déclare

Déclare is a form of the French verb déclarer, meaning to declare, state, or reveal. In the present tense it is used for the third-person singular: il déclare, elle déclare. It also appears as the affirmative singular imperative: Déclare ! (used to tell someone to declare). The full present-tense conjugation is: je déclare, tu déclares, il déclare, nous déclarons, vous déclarez, ils déclarent.

Etymology and overview: déclarer comes from Latin declarare, built from de- (from) and clarus (clear). The word is part of a family of verbs related to making something clear or publicly announced. Its participles and derivatives include déclaré (past participle), déclarant (present participle), and déclaration (a declaration or declaration document).

Usage and contexts: The verb déclarer is used in a wide range of contexts to express making something known or officially announced. Common senses include stating an opinion or fact, making a formal declaration, and signaling in legal or administrative settings. Examples include déclarer ses revenus (to declare one’s income), déclarer la guerre (to declare war), or déclarer son indépendance. In everyday speech, it can simply mean to state or affirm something publicly. The related noun déclaration denotes the act, statement, or document of declaring.

See also: déclarer in conjugation references; déclaration as the noun form; related expressions for formal or legal declarations.