accueille

Accueille is a verb form in French, specifically the third-person singular present indicative of accueillir, meaning to welcome, to receive, or to host. The same spelling also appears in the third-person singular present subjunctive (as in qu’il accueille), so context usually distinguishes the tense.

Usage and meaning

Accueillir, and by extension accueilles/accueille in the third-person forms, is used in a wide range of hospitality and reception contexts. It can refer to welcoming people (for example, guests, newcomers, or a public), receiving or admitting something (such as ideas, proposals, or a country or institution welcoming visitors), or providing shelter and hospitality (a venue that welcomes attendees, a city that welcomes a festival).

Examples

- Il accueille les invités à la porte. (He welcomes the guests at the door.)

- La ville accueille un grand festival cet été. (The city hosts/welcomes a large festival.)

- Qu’il accueille favorablement les propositions serait souhaitable. (That he welcomes the proposals would be desirable.)

Grammatical notes

Accueillir is an irregular verb in the present tense. Other present tense forms include j’accueille, tu accueilles, nous accueillons, vous accueillez, ils accueillent. The past participle is accueilli, and the present participle is accueillant. The noun related is accueil, meaning the act or reception of welcoming.

Related terms

- Accueil: the act of welcoming or reception.

- Accueillant/accueillante: welcoming, hospitable (as an adjective).

- Accueillir des visiteurs, accueillir des talents, accueillir des idées: common collocations illustrating diverse uses of the verb.

Origin

The form ultimately derives from the French verb accueillir, with historical roots in Old French.