négliger
/ne.ɡli.ʒe/
To disregard in French is négliger.
It is most commonly used in the sense of 'to neglect', such as neglecting one's duties or one's appearance. If you specifically mean 'to not know' or 'to be unaware of' something, the French verb ignorer is used in those contexts.
Meaning: to ignore (verb)
Which one should you use?
While négliger can mean 'to disregard', it is most frequently used to mean 'to neglect'. For a more literary way to express the idea of disregarding or showing contempt for something, you can use the idiomatic expression faire fi de. Additionally, while the verb ignorer can be used for 'to ignore', it also carries the specific meaning of 'not to know' or 'to be unaware of'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of négliger is négligé, which translates to 'neglected'. The related noun mépris refers to the act of not paying attention to or not caring about something.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ne.ɡli.ʒe/.
Did you know?
- In French fashion and grooming, the term négligé can describe a specific style of casual, loose-fitting dressing that is intentionally effortless rather than truly messy.
- Because ignorer can mean 'to not know', telling someone 'je vous ignore' might accidentally sound like you are saying 'I do not know you' rather than 'I am ignoring you'.
- The word 'neglect' and the French négliger both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*leǵ-', which refers to the act of collecting or picking up.
Examples in context
- Le juge a décidé d'ignorer les preuves insuffisantes.The judge chose to disregard the insufficient evidence.
- Il a méprisé les conseils de son avocat.He disregarded his lawyer's advice.
- Je préfère ne pas tenir compte de leurs critiques négatives.I prefer to disregard their negative criticism.
- Elle a fait fi des règles établies.She disregarded the established rules.
- Je fais fi de vos commentaires, mais je vous remercie pour votre avisI disregard your comments, but I appreciate your input
- Il ne faut pas négliger l'importance du sommeil.One must not neglect the importance of sleep.
- Elle a tendance à négliger ses devoirs.She tends to neglect her homework.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing their house plant.
- NathanTu as tendance à négliger cette plante.You tend to neglect this plant.
- ChloéJe ne la néglige pas tant que ça !I don't neglect it that much!
- NathanPourtant, elle semble un peu sèche.Yet, it seems a bit dry.
- ChloéD'accord, je vais m'en occuper.Okay, I will take care of it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry négliger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries négliger, CC BY-SA 4.0.
