prendre pour acquis
/pʁɑ̃.dʁə pu.ʁ‿a.ki/
To take for granted in French is expressed as prendre pour acquis. Wiktionary also lists tenir pour acquis.
Meaning: give little attention to or to underestimate the value of (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| prendre pour acquis | /pʁɑ̃.dʁə pu.ʁ‿a.ki/ |
| tenir pour acquis | /tə.niʁ pu.ʁ‿a.ki/ |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase prendre pour acquis breaks down into prendre (to take), pour (for/as) and acquis (acquired/taken for granted).
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the state of having been taken for granted, use the past participle form pris pour acquis.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase is pronounced /pʁɑ̃.dʁə pu.ʁ‿a.ki/ and consists of 4 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to translate 'take for granted' literally as prendre pour acquis when they mean 'to fail to appreciate someone/something'. However, in French, prendre pour acquis is more frequently used for assumptions or facts that are assumed to be true without proof.
Did you know?
- The phrase prendre pour acquis is actually a 'calque', meaning it is a direct structural imitation of the English expression 'take for granted'.
- While prendre pour acquis is common, French speakers often use the verb tenir in the phrase tenir pour acquis to describe a firm belief or a conviction that something is true.
Examples in context
- Il ne faut pas considérer la paix comme acquiseOne should not take peace for granted.
- Il prend pour argent comptant tout ce qu'on lui ditHe takes everything he's told for granted.
- Il ne faut pas prendre sa santé pour acquise.One should not take one's health for granted.
- Il ne faut pas prendre pour acquis le soutien de tes amis.You should not take the support of your friends for granted.
- On finit souvent par prendre pour acquis les choses simples de la vie.We often end up taking the simple things in life for granted.
- Elle a tendance à prendre pour acquis le travail de son équipe.She tends to take her team's work for granted.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take for granted” translations and entries prendre pour acquis, tenir pour acquis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pour, prendre, prendre pour acquis, tenir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
