Ways to say it
| French |
|---|
| se répandre |
| se propager |
These verbs describe the act of something becoming more widely present or proliferating. Depending on whether you are discussing a physical substance, a rapid movement like fire or the dissemination of information, the specific French term will change.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on what is spreading. se répandre is a general term often used for the physical spreading of substances, smells or information across an area. In contrast, se propager is more common when describing the rapid or systematic spread of things like waves, diseases or fire. For the spread of news or media, se diffuser is a common alternative.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
If you need to refer to the noun form of the spread of something, such as a rumor or a virus, use la propagation.
Did you know?
- While se propager describes the spread of fire, the word propagation is also used in French horticulture to describe the process of breeding plants from cuttings.
- The verb répandre comes from épandre, which originally described the agricultural act of scattering or sowing seeds across a field.
- French uses the same verb se propager for both a deadly virus and the movement of light or sound waves through a medium.
Examples in context
- Le lierre a commencé à se répandre.The ivy started to spread.This sentence shows how ivy begins to spread using se répandre.Tatoeba #11756947 by Amastan, translation #10677679 by Amastan
- Un feu peut se propager plus rapidement qu'on ne peut courir.A fire can spread faster than you can run.This sentence illustrates how fire can spread quickly using se propager.Tatoeba #1736732 by sacredceltic, translation #23878 by CK
- Un petit feu de forêt peut facilement se répandre et rapidement devenir un grand incendie.A small forest fire can easily spread and quickly become a great conflagration.This sentence demonstrates how a forest fire can spread using se répandre.Tatoeba #3819 by zmoo, translation #2013 by pyrachi
- Veuillez étaler la pâte sur la plaque de cuisson.Please spread the dough on the baking sheet.
- Le livre a été diffusé dans plusieurs pays.The book has been spread across several countries.
- Les médias ont propagé la nouvelle dans le monde entier.The media spread the news worldwide.
- N'oublie pas de badigeonner la sauce sur les côtelettes.Don't forget to spread the sauce on the chops.
- Tu peux diffuser cette musique auprès de tes amis.You can spread this music among your friends.
- Je vais partager cette annonce sur les réseaux sociaux.I'm going to spread/share this announcement on social media.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new trend at their office.
- NathanCette nouvelle mode va se répandre partout.This new fashion is going to spread everywhere.
- EmmaC'est vrai, tout le monde en parle déjà.It's true, everyone is already talking about it.
- NathanElle se répand vraiment vite dans la ville.It is really spreading fast in the city.
- EmmaJe ne suis pas encore très fan.I am not a big fan yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spread” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries propager, répandre, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
