Prêtes

Prêtes is a French word with more than one grammatical use. It is the second-person singular present indicative form of the verb prêter, meaning “you lend,” and it is also the feminine plural form of the adjective prêt, meaning “ready.” The verb form carries a circumflex on the ê in the stem prêt, while the adjective forms follow standard gender and number agreement.

As a verb form, prêtes is used in statements or questions about lending something. For example: Tu prêtes ton livre à ton ami ? Oui, je te le prête. This form is part of a regular conjugation pattern for the verb prêter.

As an adjective, prête (feminine singular) and prêtes (feminine plural) describe readiness for feminine nouns, while the masculine forms are prêt (singular) and prêts (plural). Examples: Elle est prête. Elles sont prêtes. In contrast, on uses like Ils sont prêts to indicate a masculine plural subject.

Etymology and related terms: Prêter comes from Latin praestare, meaning to provide or furnish. The adjective prêt derives from Old French prest/pret meaning ready. Related French terms include prêt (loan or readiness), prêteur (lender), and prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear), which borrow the same root used to express readiness or provision.

In summary, prêtes functions primarily as a verb form for “you lend” and as a feminine plural form of the adjective “ready,” with distinct meanings distinguished by context.