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embarquer

/ɑ̃.baʁ.ke/
verb★Intermediate💡 to board
neutral

to board (a vehicle, especially a ship or plane)

Il a embarqué sur le vol pour New York.

He boarded the flight to New York.

💡

Commonly used for ships, planes, and other large vehicles. Can also mean 'to take on board' metaphorically.

neutral

to load (cargo or passengers)

Le capitaine a embarqué les marchandises dans la cale.

The captain loaded the goods into the hold.

💡

Often used in maritime or transport contexts.

informal

to get involved in (a project, scheme, or adventure)

Elle a embarqué dans cette aventure sans réfléchir.

She got involved in that adventure without thinking.

💡

Colloquial usage, often implies impulsive or enthusiastic participation.

Collocations

embarquer à bord deto board (a vehicle)embarquer pourto set off forembarquer dans un projetto get involved in a project

Synonyms

monter à bordprendre placecharger

Antonyms

débarquerdescendre

Related Phrases

embarquer quelqu'un dans quelque chosephrase
to involve someone in something

💡Pro Tip

Common Mistake: Confusing 'embarquer' with 'embarrasser'

'Embarquer' means 'to board' or 'to get involved,' while 'embarrasser' means 'to embarrass.' These words sound similar but have very different meanings.

⚡Gold Rule

Usage with Prepositions

Use 'embarquer dans' when referring to involvement in an activity or project (e.g., 'Il a embarqué dans un nouveau projet'). Use 'embarquer à bord de' or 'embarquer sur' when referring to boarding a vehicle (e.g., 'Elle a embarqué à bord du train').

📖Word Origin

From Old French 'embarquer' (14th century), derived from 'en-' (in) + 'barque' (small boat), from Late Latin 'barca', from Greek 'baris' (Egyptian boat).

📝Usage Notes

The verb 'embarquer' is commonly used in travel contexts (boarding a plane or ship) and can also imply involvement in an activity or project. In informal speech, it may suggest enthusiasm or lack of caution.

Word Breakdown

en-
prefix indicating 'in' or 'into'
prefix
+
-barque
from 'barque' (small boat)
root
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais

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