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continuer
/kɔ̃.ti.nɥe/
to continue
Il faut continuer à travailler.
You must continue to work.
neutral
to continue doing something without stopping
Elle a continué à parler malgré les interruptions.
She continued talking despite the interruptions.
Used for actions in progress or habitual actions.
neutral
to resume or carry on after an interruption
Après la pause, nous avons continué notre réunion.
After the break, we continued our meeting.
Implies a pause or interruption before resuming.
technical
in driving: to keep going straight
Continuez tout droit jusqu'au feu.
Continue straight ahead until the traffic light.
Used in road instructions.
Collocations
continuer à + infinitiveto continue doing somethingcontinuer de + infinitiveto keep on doing somethingcontinuer sur sa lancéeto keep up the momentumcontinuer son cheminto carry on one's way
Synonyms
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Prepositions with 'continuer'
Use 'continuer à' for actions in progress (e.g., 'continuer à travailler' = to keep working). Use 'continuer de' for habits or repeated actions (e.g., 'Il continue de fumer' = He still smokes).
Gold Rule
No preposition with nouns
When 'continuer' is followed by a noun (not a verb), no preposition is needed: 'continuer son travail' (to continue one's work).
Word Origin
From Latin *continuare* (to make continuous), from *continuus* (continuous), from *continere* (to hold together).
Usage Notes
The preposition after 'continuer' depends on context: 'continuer à' for actions in progress, 'continuer de' for habits or repeated actions. In formal writing, 'continuer de' is preferred.
Word Breakdown
continu-
root related to continuity
root-er
verb suffix indicating action
suffixDictionnaire Français-Anglais