purpose or responsibility.
- It is a regular -ir verb (2nd group) like 'finir', with the plural stem 'agiss-'.
- The impersonal phrase 'il s'agit de' is essential and means 'it is about' or 'it's a matter of'.
- It is more formal than 'faire' and is common in news, law, and professional settings.
Conjugation
Always remember the double 's' in the plural: nous agissons, vous agissez, ils agissent.
Impersonal phrase
Use 'il s'agit de' to summarize the main point of any story or task.
Agir vs Faire
Use 'agir' for the 'how' and 'why' of action, and 'faire' for the 'what'.
The Soft G
The 'g' in 'agir' is soft, like the 'j' in 'je'. Never a hard 'g' sound.
예시
Il est temps d'agir pour protéger l'environnement.
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관련 표현
general 관련 단어
à cause de
A2부정적이거나 중립적인 사건의 원인을 설명할 때 사용하는 전치사구입니다. '... 때문에'라는 뜻입니다.
à côté
A2~옆에; ~곁에.
à côté de
A2Next to, beside.
À droite
A2오른쪽으로 또는 오른쪽에. 예: '모퉁이에서 오른쪽으로 도세요'.
À gauche
A2To the left; on the left side.
à la
A2전치사 'à'와 여성 정관사 'la'의 결합으로, '~에' 또는 '~로'를 의미합니다.
à laquelle
B2To which; at which (feminine singular).
à mesure que
B2~함에 따라.
abrégé
B1An abstract, summary, or abridgment.
absence
A2The state of being away from a place or person.