enfermez

Enfermez is the second-person plural present imperative of the French verb enfermer, meaning to confine, enclose, or lock up. It is used to issue a direct instruction to a group of people or to a formal you (vous). The imperative form is commonly found in settings such as security, caregiving, or any situation requiring a directive to perform the action of enclosing or locking.

Grammatically, enfermer is a transitive verb. The imperative enfermez is identical in spelling to the present indicative vous form (you lock up), but context signals that a command is being given. The verb can take a direct object (enfermez le prisonnier) or be used with a prepositional phrase such as enfermer quelqu’un dans un endroit (to lock someone in somewhere) or enfermer quelque chose dans un contenant (to enclose something in a container).

Etymology traces enfermer to the prefix en- combined with fermer, meaning to close; the sense of placing inside or enclosing has historical roots in Old French. The form enfermez belongs to regular -er verbs and follows standard French conjugation patterns for the present tense and the imperative.

Usage notes emphasize that enfermez is common in formal or instructional contexts and in dialogues addressing multiple people. In informal singular speech, speakers usually use ferme or fermez in different constructions (such as ferme la porte) rather than the formal impératif vous form, depending on the relationship and register.

Examples:

- Enfermez les documents dans l’armoire. (Close the documents in the cabinet.)

- Enfermez-la dans la pièce et ne laissez personne entrer. (Lock her in the room and do not let anyone in.)

Translations include “close it up,” “lock up,” or “enclose,” depending on the object and context.