Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| chasser | /ʃa.se/ |
| poursuivre | /puʁ.sɥivʁ/ |
The English phrase 'to chase' has different translations in French depending on the context. Use poursuivre when describing a continuous pursuit, such as chasing a person, a dream or a specific target. Use chasser when the context involves hunting animals or driving something away.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb chasser is the root of the noun chasse, which means hunting.
Which one should you use?
While both words translate to chasing, poursuivre is used for a continuous pursuit of a person or a goal. In contrast, chasser is used specifically when the goal is to hunt animals or to chase something away.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃa.se/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use chasser to mean 'to chase after someone' in a pursuit sense. Instead, poursuivre is more appropriate for a chase in progress.
Did you know?
- The verb poursuivre can be used in a legal context to mean 'to prosecute' someone, moving far beyond the physical act of running after them.
- The phrase chasser le naturel, il revient au galop suggests that if you try to chase away your true nature, it will return galloping.
- While chasser means 'to hunt' or 'to chase away', it is also the root of chasseur, a specialized type of light infantry soldier in the French army.
Examples in context
- La lionne finit par poursuivre la gazelle.The lioness finally gave chase to the gazelle.This sentence is useful for seeing poursuivre used in the context of a pursuit.Tatoeba #12348852 by Rovo, translation #851126 by papabear
- Notre chat n'aime pas chasser des souris.Our cat doesn't like to chase mice.This sentence shows the use of chasser regarding animals.Tatoeba #13935751 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13935752 by Ioan_Cristian
- Il est encore temps de poursuivre vos rêves.There is still time to chase your dreams.This sentence demonstrates the use of poursuivre when chasing a dream.Tatoeba #8206016 by josivangoncalves, translation #8206010 by josivangoncalves
- La police a poursuivi le voleur à travers la ville.The police chased the thief through the city.
- Les enfants courent après le chien dans le parc.The children chase the dog in the park.
- Nous poursuivons toujours nos rêves.We always chase our dreams.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are watching their dog in the park.
- HugoRegarde le chien chasser le ballon !Look at the dog chasing the ball!
- LéaIl court très vite aujourd'hui.He is running very fast today.
- HugoIl adore chasser tout ce qui bouge.He loves to chase everything that moves.
- LéaC'est vrai, il a beaucoup d'énergie.That's true, he has a lot of energy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chase” translations and entries chasser, poursuivre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
