traîner
Il traîne sa valise derrière lui.
He drags his suitcase behind him.
to drag or pull something along the ground, often with effort
Le chien traîne sa laisse sur le sol.
The dog drags its leash on the ground.
Elle traînait une lourde boîte jusqu'à la voiture.
She was dragging a heavy box to the car.
Often implies resistance or difficulty in movement.
to hang around or loiter without purpose
Les adolescents traînent devant le centre commercial.
The teenagers are hanging around in front of the mall.
Arrête de traîner et viens m'aider !
Stop loitering and come help me!
Can imply laziness or wasting time.
to take a long time to do something or to develop
Le procès traîne en longueur.
The trial is dragging on.
La réunion a traîné pendant des heures.
The meeting dragged on for hours.
Often used for processes or activities that are unnecessarily prolonged.
Collocations
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistake: 'Traîner' vs. 'Pousser'
'Traîner' implies pulling something along with effort, while 'pousser' means to push. For example, 'Il traîne la valise' (he drags the suitcase) vs. 'Il pousse la valise' (he pushes the suitcase).
Gold Rule
Physical vs. Figurative Meaning
When referring to physical objects, 'traîner' means to drag or pull. When referring to people or activities, it often implies wasting time or moving slowly.
Word Origin
From Old French 'trainer', from Vulgar Latin '*traginare', derived from Latin 'trahere' (to pull, draw). Related to English 'train' and 'trace'.
Usage Notes
In informal contexts, 'traîner' can mean 'to hang out' or 'to loiter'. The verb is often used reflexively ('se traîner') to mean 'to crawl' or 'to drag oneself' when referring to movement with difficulty.