urgent
/yʁ.ʒɑ̃/
The English phrase 'pressing' can be translated into French as urgent.
The word is used to describe something that needs urgent attention.
Meaning: needing urgent attention (adj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canadian French, the phrase c'est pressé carries a meaning similar to 'pressing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective urgent must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, taking the form urgente for feminine nouns. The adjective takes the form urgents when modifying a masculine plural noun. The adjective takes the form urgentes when modifying a feminine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
urgent is pronounced /yʁ.ʒɑ̃/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In a French hospital, you do not go to the 'emergency room' as a location but rather to les urgences. This plural form treats the concept of urgency as a collective destination.
- French differentiates between urgent, which implies a deadline, and pressant, which can describe a physical pressure or a persistent, annoying request.
- While urgent describes a situation, calling a person pressé means they are physically in a hurry to get somewhere. Using urgent to describe a person's mood would be incorrect in French.
Examples in context
- Est-ce quelque chose d'urgent ?Is it something pressing?This example shows how to ask if a matter is urgent.Tatoeba #4550277 by sacredceltic, translation #2064682 by CK
- Nous avons des choses plus urgentes à discuter.We have more pressing things to discuss.This example uses the form urgentes to describe things that need discussion.Tatoeba #5620393 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #5620377 by CK
- Ce problème est urgent à régler.This problem is pressing and needs to be solved.
- Le manque de ressources est un problème préoccupant.The lack of resources is a pressing issue.
- J'ai une question pressante à te poser.I have a pressing question to ask you.
- C'est un appel très urgent.It is a very urgent call.
Example conversation
At the office, Emma asks Hugo about a phone call.
- EmmaHugo, tu as un message urgent.Hugo, you have an urgent message.
- HugoC'est pour qui ?Who is it for?
- EmmaC'est pour toi, il faut rappeler vite.It's for you, you must call back quickly.
- HugoD'accord, je m'en occupe.Okay, I'll take care of it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry urgent, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
