présenter
/pʁe.zɑ̃.te/
To introduce in French is to say présenter.
The verb présenter is used when you cause someone to be acquainted with another person, or when presenting objects and ideas. You can also use it in the formal idiom présenter ses excuses to mean 'to offer one's apologies'. To introduce yourself, you can say Je m'appelle…
Meaning: to cause someone to be acquainted (verb)
Which one should you use?
The verb présenter is used for both introducing people and presenting objects or ideas.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to introduce oneself', use the reflexive form se présenter.
How do you pronounce it?
présenter is pronounced /pʁe.zɑ̃.te/ and has 3 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the French verb introduire to mean 'to introduce a person'. In French, introduire usually means 'to insert' or 'to penetrate' in a physical sense.
When do people say it?
After introductions, you can say enchanté(e) or ravi(e) to mean 'nice to meet you' or 'delighted'. In formal situations in French culture, handshakes are more appropriate than cheek kisses for greetings.
Did you know?
- In French culture, the act of présenter often involves a strict social hierarchy where the person of lower status is introduced to the person of higher status.
- If you use se présenter during a job interview, it refers to the entire process of giving your background and qualifications, not just stating your name.
- When you say enchanté after being introduced, you are literally saying you are 'enchanted', a level of intensity higher than the English 'nice to meet you'.
Examples in context
- Peux-tu te présenter ?Can you introduce yourself?This sentence is useful for asking someone to introduce themselves using présenter.Tatoeba #1199122 by sacredceltic, translation #12183744 by Miktsoanit
- Puis-je me présenter ?May I introduce myself?This sentence is useful for asking permission to introduce yourself using présenter.Tatoeba #4684075 by sacredceltic, translation #264432 by CK
- Je tenais à me présenter.I wanted to introduce myself.This sentence is useful for stating an intention to introduce oneself using présenter.Tatoeba #8666854 by Micsmithel, translation #2013621 by CK
- Tante Marie, je te présente mon ami, Jean-Pierre.Aunt Marie, let me introduce my friend, Jean-Pierre to you.
- Madame Dupont, permettez-moi de faire les présentations. Voici Monsieur Lambert, notre nouvel employé.Mrs. Dupont, allow me to make introductions. This is Mr. Lambert, our new employee.
- Monsieur Leblanc, je vous présente Madame Rousseau.Mr. Leblanc, let me introduce you to Mrs. Rousseau.
- Je te présente mon frère, Marc.Let me introduce my brother, Marc to you.
- Léa, je vais te faire connaître Sarah, la nouvelle stagiaire.Léa, I'm going to introduce you to Sarah, the new intern.
- Je m'appelle SophieMy name is Sophie
- 87 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo introduces his colleague to Emma at a party.
- HugoEmma, je veux te présenter mon collègue.Emma, I want to introduce my colleague to you.
- EmmaEnchantée ! Comment vous appelez-vous ?Nice to meet you! What is your name?
- HugoIl s'appelle Marc.His name is Marc.
- EmmaRavi de vous rencontrer, Marc.Delighted to meet you, Marc.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “introduce” translations and entries présenter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
