obéis

Obéis is the second-person singular present indicative form of the French verb obéir, meaning “you obey.” It is used with the informal subject pronoun tu, as in Tu obéis aux règles or Tu obéis à ton professeur. The form carries a distinct acute accent on the first e, obéis, which indicates the vowel quality and pronunciation.

Etymology and forms: obéir derives from Old French obéir, from Latin oboedire, formed from ob- “toward” and audire “to hear.” The present tense of obéir is irregular and includes several stem-related variations: j’obéis, tu obéis, il obéit, nous obéissons, vous obéissez, ils obéissent. The accented e in obéis is a hallmark of the standard spelling in modern French.

Usage: Obéir is commonly used to describe compliance with rules, orders, or authority. The form obéis appears in informal, singular address. In formal or plural contexts, you would use vous obéissez (present indicative) or other appropriate forms. The verb is often contrasted with the related noun obéissance (obedience) and with verbs that express similar ideas of following directives.

Notes: As with many French verbs, correct usage depends on subject and formality. Obéir is considered somewhat irregular in its present-tense conjugation, and orthography varies with the person and tense. Obéis also appears in literary or instructional contexts to illustrate conjugation patterns or irregular stems.