Brancher

Brancher is a French verb meaning to connect or to plug in, to wire, or to hook up. It is used for physical connections, such as plugging a device into a socket, as well as for linking systems, networks, or power sources. The word derives from the noun branche (branch), with the common -er verb suffix.

In usage, brancher covers both hardware and information technology contexts. Examples include brancher un appareil sur une prise (to plug a device into a power outlet) and brancher un ordinateur au réseau or brancher une imprimante au routeur (to connect a computer or printer to a network). In a figurative sense, it can mean establishing a connection with a system or service or gaining access to a resource.

Conjugation follows the regular pattern of first-group French verbs. Present tense forms are: je branche, tu branches, il branche, nous branchons, vous branchez, ils branches; passé composé uses the auxiliary avoir as in j'ai branché. The past participle is branché.

Usage notes emphasize a distinction with connecter: brancher is common for physical or direct connections, while connecter is often preferred for digital or network-oriented linking. In everyday French, both may appear in technical speech, with brancher typically signaling the act of making a connection.

See also: branche, prise, connecteur, réseau.