absenter
Il s'est absenté pendant une heure.
He was absent for an hour.
to be away or not present, especially temporarily
Elle s'est absentée de la réunion sans prévenir.
She was absent from the meeting without notice.
Le professeur s'absente souvent le vendredi.
The teacher is often absent on Fridays.
Used reflexively (s'absenter) in French. Often implies a brief or unplanned absence.
to leave or depart from a place
Il s'est absenté du pays pendant plusieurs années.
He left the country for several years.
More formal usage, often implying a longer absence.
Collocations
Synonyms
Pro Tip
Reflexive Verb
Remember that 'absenter' is always used reflexively in French (s'absenter). It cannot be used transitively like in English 'He absented himself from the meeting.'
Gold Rule
Temporary Absence
Unlike 'partir' (to leave) or 'quitter' (to quit), 's'absenter' implies a temporary absence rather than a permanent departure.
Word Origin
From Latin 'absentare' (to keep away), derived from 'absens' (absent), from 'ab-' (away) + 'esse' (to be).
Usage Notes
Always used reflexively (s'absenter) in French. The subject is typically a person leaving a place or situation temporarily.