gronder

Gronder is a French verb with two primary senses. The most common meaning is to scold or reprimand someone, typically a child, for misbehavior: for example, a parent or teacher can gronder a pupil. The verb can also apply to animals, especially when they display a warning or disapproval. The second major sense is to produce a low, continuous sound, such as thunder, a motor, or crowds: "Le tonnerre gronda" or "Le moteur gronde."

Etymology and usage notes. The verb is of Old French origin and has developed in both the interpersonal sense (reprimand) and the sonic sense (rumble). In the reprimand sense, it often conveys a firm, corrective tone but is less harsh than terms like réprimander or sermonner. In the sonic sense, it describes a physical sound rather than an action of a person.

Conjugation. Gronder is a regular -er verb. Present tense forms: je gronde, tu grondes, il/elle gronde, nous grondons, vous grondez, ils grondent. Passé composé: j'ai grondé, tu as grondé, il a grondé, nous avons grondé, vous avez grondé, ils ont grondé. Other tenses follow standard -er verb patterns: imparfait grondais, gronderai, subjonctif que je gronde, que nous grondions, etc. The past participle is grondé.

Examples in context. "Le parent a grondé l'enfant pour avoir cassé le vase." "Le moteur gronde lorsque l'on monte la côte." The related noun, grondement, designates the sound itself, as in "un grondement de tonnerre."

See also. Related terms include réprimander, admonester et sermonner; for sounds, grondement and the verb gronder in the sense of rumbling.