prend

Prend is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb prendre, meaning to take or seize. It corresponds to il prend or elle prend (he takes, she takes). The full present tense of prendre is je prends, tu prends, il prend, nous prenons, vous prenez, ils prennent. Prend is commonly used in everyday speech, for example il prend le train (he takes the train), elle prend un café (she has a coffee), or il prend une décision (he makes/takes a decision).

Etymology and related forms: prendre derives from Latin prendo, meaning to take or seize, and reached French through Old French prend re. The verb is highly productive in many constructions and idioms.

Usage notes: Prendre is often used with idiomatic expressions such as prendre part à (to take part in), prendre soin de (to take care of), prendre en compte (to take into account), prendre des mesures (to take measures), and prendre le temps (to take time). The present form prend is typically followed by a direct object or complement indicating what is taken or seized.

Cognates and related languages: In other Romance languages, related forms include Italian prendere, Spanish prender, and Portuguese prender, all deriving from the same Latin root prendo and sharing the core meaning of taking or seizing, though meanings can vary by language and context.

Prend therefore functions as a key inflected form of a core verb in French, appearing frequently in narration and conversation to express taking or initiating actions. Its usage spans literal taking, decision-making, and numerous common idioms.