enlever
/ɑ̃l.ve/
To remove in French is enlever.
enlever means to discard or set aside. In specific contexts, other verbs may be more appropriate: retirer is a common and versatile term for remove in formal contexts, while extraire refers to extracting or removing something, often in a technical or medical context.
Meaning: to discard, set aside (verb)
Which one should you use?
While enlever means to remove or take away, it is also the common verb used for 'to take off' clothing, such as enlever son manteau.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of enlever is enlevé.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃l.ve/
Did you know?
- In the context of children, enlever can also mean 'to kidnap'.
- The verb enlever comes from the prefix en- and the verb lever, which means 'to raise' or 'to lift'.
- When talking about removing a stain, a French speaker might use faire partir (to make go away) instead of enlever to sound more natural.
Examples in context
- Nous avons dû vous enlever la rate.We had to remove your spleen.This sentence shows the use of enlever in a medical context regarding a spleen.Tatoeba #11678759 by lbdx, translation #2953623 by CK
- La pointe des hameçons les rend difficiles à enlever.The barb on fishhooks make them difficult to remove.This sentence uses enlever regarding the difficulty of removing fishhooks.Tatoeba #9938333 by lbdx, translation #5363802 by zachleigh
- Je me suis opposé quand le serveur a tenté d'enlever mon assiette.I objected when the waiter tried to remove my plate.This sentence demonstrates the use of enlever in the context of a waiter removing a plate.Tatoeba #11215229 by lbdx, translation #681598 by Source_VOA
- Veuillez retirer votre sac de la table.Please remove your bag from the table.
- Le dentiste extraira votre dent demain.The dentist will remove your tooth tomorrow.
- Peux-tu dégager cette boîte de la pièce?Can you remove this box from the room?
- Pourriez-vous retirer ce livre de mon bureau, s'il vous plaît?Could you remove this book from my desk, please?
- Bien sûr, je vais le retirer immédiatement.Of course, I will remove it right away.
- OK, je vais la dégager tout de suite.Sure, I'll clear it away right away.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are tidying up their living room.
- HugoTu peux enlever ces vieux journaux ?Can you remove these old newspapers?
- ChloéOui, je vais les enlever tout de suite.Yes, I will remove them right away.
- HugoMerci, Chloé. On pourra mieux circuler.Thanks, Chloé. We will be able to move around better.
- ChloéDe rien, Hugo. Je m'en occupe.You're welcome, Hugo. I'm on it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry enlever, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enlever, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
