atteindre

Attendre? No, atteindre. Attendre is a separate verb; here we describe atteindre, a French verb meaning to reach, to attain, or to hit. It can refer to a physical reach (to arrive at a place), to achieving a goal or target, or to contacting someone by phone.

Etymology and sense evolution: atteindre comes from Old French atteindre, which in turn derives from Latin attingere “to touch.” The core sense expanded from touching to the idea of reaching or achieving something beyond mere contact.

Conjugation and forms: Attaindre is conjugated with the auxiliary avoir in compound tenses. The present tense forms are: j’atteins, tu atteins, il atteint, nous atteignons, vous atteignez, ils atteignent. The past participle is atteint. The imperfect is atteignais, the future simple is atteindrai, and the conditional is atteindrais. The subjunctive present forms are: que j’atteigne, que tu atteignes, qu’il atteigne, que nous atteignions, que vous atteigniez, qu’ils atteignent. The imperative is: atteins, atteignons, atteignez.

Usage and examples: Physical reach is common: atteindre une ville, atteindre le sommet. Metaphorically, atteindre un objectif or un but means to accomplish it: elle a atteint son objectif. Reach can also mean to contact someone, as in atteindre quelqu’un par téléphone. The verb often coexists with related nouns such as atteinte (an achievement or an injury, depending on context) and with adjectives like atteignable meaning reachable.

Related forms and nuances: The present participle is atteignant, and the noun atteinte remains widespread in legal, medical, and everyday language. The term is widely used across contexts, from navigation and sports to personal and professional aims.