dépêchent

Dépêchent is the third-person plural form of the French verb dépêcher, appearing in the present tense of the indicative as well as in the present tense of the subjunctive. In both moods, dépêchent is written identically, with context signaling the intended meaning.

The verb dépêcher has several related meanings centered on speed and dispatch. Primarily, it means to dispatch or send off someone or something to a destination or assignment (for example, dépêcher des secours or dépêcher des agents). It can also mean to hurry or hasten someone, as in the reflexive form se dépêcher, which means to hurry oneself.

Usage and nuance. In everyday French, dépêcher is common in bureaucratic, administrative, or logistical contexts, such as coordinating actions, sending personnel, or expediting processes. As a transitive verb, it takes a direct object (dépêcher quelqu’un/quelque chose). The present indicative forms include ils dépêchent, while the present subjunctive forms include qu’ils dépêchent; the latter appears after expressions requiring subjunctive mood, for example: Il faut qu’ils dépêchent des secours.

Spelling and pronunciation. Dépêcher is written with a circumflex on the e in the root in several forms, and dépêchent retains the ê in the stem, while the final -ent marks the third-person plural. The word is pronounced roughly as [de-pe-shent], with the final consonant sound not pronounced in some speakers depending on liaison.

See also: dépêche, dépêché, dépêcheur.