Échappent

Échappent is the third-person plural present indicative form of the French verb échapper. It means “they escape” or “they slip away” and can be used both literally (to get away from confinement or danger) and figuratively (to avoid something, such as a rule, a question, or an obligation).

In literal uses, échappent denotes physical evasion or flight: ils échappent à la surveillance, meaning they escape from surveillance. In figurative phrases, it can express avoidance or elusion: ces problèmes échappent à toute explication simple, meaning the problems elude simple explanation. The form is typically followed by a prepositional complement indicating what is escaped from, most commonly à (échapper à quelque chose).

Grammatical notes: this form is part of the regular -er verb paradigm. Conjugation in present tense is: j’échappe, tu échappes, il échappe, nous échappons, vous échappez, ils échappent. The corresponding non-reflexive verb is échapper; the reflexive alternative s’échapper exists as well, with forms such as ils s’échappent when the subject escapes on its own.

Etymology: échappent derives from the Old French eschapper, formed with the prefix es- meaning “out” and the root chapper/chapper meaning “to slip away.” The sense has long encompassed both literal escape and figurative avoidance in modern French usage.