B1 Collocation Formal 3 min read

désapprouver une jugement

to désapprouver a jugement

Literally: to disapprove a judgment

In 15 Seconds

  • Expresses strong disagreement with a formal decision or ruling.
  • Common in legal, professional, and sports-related contexts.
  • Shows critical thinking and a sense of fairness.

Meaning

This phrase means you strongly disagree with a decision or a ruling made by an authority figure. It is like saying 'I don't think that call was right' but in a more formal or serious way.

Key Examples

3 of 6
1

In a legal context

L'avocat a publiquement décidé de désapprouver un jugement du tribunal.

The lawyer publicly decided to disapprove of a court judgment.

2

Watching a football match

Tout le stade a commencé à désapprouver le jugement de l'arbitre.

The whole stadium started to disapprove of the referee's judgment.

3

In a business meeting

Je dois désapprouver votre jugement sur ce projet, Monsieur le Directeur.

I must disapprove of your judgment on this project, Director.

🌍

Cultural Background

Debate is a national sport; using this phrase shows you are participating in the culture of critique.

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Transitivity

Désapprouver is transitive. Don't add 'de'.

In 15 Seconds

  • Expresses strong disagreement with a formal decision or ruling.
  • Common in legal, professional, and sports-related contexts.
  • Shows critical thinking and a sense of fairness.

What It Means

To désapprouver un jugement is to express a formal or serious disagreement. It is not just about a small preference. You are saying that a specific decision is wrong or unfair. It implies you have thought about it deeply. You are not just being grumpy. You are making an intellectual or moral stand. It is a powerful way to voice dissent.

How To Use It

You use the verb désapprouver followed by the object un jugement. Remember that jugement is masculine, so use un or le. The verb désapprouver follows regular -er conjugation rules. You can say je désapprouve or ils désapprouvent. It sounds very polished. It makes you sound like someone who values justice and logic. Use it when you want your opinion to carry some weight.

When To Use It

This phrase is perfect for professional or legal settings. Imagine a meeting where a boss makes a bad call. You might désapprouver un jugement during a formal review. It is also very common in sports. If a referee makes a terrible decision, the fans will désapprouver le jugement. You can even use it at home. If your parents make a strict rule, you might désapprouver their choice. It shows you are thinking critically about the situation.

When NOT To Use It

Do not use this for trivial things. You do not désapprouver un jugement about a pizza topping. That would sound way too dramatic! Avoid it in very casual slang-heavy conversations. It might make you sound a bit stiff or pretentious. If you just dislike something, use je n'aime pas. Keep this phrase for when a real decision has been made. Don't use it if there is no 'authority' involved.

Cultural Background

France has a long history of intellectual debate and protest. The French value the right to question authority. This goes back to the Enlightenment era. In France, disagreeing with a 'judgment' is seen as a sign of intelligence. It is not necessarily seen as being rude. It shows you are engaged with the world. This is why you see so many strikes and debates in French news!

Common Variations

You might hear contester un jugement which is even stronger. It means you are actively fighting the decision. Another one is être en désaccord avec une décision. This is a bit softer and more common in daily life. If you want to sound very legal, use infirmer un jugement. But for B1 level, désapprouver is your best friend. It strikes the perfect balance between formal and clear.

Usage Notes

This is a neutral to formal collocation. The most important thing is to ensure the verb is conjugated correctly and that 'jugement' remains masculine. It is highly effective in professional arguments.

💡

Transitivity

Désapprouver is transitive. Don't add 'de'.

Examples

6
#1 In a legal context

L'avocat a publiquement décidé de désapprouver un jugement du tribunal.

The lawyer publicly decided to disapprove of a court judgment.

Here, it refers to a formal legal ruling.

#2 Watching a football match

Tout le stade a commencé à désapprouver le jugement de l'arbitre.

The whole stadium started to disapprove of the referee's judgment.

A very common use in sports when a foul is called.

#3 In a business meeting

Je dois désapprouver votre jugement sur ce projet, Monsieur le Directeur.

I must disapprove of your judgment on this project, Director.

A polite but firm way to disagree with a boss.

#4 Texting a friend about a teacher

Je désapprouve totalement son jugement sur ma note !

I totally disapprove of her judgment on my grade!

Using 'totalement' adds emphasis in a casual text.

#5 A humorous family moment

Le chat semble désapprouver mon jugement de ne pas lui donner de thon.

The cat seems to disapprove of my judgment not to give him tuna.

Applying a formal phrase to a silly situation for humor.

#6 Discussing politics

Beaucoup de citoyens désapprouvent ce jugement politique récent.

Many citizens disapprove of this recent political judgment.

Used for public opinion on government decisions.

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Le comité a _____ le jugement du directeur.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: désapprouvé

Désapprouver is the correct verb for a judgment.

🎉 Score: /1

Visual Learning Aids

Practice Bank

1 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct verb. Fill Blank B1

Le comité a _____ le jugement du directeur.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: désapprouvé

Désapprouver is the correct verb for a judgment.

🎉 Score: /1

Frequently Asked Questions

1 questions

No, it is too formal.

Related Phrases

🔄

Contester une décision

synonym

To challenge a decision

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