Understanding 'Considérer': A French Verb Guide

The French verb considérer is a versatile and frequently used term that can be a cornerstone of your French vocabulary. Its richness lies in its various shades of meaning, ranging from careful observation to holding someone or something in high regard. Understanding its nuances, conjugations, and common constructions is key to speaking and writing French with greater accuracy and flair. This guide will delve into the depths of 'considérer', providing you with the knowledge to use it confidently in any context.

The Core Meanings of Considérer

At its heart, considérer translates to 'to consider' or 'to regard'. However, its application extends beyond a simple one-to-one translation. Let's break down its primary meanings:

• To look at attentively; to examine carefully: This is perhaps the most literal meaning. It implies a focused and thoughtful observation of something or someone. For instance, you might considérer une chose en elle-même (consider a thing in itself) or considérer ses rapports avec une autre (consider its relationship with another). When faced with a decision, one must bien considérer les choses avant que de s'engager (carefully consider things before committing).
• To take into account; to bear in mind: In this sense, considérer means to give weight or importance to a particular factor. A good judge, for example, ne considère ni les personnes, ni les recommandations (considers neither persons nor recommendations), focusing solely on merit. You might say, Considérez les longs services qu'il vous a rendus (Consider the long services he has rendered you).
• To hold in esteem; to respect:Considérer can also signify holding someone or something in high regard due to their moral or social value. Someone who is très considéré is highly respected.
• To deem; to regard as: This meaning is about forming an opinion or judgment about something. You might considérer quelqu'un comme le meilleur écrivain de son temps (consider someone as the best writer of his time) or considérer cet événement comme la source de tous nos malheurs (regard this event as the source of all our misfortunes).

Grammatical Constructions with Considérer

The way you use considérer in a sentence often depends on the meaning you wish to convey. Here are the most common constructions:

Considérer comme (+ adjective or noun)

This is a very frequent and important construction. It's used when you are deeming or regarding something as something else. The structure is:

Subject + considérer + direct object + comme + adjective/noun

Examples:

• Il est en général considéré comme sérieux. (He is generally considered serious.)
• On le considère comme un bon spécialiste. (He is considered a good specialist.)
• Ses soldats le considéraient comme un père. (His soldiers considered him a father.)

Important Note: This construction differs from verbs like juger (to judge) or estimer (to estimate), which often take a direct object followed by an adjective or noun without 'comme'. For example, Je le juge bon spécialiste (I judge him a good specialist).

Considérer + direct object

When the meaning is simply to look at or examine, you often use considérer followed directly by its object.

Examples:

• Il faut bien considérer les choses. (One must carefully consider things.)
• Considérez attentivement cette proposition. (Consider this proposal carefully.)

Considérer + direct object + prepositional phrase

Sometimes, considérer is followed by its object and then a phrase indicating what aspect is being considered.

Examples:

• Considérez une affaire sous tous ses aspects. (Consider a matter from all its aspects.)
• Considérez quels avantages il vous reviendra de votre bonne conduite. (Consider what advantages will accrue to you from your good conduct.)

The Conjugation of Considérer

Considérer is a regular -er verb, but it does have a slight irregularity in its stem in certain tenses, particularly those derived from the past participle. It belongs to the first group of French verbs, but pay attention to the accent marks!

Present Tense (Présent de l'indicatif)

This is where the accent difference is crucial:

• je considère
• tu considères
• il/elle/on considère
• nous considérons
• vous considérez
• ils/elles considèrent

Notice the grave accent (è) in the singular forms and the third-person plural, and the acute accent (é) in the first and second-person plural.

Imperfect Tense (Imparfait de l'indicatif)

The imperfect tense follows the standard conjugation for -er verbs, retaining the 'é' sound:

• je considérais
• tu considérais
• il/elle/on considérait
• nous considérions
• vous considériez
• ils/elles considéraient

Future Tense (Futur simple)

The future tense also uses the 'é' stem:

• je considérerai
• tu considéreras
• il/elle/on considérera
• nous considérerons
• vous considérerez
• ils/elles considéreront

Past Participle (Participe passé)

The past participle is considéré.

Compound Tenses (Temps composés)

Compound tenses are formed with the auxiliary verb avoir and the past participle considéré. Remember that considéré agrees in gender and number with the direct object if the direct object precedes the verb.

• Je vous ai considérés comme des amis. (I considered you as friends. - 'vous' refers to multiple males or a mixed group.)
• Elle s'est toujours considérée comme une artiste. (She has always considered herself an artist. - 'se' refers to 'elle', so the past participle agrees with 'considérée'.)

Useful Expressions with Considérer

Beyond its direct meanings, considérer appears in several useful idiomatic expressions:

• Tout bien considéré: This phrase means 'all things considered' or 'having considered everything'. It's used to introduce a conclusion after careful thought. Example: Tout bien considéré, je pense que c'est la meilleure option. (All things considered, I think this is the best option.)
• Considérant que...: This is a formal locution used typically at the beginning of legal or official documents, similar to 'whereas...' in English. It precedes the statement of reasons or motives. Example: Considérant que les faits allégués sont avérés, nous décidons... (Whereas the alleged facts are proven, we decide...)

Comparison with Similar Verbs

As mentioned earlier, considérer shares some semantic space with verbs like juger, estimer, and tenir pour. Understanding the subtle differences is important:

While considérer comme and tenir pour are quite similar in meaning when expressing 'to regard as', juger and estimer often imply a more direct assessment without the explicit 'comme' when followed by an adjective or noun describing the direct object.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between 'considérer' and 'regarder'?
Regarder primarily means 'to look at' or 'to watch' in a more physical sense. Considérer implies a deeper, more thoughtful examination or a judgment.

Q2: How do I remember the accent marks in the present tense?
Think of the singular forms (je, tu, il/elle/on) and the third-person plural (ils/elles) as having a 'softer' sound, which is represented by the grave accent (è). The plural forms (nous, vous) have a 'stronger' sound, reflected by the acute accent (é).

Q3: Can 'considérer' be used reflexively?
Yes, se considérer means 'to consider oneself'. For example, Il se considère comme un expert (He considers himself an expert).

Q4: What does 'considérant' mean when used alone?
Considérant can be the present participle ('considering') or an adjective meaning 'considerate' or 'respectable'. However, the locution considérant que is very specific to formal documents.

Conclusion

Mastering the verb considérer opens up a significant avenue for expressing nuanced thought and opinion in French. By understanding its diverse meanings, correct conjugations, and common grammatical structures, you can significantly enhance your linguistic capabilities. Practice using it in sentences, pay close attention to the accent marks, and you'll soon find considérer becoming a natural and effective part of your French expression.