entreprend

Entreprend is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb entreprendre, meaning to undertake or begin a task or project. In usage, it denotes taking on a new effort or initiating actions, as in “Il entreprend un nouveau projet.” The verb as a whole covers starts of undertakings, from simple tasks to long-term projects, and appears in both formal and informal registers.

Etymology: The verb comes from Old French entreprendre, formed from entre- “between” or “among” and prendre “to take,” with the sense of taking on a task. The semantic development centers on beginning an undertaking.

Conjugation and related forms: In the present indicative the forms are: j’entreprends, tu entreprends, il/elle entreprend, nous entreprenons, vous entreprenez, ils entreprennent. The past participle is entrepris and combines with auxiliary verbs in compound tenses. The imperfect is entreprenait; the subjunctive present is entreprenne (with nous entreprenions, vous entrepreniez, ils entreprennent). The imperative forms are entreprends, entreprenons, entreprenez. The infinitive is entreprendre, and the noun related to the verb is entrepreneur; the adjective is entrepreneurial or entreprenarial in historical usage.

Usage notes: Entreprend often conveys a deliberate, planned initiation of activity and is common in written French describing business, research, or creative projects. It is less common in everyday speech than more colloquial phrasing but remains standard in narrative or formal contexts.

See also: entreprendre, entrepreneur, entrepreneuriat.

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