Célébrer

Célébrer is a French verb meaning to celebrate, to commemorate, or to honor publicly. It is used for festive occasions, religious or secular rites, anniversaries, achievements, and milestones. The term can also convey the idea of praising something in a ceremonial context. The word comes from Latin celebrare, originally meaning to honor with festivals or to make renowned.

Célébrer is a regular ER-verb in modern French. In the present tense the forms are: je célèbre, tu célèbres, il célèbre, nous célébrons, vous célébrez, ils célèbrent. The passé composé is formed with the auxiliary avoir: j'ai célébré. The imperfect is célébrais, célébrais, célébrait, célébrions, célébriez, célébraient. The future simple yields célébrerai, célébreras, célèbrera, célébrerons, célébrerez, célébreront. The subjonctif présent is que je célèbre, que tu célèbres, qu'il célèbre, que nous célébrions, que vous célébriez, qu'ils célèbrent. The imperative is célèbre, célébrez, célébrons.

Célébrer is transitive and typically takes a direct object, such as célébrer un anniversaire, célébrer une victoire, or célébrer Noël. In religious contexts, it can describe the act of conducting a ceremony, for example, la messe est célébrée par le prêtre. The verb can also be used more broadly to mark solemn or public recognition of a person, an achievement, or a tradition, not only joyful revelry.

Related forms include la célébration (the act or event of celebrating), le célébrant (the person who presides at a ceremony), and the adjective célèbre meaning famous. Although related in etymology, it is important to distinguish célèbre (famous) from célébrer (to celebrate).