Échoir

Échoir is a French verb with several related meanings, primarily centering on the idea of something happening, falling to someone, or being due. It can be translated into English in various ways depending on the context, such as "to fall," "to happen," "to devolve upon," "to befall," or "to be due."

One common usage of échoir relates to events or circumstances happening to someone. For example, "Il lui est échu une grande joie" translates to "A great joy befell him" or "He experienced great joy." This implies an event that naturally occurs or is presented to a person.

Another significant meaning of échoir concerns something becoming due or payable. This is frequently seen in financial or legal contexts. For instance, "La date d'échéance est le 15 mai" means "The due date is May 15th." Here, échoir indicates that an obligation or payment is scheduled to occur at a specific time.

The verb can also imply that something is inherited or passed down to someone, though this is less common than its other uses. It carries a sense of fate or destiny in some instances, suggesting that something is destined to happen or be received. The conjugation of échoir is irregular, with forms like "il échoit" (he/it falls/happens/is due) and "ils échoient" (they fall/happen/are due) in the present indicative.