Emprisonne

Emprisonne is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb emprisonner. The base meaning is to imprison, to confine someone to a prison or other place of confinement. In English translation, it corresponds to “he imprisons” or “she imprisons.”

Origin and grammar: Emprisonner is derived from the noun prison with the prefix em-, signaling action. It is a regular -er verb. Its present tense forms are: je emprisonne (j’emprisonne), tu emprisonnes, il/elle emprisonne, nous emprisonnons, vous emprisonnez, ils emprisonnent. The form emprisonne appears in the il/elle singular and in the j’emprisonne construction when the subject is I or when the sentence begins with a vowel.

Usage: The verb is used in legal or formal contexts and is transitive, requiring a direct object: emprisonner qqn (to imprison someone). It can appear in the active voice or in context implying judicial authorization, such as when a court orders confinement.

Related terms and nuances: The noun emprisonnement denotes imprisonment as a concept or duration. Related verbs include détenir (to detain), incarcérer (to incarcerate), and condamner (to sentence). Emprisonner often emphasizes confinement as a formal act under law, while détention is a broader term for detention, and incarcérer stresses institutional confinement.

Examples:

- Il emprisonne le suspect. (He imprisons the suspect.)

- Le juge peut ordonner l’emprisonnement. (The judge may order imprisonment.)