What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tirer des conclusions translates to 'to pull conclusions'.
Which one should you use?
You might use En arriver à des conclusions to emphasize the actual process of arriving at those conclusions. If you wish to express the idea of drawing unrealistic or premature conclusions, use the informal idiom Tirer des plans sur la comète, which literally means 'to draw plans on the comet'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are referring to a specific situation or a set of facts and want to say 'to draw conclusions from it' or 'to draw conclusions from them', place the pronoun en before the verb: en tirer des conclusions. Additionally, if you are drawing only one specific conclusion, you can use the singular form en tirer une conclusion.
Did you know?
- While tirer usually means 'to pull', it is the same verb used for 'firing' a gun or 'shooting' a photo, treating a conclusion like a projectile released from a weapon.
- In French, if you make a mistake by drawing a wrong conclusion, you might be told you have tiré sur la corde, which means you have pushed a situation too far.
- The verb tirer used in this context shares its roots with the English word 'tire', though not the modern sense of a wheel's rubber, but rather the old sense of 'to draw or pull' as in 'to tire a rope'.
Examples in context
- Il est encore trop tôt pour tirer des conclusions.It is still too early to draw conclusions.This sentence shows how to use tirer des conclusions when stating it is too early to make a judgment.Tatoeba #9463773 by Micsmithel, translation #6199553 by carlosalberto
- Il est temps de tirer des conclusions de cette étudeIt is time to draw conclusions from this study
- Nous devons en arriver à des conclusions basées sur les faitsWe need to draw conclusions based on facts
- Il ne faut pas tirer des plans sur la bêteWe shouldn't draw hasty conclusions
- La réunion d'aujourd'hui nous permettra de tirer des conclusions sur l'efficacité de notre projet.Today's meeting will allow us to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of our project.
- Nous pourrons en arriver à des conclusions logiques en analysant les données collectées.We will be able to draw logical conclusions by analyzing the collected data.
- Après avoir examiné les preuves, je peux conclure que l'accusé est innocent.After examining the evidence, I can draw the conclusion that the defendant is innocent.
- On ne peut pas tirer des conclusions sans les preuves.One cannot draw conclusions without evidence.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are discussing a confusing email from their boss.
- HugoCet e-mail est très flou, n'est-ce pas ?This email is very vague, isn't it?
- EmmaOui, il ne faut pas tirer des conclusions maintenant.Yes, we shouldn't draw any conclusions right now.
- HugoTu penses qu'il est mécontent de nous ?Do you think he is unhappy with us?
- EmmaAttendons la réunion pour en savoir plus.Let's wait for the meeting to find out more.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries des, tirer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
