jeter
/ʒə.te/
To throw out in French is jeter.
The verb jeter is the standard way to express the action of discarding something. In a domestic context, if you want to be more specific about throwing something out in the trash, French speakers often use the phrase jeter à la poubelle. You can also use Se défaire de when you mean to get rid of something.
Meaning: discard (verb)
Which one should you use?
While jeter can mean 'to throw' an object, it is also the standard verb used for the meaning 'to throw out' (discarding).
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of jeter is jeté, which translates to 'thrown' or 'discarded'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə.te/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the phrase jeter un œil literally means 'to throw an eye' but is the standard way to say 'to take a quick look' at something.
- The word jet as in 'jet engine' or 'ink jet' comes from the same root as jeter, as both describe a forceful stream or throw of liquid or gas.
- Jeter is inherited from the Latin iactāre, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'eject'.
Examples in context
- Je dois jeter ces vieux vêtements.I need to throw out these old clothes.
- Vous devriez jeter les papiers inutiles.You should throw out the unnecessary papers.
- Nous devons nous débarrasser de ces produits toxiques.We need to throw out/get rid of these toxic products.
- Il faut se débarrasser des vieux meubles.We must get rid of the old furniture.
- Tu peux balancer ces vieilles chaussures.You can throw out these old shoes.
- J'ai balancé tous mes vieux magazines.I chucked all my old magazines.
- Il faut jeter ces bouteilles vides à la poubelle.We have to throw out these empty bottles.
- Tu devrais jeter ce vieux journal.You should throw out this old newspaper.
- N'oublie pas de jeter la boîte.Don't forget to throw out the box.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are cleaning up their apartment.
- ChloéEst-ce que je peux jeter ce sac ?Can I throw out this bag?
- LucasNon, ne le jette pas encore.No, don't throw it out yet.
- ChloéMais il est vraiment vieux.But it is really old.
- LucasJe le garde pour plus tard.I'm keeping it for later.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry jeter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jeter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
