approuve

Approuve is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb approuver, which means to approve, endorse, or ratify. The infinitive is approuver; the past participle is approuvé. In the present tense, the form is used with il/elle/on, as in il approuve, and with other subjects in their respective forms (j’approuve; tu approuves; nous approuvons; vous approuvez; ils approuvent).

Etymology and related forms: approuver comes from Latin approbare, built from probare “to prove” with the prefix ad- (before assimilation to p). The noun l’approbation denotes approval or endorsement. The adjective approuvé describes something that has been approved. Other verb forms include the imperfect approuvais/approuvait, the future approuverai, and the conditional approuverais; the subjunctive present forms include que j’approuve, que tu approuves, qu’il approuve, que nous approuvions, que vous approuviez, qu’ils approuvent.

Usage: Approuver is common in formal, administrative, legal, and organizational contexts. It is used to indicate formal consent or endorsement of a proposal, document, budget, or policy. Examples: Le conseil approuve le budget. La proposition a été approuvée par le comité. In English, approuver translates as approve, endorse, or ratify, depending on context.

Notes: While the verb often conveys formal consent, it can also express general agreement or acceptance of a decision. The form approuve specifically refers to a singular third-person subject in the present tense, while other forms convey different subjects and tenses.