fonder

Fonder is a French verb meaning to found, establish, or set up something such as an institution, organization, city, company, or family. It can also mean to base or ground something on a set of facts or principles, as in fonder une théorie sur des données empiriques. The verb is used with a direct object that denotes what is being created or established, and with phrases like fonder quelque chose sur quelque chose to indicate a basis or foundation.

Etymology and related terms: Fonder derives from Latin fundare, through Old French, with related terms in French including fondation (foundation), fondement (basis or foundation), and fondateur (founder). The sense of creating a base or a starting point is central to the verb and its nominal forms.

Conjugation and usage: Fonder is a regular -er verb. In the present tense: je fonde, tu fonds, il fonde, nous fondons, vous fondez, ils fondent. The passé composé is formed with avoir: j’ai fondé. Other tenses follow the standard -er verb patterns, such as je fondais (imparfait) and je fonderai (futur simple). The imperative forms are fond e (tu), fond on s (nous), et fond ez (vous) as appropriate, with the tu form being fonde in commands.

Common derived forms include fondation (foundation), fondement (basis or foundation), and fondateur (founder). Fonderie, though related in meaning to forming foundations or metal casting, comes from fondre (to melt) rather than directly from fonder.

Examples: Elle a fondé une association caritative. La ville a été fondée au XVIIe siècle. Pour fonder son raisonnement, il s’appuie sur des données fiables.