Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| essayer | /e.sɛ.je/ /e.se.je/ |
| tâcher | /ta.ʃe/ /tɑ.ʃe/ |
| tenter | /tɑ̃.te/ |
essayer is the everyday verb for attempting something, and it is also used for testing something out, such as trying on clothes or trying a new food. The noun for an attempt is tentative or essai, and essai is also the word for a try scored in rugby.
Which one should you use?
tenter suggests risk, temptation or a real challenge in the attempt and it sounds more formal. tâcher means to strive or make an effort toward a specific goal. essayer is the neutral choice that fits most situations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say what you are trying to do, follow essayer or tâcher with de and an infinitive, as in essayer de or tâcher de. The informal command to one person is Essaie.
How do you pronounce it?
In IPA essayer is /e.sɛ.je/, three syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not put an infinitive directly after essayer. Add de first, so you say essayer de followed by the action.
Did you know?
- In French, the same word essai used for a rugby 'try' is also the word for a literary 'essay'. This reflects the historical idea that a piece of writing is a trial or an attempt at an argument.
- The verb essayer is an unexpected relative of the English word 'assay', used in science to describe testing the purity of a metal or a drug.
- While essayer is neutral, using tenter can subtly imply that the person is giving in to a seductive or risky urge, similar to the English word 'tempted'.
Examples in context
- Je peux essayer ?Can I try it?Je peux essayer ? is a quick way to ask if you may try something.Tatoeba #4418412 by gillux, translation #2020580 by Spamster
- Tu peux essayer ?Can you try?Tu peux essayer ? asks someone you know well whether they can give it a try.Tatoeba #4614498 by Amastan, translation #2245062 by CK
- Je veux le tenter.I want to try it.This sentence uses tenter, with le standing for the thing you want to try.Tatoeba #1617579 by sacredceltic, translation #1615179 by Spamster
- Je vais essayer de faire mon travailI'm going to try to do my work
- Nous allons tenter de résoudre ce problème difficileWe are going to try to solve this difficult problem
- Essaie de me rappeler plus tardTry to call me back later
- Essaye d'arriver à l'heureTry to arrive on time
- J'essaie de comprendreI'm trying to understand
- Nous allons tenter de gagnerWe're going to try to win
- Je vais essayer d'apprendre à jouer du pianoI'm going to try to learn how to play the piano
- Essaie de te confier un peu plus, cela nous aidera à mieux te comprendreTry to open up a little more, it will help us understand you better
- Tente de réparer l'ordinateur avant d'en acheter un nouveauTry to fix the computer before buying a new one
- Essaye, tu n'as rien à perdreTry, you have nothing to lose
- 532 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel is trying to fix a broken toy for Chloé.
- ChloéTu peux essayer de le réparer ?Can you try to fix it?
- GabrielOui, je vais essayer maintenant.Yes, I am going to try now.
- ChloéSois prudent avec l'outil.Be careful with the tool.
- GabrielNe t'inquiète pas, Chloé.Don't worry, Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “try” translations and entries essayer, tâcher, tenter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries essayer, tenter, tâcher, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
