profiter
/pʁɔ.fi.te/
To say 'enjoying' in French, the default form is profiter.
The verb profiter means taking advantage of a positive situation or opportunity to get the most out of it. It can be used neutrally to mean making the most of an opportunity, but it can also be used negatively to mean exploiting someone (profiter de quelqu'un).
How does it change in a sentence?
When using profiter to mean enjoying something, it is almost always followed by the preposition 'de'.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁɔ.fi.te/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say profiter le moment instead of the correct profiter du moment when meaning 'enjoying the moment'.
Did you know?
- The English word 'profit' and the French verb profiter share the same Latin root 'proficere', meaning to make progress or advance.
- In French, you cannot use profiter to describe the sensory pleasure of eating a cake, as that would require apprécier. Using profiter would instead imply you are making the most of the opportunity to eat the cake before it is gone.
- When someone says je profite, they aren't just saying they are enjoying themselves, but often implying they are taking a deserved break or a moment of luxury.
Examples in context
- J’apprécie passer du temps avec toi.I enjoy spending time with you.
- Je prends plaisir à jouer de la musique.I enjoy playing music.
- Je prends plaisir à lire un bon livre.I take pleasure in reading a good book.
- J'adore passer du temps avec mes amis.I love spending time with my friends.
- Je kiffe vraiment ce concert !I'm really into this concert!
- Profitez bien de vos vacances !Enjoy your holidays!
- Il faut profiter de cette occasion.You must take advantage of this opportunity.
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are talking about their weekend plans.
- LéaTu vas profiter de ton week-end ?Are you going to enjoy your weekend?
- LucasOui, je vais profiter du soleil.Yes, I am going to enjoy the sun.
- LéaC'est une excellente idée, Lucas.That is an excellent idea, Lucas.
- LucasEt toi, Léa, tu as des projets ?And you, Léa, do you have any plans?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry profiter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries profiter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
