découvre

Découvre is a French verb form with multiple uses related to revealing or finding something that was hidden. It is the present tense form used for the third person singular in the indicative mood (il/elle découvre) and also the imperative form for the second person singular (découvre!). As a root, it comes from the verb découvrir, meaning to discover, uncover, or reveal.

Etymology and sense

Découvrir derives from Old French descovrir, itself from Latin dis- plus cooperire, “to cover.” The sense broadened from physical uncovering to more abstract forms of revelation, such as discovering information, a talent, or a place. In modern French, découvrir and its derivatives cover both concrete discoveries (uncovering a chest) and figurative ones (discovering a truth).

Conjugation and usage

The verb following standard avoir conjugation includes: je découvre, tu découvres, il découvre, nous découvrons, vous découvrez, ils découvrent. The imperative forms are: (tu) découvre, (nous) découvrons, (vous) découvrez. The past participle is découvert, used with être or avoir in compound tenses, as in j’ai découvert or je suis découvert(e) depending on construction. The noun découverte refers to the act or result of discovering, and découvert is the related adjective meaning uncovered or discovered.

Examples

- Il découvre une nouvelle espèce lors de l’expédition.

- Découvre ce livre et raconte ce que tu en retiens.

- Sa découverte remodèle notre compréhension du phénomène.

See also

Related terms include découvrir, découverte, découvert, et découverte. The concept spans everyday learning, scientific findings, and explorations.