Résolvez

Résolvez is a form of the French verb résoudre. It is the present tense for the second person plural (vous résolvez) and the imperative form (Résolvez!). In both uses, it conveys the idea of solving or resolving something, such as a problem, a question, or a dispute.

Etymology and meaning: The verb résoudre comes from the Latin resolvere, literally “to loosen again” or “to loosen and settle,” extended in French to the sense of finding a solution or answering a question. The form résolvez is closely related to the other present-tense forms of résoudre, such as je résous, tu résous, il résout, nous résolvons, et ils résolvent. The past participle is résolu, which is used to form the passé composé (e.g., j’ai résolu).

Usage: Résolvez appears in mathematical, scientific, legal, and everyday contexts where an issue must be found or a decision must be reached. As an imperative, it is commonly seen on problem sets or instruction sheets: “Résolvez ce système d’équations.” As a present-tense form, it addresses multiple people: “Vous résolvez les équations étape par étape.”

Relation to related terms: Résoudre is often contrasted with dissoudre (to dissolve) in chemistry and with trouver (to find) in broader problem-solving language. The term also appears in figurative senses, such as “résoudre un conflit” (to resolve a conflict) or “résoudre une question morale.”

See also: Résolution, résolu, résoudre (conjugation), French verbs, problem-solving in French.