déclenchons

Déclenchons is the 1st person plural form of the French verb déclencher in the present indicative, meaning "we trigger" or "we unleash." It can also appear in the imperative-like sense of an invitation, as in "Déclenchons !" meaning "Let’s trigger (it)!" or "Let’s start it." The form is used both in literal mechanical contexts and in figurative phrases.

Etymology and lexical note: déclencher comes from the prefix dé- combined with clencher, related to the noun clenche, a trigger or mechanism. The verb originally means to release or set in motion a device, and by extension to cause an event or sequence to begin.

Usage: In everyday language, déclenchons can describe starting a process, launching an action, or provoking a reaction. Examples include déclencher une alarme (to trigger an alarm), déclencher une enquête (to trigger an investigation), or déclencher une réaction chez quelqu’un (to trigger a reaction in someone). The form déclenchons is most common in familiar or rhetorical contexts; in formal writing, speakers may use other moods or tenses.

Pronunciation and forms: déclenchons is pronounced roughly [de.klã.ʃɔ̃]. The final -ons is not pronounced as a separate syllable in standard French. The corresponding present-subjunctive form is déclenchions, used in phrases like "que nous déclenchions," which is distinct from the indicative déclenchons.

See also: déclenchement (the act of triggering), déclencheur (trigger device), déclencheur d’événements. Related verbs include déclencher (to trigger) and déclenchement (the triggering event).

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