externement
externement 30초 만에
- Externement is a formal adverb meaning 'externally' or 'on the outside'.
- It is primarily used in technical, medical, and professional French contexts.
- It contrasts with 'internement' (internally) and is distinct from 'extérieurement' (outwardly).
- Learners should use it for clinical or systemic descriptions rather than casual conversation.
The French adverb externement is a specialized term that translates primarily to 'externally' or 'on the outside' in English. While it shares a common root with the more frequent word extérieurement, its usage is often more restricted to technical, medical, or formal contexts where the distinction between the internal essence of an object and its outer surface or surroundings must be made with precision. Understanding this word requires looking at its morphological structure: the adjective externe (external) combined with the suffix -ment, which is the standard French way to form adverbs of manner. In everyday conversation, a French speaker might simply say à l'extérieur or dehors, but in a professional or scientific setting, externement provides a level of clinical accuracy that other terms lack.
- Medical Context
- In pharmacology and medicine, it describes how a treatment or substance is applied to the body. If a cream is meant to be used on the skin rather than ingested, it is applied externement. This ensures safety and clarity in instructions.
Ce médicament doit être appliqué externement pour éviter toute irritation des muqueuses.
Beyond medicine, the term appears in discussions regarding systems, whether they be biological, mechanical, or social. For instance, in engineering, a force acting externement on a structure refers to a pressure or impact coming from the environment rather than a tension within the materials themselves. This distinction is crucial for structural analysis. In the realm of philosophy or psychology, one might discuss how an individual is influenced externement by societal expectations, contrasting this with their internal desires or 'volonté interne'.
- Technical Specification
- Used in geometry or physics to describe positions relative to a boundary. A point located externement to a circle lies outside its circumference.
Le capteur a été fixé externement au boîtier de la machine.
Historically, the word has maintained a steady but low-frequency presence in the French language. It lacks the poetic weight of 'dehors' but carries the weight of authority. When you use externement, you are signaling a focus on the boundary between the 'in' and the 'out'. It is a word of boundaries, surfaces, and environmental interactions. For an English speaker, it is helpful to think of it as the direct equivalent of 'externally' in its most literal sense—referring to the physical or systemic exterior.
Using externement correctly involves placing it within a sentence where it modifies a verb or an adjective to specify the location or direction of an action. Like most French adverbs ending in -ment, it typically follows the conjugated verb in simple tenses and follows the past participle in compound tenses. However, because of its technical nature, it is often found in descriptive phrases or instructional imperatives.
- Placement after the Verb
- In a standard sentence, the adverb provides clarity on where the action occurs. For example: 'Il agit externement' (He acts externally).
La pression s'exerce externement sur la paroi du réservoir.
When dealing with compound tenses like the passé composé, the adverb's position can change the nuance slightly, though it usually sits after the past participle. 'Le produit a été appliqué externement' is the most natural phrasing. It is important to note that externement is rarely used to start a sentence unless it is for dramatic emphasis in a formal speech, which is quite uncommon for this specific word.
In comparative structures, you might say 'plus externement' (more externally) or 'moins externement' (less externally), though these are rare. A more common use case is in contrast with 'internement' (internally). For example, a company might be audited internement by its own staff and externement by a third-party firm. This creates a clear, professional dichotomy.
L'entreprise est gérée externement par un cabinet de conseil spécialisé.
- Modifying Adjectives
- Sometimes externement modifies an adjective to specify a state. 'Une structure externement visible' (An externally visible structure).
For learners at the B1 level, the goal is to recognize that externement is a formal alternative to par l'extérieur. While you won't use it to tell your friend to wait outside (use 'dehors'!), you will use it when writing a report, explaining a scientific process, or reading a label on a bottle of disinfectant. It adds a layer of sophistication and precision to your French writing that 'dehors' simply cannot provide.
You are unlikely to hear externement shouted across a busy street or whispered in a café. Instead, this word lives in the structured environments of French professional life. If you are watching a French news segment about corporate governance, you might hear a journalist mention that a company's finances are being audited externement. This implies a level of objectivity and distance that is vital for the context.
Le projet sera évalué externement pour garantir une impartialité totale.
Another common venue for this word is the doctor's office or the pharmacy. When a pharmacist explains how to use a topical antiseptic, they might emphasize that the liquid is to be used externement only. In this case, the word serves as a critical safety warning. It distinguishes the treatment from oral medications, which could be dangerous if the two are confused.
- Academic and Scientific Lectures
- In a university setting, specifically in biology or physics, professors use externement to describe the interaction of particles or organisms with their environment. 'La cellule réagit externement aux stimuli' (The cell reacts externally to stimuli).
In the world of architecture and construction, you will find externement in technical manuals. A contractor might discuss how a building needs to be reinforced externement to withstand high winds. Here, the word specifies that the work will be done on the facade or the outer shell rather than the interior supports.
Les données sont stockées externement sur un serveur sécurisé.
Finally, in the tech industry, French IT professionals often use the term when discussing data storage or cloud computing. If data is stored externement, it means it is not on the local hard drive but on an external server or in the cloud. This is a very common modern usage of the word, bridging the gap between traditional French and modern technical terminology.
The most frequent mistake learners make with externement is using it in place of the much more common adverb extérieurement. While they are synonyms, they are not always interchangeable. Extérieurement is generally used to describe appearances—how something looks on the outside—whereas externement is used for physical or functional location. If you want to say someone looks calm but is nervous inside, you must use extérieurement.
- The 'Appearance' Trap
- Incorrect: 'Il semble externement calme.' (He seems externally calm). Correct: 'Il semble extérieurement calme.'
Another common error is confusing externement with the noun internement. While internement refers to being confined (like in a hospital or prison), externement is purely an adverb of location. There is no noun 'externement' in French that means 'the act of being outside'. If you need a noun, you would use externalisation (outsourcing) or simply l'extérieur.
On ne dit pas 'l'externement du patient', on dit 'le traitement externe du patient'.
English speakers often fall into the 'false friend' trap by assuming externement can be used as casually as 'externally'. In English, you might say 'The problem was caused externally'. In French, while externement is possible, it sounds quite stiff. A native speaker would more likely say 'Le problème vient de l'extérieur'. Using the adverb too often can make your French sound like a translated manual rather than a living language.
Lastly, be careful with the spelling. Learners sometimes forget the 'e' before the 'ment' because they are thinking of the English 'external'. Remember: externe + ment = externement. Keep that 'e' in place to ensure your written French is accurate. This is a common mistake in written exams at the B1 and B2 levels.
To truly master externement, you need to understand its neighbors in the French vocabulary. There are several ways to express the idea of 'outside', each with its own flavor and specific use case. Choosing the right one is the difference between sounding like a student and sounding like a pro.
- Extérieurement vs. Externement
- Extérieurement focuses on the surface or the appearance. Externement focuses on the location or the source of an action relative to a system. Use the former for looks, the latter for mechanics.
Another alternative is the prepositional phrase à l'extérieur. This is the most versatile option. You can use it for physical locations ('Je suis à l'extérieur') and abstract ones ('Le problème se situe à l'extérieur de notre juridiction'). It is less formal than externement but more formal than dehors.
Au lieu de dire 'appliqué externement', on peut dire 'appliqué sur la surface extérieure'.
For very informal situations, dehors is the king. It simply means 'out' or 'outside'. You wouldn't use it in a medical report, but you would use it when telling your dog to go play. Conversely, in a business context, you might use en externe. This is a very common 'business French' phrase. For example, 'Nous allons recruter en externe' (We are going to recruit externally/from outside the company). This is often preferred over the adverb externement in corporate settings.
Finally, consider superficiellement. If something is only happening on the very top layer, this might be a better choice. It implies a lack of depth. While externement just says 'on the outside', superficiellement adds the nuance that it doesn't go deep. Understanding these subtle differences helps you navigate the rich landscape of French expression.
재미있는 사실
The root 'ex-' in Latin is the same one found in 'exit', 'export', and 'exclude', all having the core meaning of 'out'.
발음 가이드
- Pronouncing the 't' at the end (it is silent).
- Making the 'r' too hard like an English 'r'.
- Forgetting the nasal quality of the '-ment' ending.
- Stressing the first syllable instead of the last.
- Confusing the 'e' sound with 'é' (it should be an open 'e' as in 'get').
수준별 예문
Regarde, le chat est externement.
Look, the cat is outside (though 'dehors' is better).
A1 students should notice the '-ment' suffix.
Applique la crème externement.
Apply the cream externally.
Imperative mood usage.
C'est un produit pour usage externement.
It's a product for external use (adverb form).
Note: 'Usage externe' is more common, but 'externement' describes the action.
Il travaille externement aujourd'hui.
He is working externally today.
Present tense.
Le bruit vient d'externement.
The noise comes from outside (externally).
Using 'de' with an adverbial concept.
Lave tes mains externement.
Wash your hands externally.
Simple instruction.
La boîte est décorée externement.
The box is decorated externally.
Passive voice with an adverb.
Il attend externement le bus.
He waits externally for the bus.
Focus on location.
Le médecin a dit d'utiliser ce produit externement.
The doctor said to use this product externally.
Reported speech.
La maison est peinte externement en bleu.
The house is painted blue externally.
Adverb modifying a past participle.
Nous devons agir externement pour aider.
We must act externally to help.
Infinitive construction.
Le capteur est placé externement sur le moteur.
The sensor is placed externally on the engine.
Technical description.
Elle a appliqué le gel externement sur la blessure.
She applied the gel externally on the wound.
Passé composé.
Les murs sont isolés externement.
The walls are insulated externally.
Passive construction.
Le problème doit être résolu externement.
The problem must be resolved externally.
Modal verb 'devoir'.
Il ne faut pas boire ce liquide, il s'utilise externement.
You must not drink this liquid, it is used externally.
Negative imperative.
L'audit sera réalisé externement par un expert.
The audit will be carried out externally by an expert.
Future tense with passive voice.
Bien qu'il semble calme, il est stressé externement par le bruit.
Although he seems calm, he is stressed externally by the noise.
Conjunction 'bien que' (though not followed by subjunctive here).
Le logiciel communique externement avec d'autres serveurs.
The software communicates externally with other servers.
Technical adverbial usage.
Les données sont sauvegardées externement chaque soir.
The data is backed up externally every evening.
Frequency adverb phrase 'chaque soir'.
Le bâtiment a été renforcé externement pour plus de sécurité.
The building was reinforced externally for more safety.
Past passive voice.
Ce projet est financé externement par des investisseurs.
This project is funded externally by investors.
Agent introduced by 'par'.
Il est important de nettoyer la plaie externement avant de mettre un pansement.
It is important to clean the wound externally before putting on a bandage.
Inpersonal construction 'Il est important de'.
La pression atmosphérique agit externement sur nous.
Atmospheric pressure acts externally on us.
Scientific fact in present tense.
L'entreprise a décidé de recruter externement pour ce poste de direction.
The company decided to recruit externally for this management position.
Professional recruitment context.
Le conflit, bien que complexe, doit être médiatisé externement.
The conflict, although complex, must be mediated externally.
Use of 'bien que' with an adjective.
Les stimuli perçus externement déclenchent une réaction nerveuse.
Stimuli perceived externally trigger a nervous reaction.
Past participle used as an adjective with an adverb.
Certaines entreprises préfèrent stocker leurs archives externement.
Some companies prefer to store their archives externally.
Infinitive after a verb of preference.
Le design du produit a été conçu pour être esthétique externement.
The product design was conceived to be aesthetically pleasing externally.
Adverb modifying an adjective.
L'influence de la culture se manifeste souvent externement par le vêtement.
The influence of culture often manifests externally through clothing.
Abstract concept application.
Il a été prouvé que le médicament agit plus efficacement s'il est appliqué externement.
It has been proven that the medication acts more effectively if applied externally.
Passive introductory phrase 'Il a été prouvé que'.
Le système de sécurité est géré externement pour éviter les conflits d'intérêts.
The security system is managed externally to avoid conflicts of interest.
Purpose clause with 'pour'.
Le chercheur soutient que la conscience ne peut être expliquée uniquement externement.
The researcher argues that consciousness cannot be explained solely externally.
Complex philosophical argument.
La validité de l'expérience dépend de la manière dont les variables sont contrôlées externement.
The validity of the experiment depends on how the variables are controlled externally.
Relative clause with 'dont'.
L'identité d'un individu est façonnée tant internement qu'externement par son environnement.
An individual's identity is shaped both internally and externally by their environment.
Contrastive pair 'tant... que'.
Il est impératif que les comptes soient vérifiés externement chaque année.
It is imperative that the accounts be verified externally every year.
Subjunctive mood after 'Il est impératif que'.
L'architecture du bâtiment s'intègre externement au paysage urbain.
The building's architecture integrates externally with the urban landscape.
Reflexive verb 's'intégrer'.
La pression exercée externement sur le marché a forcé la restructuration.
The pressure exerted externally on the market forced the restructuring.
Noun phrase with multiple modifiers.
L'œuvre d'art doit être appréhendée non seulement pour son contenu mais aussi externement.
The work of art must be understood not only for its content but also externally.
Correlative conjunction 'non seulement... mais aussi'.
Le droit international s'applique externement aux relations entre États souverains.
International law applies externally to relations between sovereign states.
Legal terminology.
L'ontologie du sujet se définit par ce qui surgit internement et ce qui s'impose externement.
The subject's ontology is defined by what arises internally and what is imposed externally.
Highly abstract philosophical discourse.
La structure phénoménologique de l'objet est perçue externement comme une série d'esquisses.
The phenomenological structure of the object is perceived externally as a series of sketches.
Academic jargon (phenomenology).
Les forces centripètes et centrifuges agissent respectivement internement et externement au système.
Centripetal and centrifugal forces act internally and externally to the system, respectively.
Scientific precision with 'respectivement'.
Il convient d'analyser comment le discours est structuré externement par les rapports de pouvoir.
It is appropriate to analyze how discourse is structured externally by power relations.
Sociological theory (Foucault-style).
La légitimité d'une institution se mesure à sa capacité à être reconnue externement par ses pairs.
The legitimacy of an institution is measured by its ability to be recognized externally by its peers.
Passive infinitive 'être reconnue'.
L'esthétique du sublime réside dans cette tension entre le moi et l'immensité perçue externement.
The aesthetic of the sublime lies in this tension between the self and the immensity perceived externally.
Literary/Artistic criticism.
Les fluctuations monétaires sont souvent dictées externement par des facteurs géopolitiques imprévisibles.
Currency fluctuations are often dictated externally by unpredictable geopolitical factors.
Economic analysis.
Le texte, bien que clos sur lui-même, communique externement avec d'autres œuvres par l'intertextualité.
The text, although self-contained, communicates externally with other works through intertextuality.
Literary theory.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
— Actually a slight error (should be 'usage externe'), but used to describe the manner of use. It means for external application only.
Pour un usage externement efficace, suivez la notice.
— An audit conducted by an outside party. It emphasizes the independence of the process.
L'audit externement conduit a révélé des erreurs.
— A source identified as being outside the system. Used in investigation or research.
La source externement identifiée a permis de stopper l'attaque.
— Pressure coming from the outside. Common in physics and engineering.
La pression externement appliquée déforme le métal.
— A structure that looks complex from the outside. Focuses on the outer visual or functional complexity.
Le temple est une structure externement complexe.
— A factor that is linked to external conditions. Used in analysis.
C'est un facteur externement lié à la météo.
— A signal received from an outside source. Common in telecommunications.
Le signal externement reçu est trop faible.
— A component mounted on the outside. Used in electronics or mechanics.
Le composant externement monté est facile à remplacer.
— A reaction that can be seen from the outside. Used in biology or psychology.
Sa colère était une réaction externement visible.
— A service provided by an outside agency. Used in business.
Le support client est un service externement fourni.
관용어 및 표현
— To look at things objectively, as an outsider would. It implies detachment.
Il faut voir les choses externement pour être juste.
Formal— To take action both from within and from without. Implies a comprehensive approach.
Nous devons agir tant internement qu'externement.
Professional— To show oneself or become evident to others. Often used for symptoms or emotions.
Le stress se manifeste externement par des tremblements.
Neutral— To be connected to something outside of one's control or immediate environment.
Notre succès est lié externement à l'économie.
Formal— Placed on the outer edge or outside the main body. Used in technical descriptions.
Le levier est positionné externement.
Technical— To live a life focused on outer appearances or public perception. Somewhat rare.
Elle vit externement, sans vie intérieure.
Literary— To handle a problem or a patient using external means or outside help.
Le dossier sera traité externement.
Professional— How something is seen by others. Focuses on the observer's perspective.
L'incident a été perçu externement comme une erreur.
Neutral— To get approval or confirmation from an outside source.
Le diplôme doit être validé externement.
Formal— To open up to the outside world or external influences. Used for countries or companies.
Le pays commence à s'ouvrir externement.
Journalistic어휘 가족
명사
동사
형용사
관련
암기하기
기억법
Think of an 'EXTERminator'. They work EXTERNEMENT—on the outside of the house—to keep the bugs from getting in.
시각적 연상
Imagine a circle with an arrow pointing from the outside toward the boundary. The word 'externement' is written on the arrow.
Word Web
챌린지
Try to write three sentences about a car using 'externement'. One about the paint, one about the mirrors, and one about the engine's casing.
어원
Derived from the Latin word 'externus', meaning 'outward' or 'on the outside'. The French adjective 'externe' appeared in the 14th century, and the adverbial suffix '-ment' was added later to denote manner.
원래 의미: Relating to things situated on the outside or coming from the outside.
Indo-European (Romance branch).문화적 맥락
No specific sensitivities; the word is neutral and technical.
English speakers often use 'externally' more broadly than French speakers use 'externement'. In English, it's common in casual business talk; in French, it remains more formal.
Summary
The word 'externement' is a precise adverb for 'externally'. Use it when you need to sound professional or technical, such as in 'appliquer la crème externement' (apply the cream externally). Avoid using it for simple 'outside' (use 'dehors') or appearances (use 'extérieurement').
- Externement is a formal adverb meaning 'externally' or 'on the outside'.
- It is primarily used in technical, medical, and professional French contexts.
- It contrasts with 'internement' (internally) and is distinct from 'extérieurement' (outwardly).
- Learners should use it for clinical or systemic descriptions rather than casual conversation.
관련 콘텐츠
health 관련 단어
à condition de
B1On condition that; provided that.
à court terme
B1단기적인; 가까운 미래와 관련된.
à jeun
B1빈속으로, 식사 전에. 이는 종종 의료 검사나 수술 전에 요구됩니다.
à l'abri
B1Sheltered; safe from danger or harm.
à l'aide de
A2~의 도움으로, ~을 사용하여.
à l'encontre de
B1~에 반하여; ~에 어긋나게 (예: 조언, 규칙).
à l'hôpital
B1Located or being in a hospital.
à long terme
B1장기적인; 먼 미래를 내다보거나 오랜 기간에 걸쳐 진행되는 것.
à risque
B1위험에 처해 있거나 위험 요소가 있는 상태.
à titre
B1이 표현은 '~로서' 또는 '~의 자격으로'라는 뜻입니다. 공식적인 상황이나 서류에서 자주 사용됩니다.