How would you like to use PONS.com?

Already PONS Pur or PONS Translate Pro subscriber?

PONS with ads

Go to PONS.com as usual with ad tracking and advertisements

You can find details of tracking in Information about data protection and under Privacy settings.

PONS Pur

without advertising by third parties

without ad tracking

Subscribe now

If you already have a user account for PONS.com, then you can subscribe to PONS Pur .

We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent and legitimate interest. You may exercise your right to consent or object to a legitimate interest, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.

Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.

Advertising and content can be personalised based on your profile. Your activity on this service can be used to build or improve a profile about you for personalised advertising and content. Advertising and content performance can be measured. Reports can be generated based on your activity and those of others. Your activity on this service can help develop and improve products and services.

Legal noticeData protectionPrivacy settings
rapprocher
to bring closer
French
French
English
English
I. rapprocher [ʀapʀɔʃe] VB trans
1. rapprocher (rendre plus proche):
rapprocher objet
to move [sth] closer (de to)
peux-tu rapprocher la lampe, je n'y vois rien
can you move the lamp a bit closer, I can't see a thing
si tu n'y vois rien, rapproche la lampe
if you can't see, move the lamp closer
rapproche la chaise du mur
move the chair closer to the wall
le courant nous rapproche de la côte
the current is taking us toward(s) the coast
le prolongement de la ligne va me rapprocher de mon travail
the extension of the line will take me closer to my work
il faut rapprocher les électrodes pour que l'étincelle se produise
the electrodes must be moved closer together in order to produce a spark
j'ai dû rapprocher mon fauteuil de la fenêtre
I had to move my armchair closer to the window
rapproche les deux vases
move the two vases closer together
les jumelles rapprochent les objets fig
binoculars make objects seem closer ou nearer
2. rapprocher (dans le temps):
rapprocher date, rendez-vous
to bring [sth] forward(s) (de to)
ils veulent rapprocher la date des négociations
they want to bring the date of the negotiations forward
cette date nous rapproche trop des élections
this date brings us too close to the elections
3. rapprocher (disposer à l'entente):
rapprocher personnes
to bring [sb] (closer) together
leur passion pour la musique les rapproche
they are drawn together by their passion for music
ses épreuves l'ont rapprochée des pauvres
her hardships have brought her closer to the poor
ils ont réussi à rapprocher les deux pays
they managed to improve relations between the two countries
4. rapprocher (réunir):
rapprocher personnes
to bring together
activité/club rapprochant des gens d'horizons très différents
activity/club which brings together people from very different walks of life
5. rapprocher (pour comparer):
rapprocher
to compare
la situation est à rapprocher de ce qui s'est passé en 1951
the situation can be compared to what happened in 1951
6. rapprocher (apparenter):
ses caractéristiques le rapprochent plus des mammifères
its characteristics make it closer to the mammals
II. se rapprocher VB refl
1. se rapprocher (devenir plus proche):
se rapprocher
to get closer, to get nearer (de to)
l'avion/l'orage/l'ennemi se rapproche
the plane/the storm/the enemy is getting closer
j'ai choisi ce travail pour me rapprocher d'elle
I chose this job so that I could be nearer to her
2. se rapprocher (améliorer des relations):
se rapprocher
to get closer (de to)
ils n'ont rien fait pour se rapprocher de nous
they did nothing to get closer to us
il semble que les deux pays se rapprochent
relations between the two countries seem to be improving
3. se rapprocher (s'apparenter):
se rapprocher de (processus)
to get close to
se rapprocher de (état)
to be close to
leurs peintures se rapprochent des fresques antiques
their paintings are similar to ancient frescoes
le chimpanzé se rapproche plus de l'homme que du babouin
the chimpanzee is more closely related to man than to the baboon
se rapprocher dangereusement
to come dangerously close
English
English
French
French
grow together people:
se rapprocher
bring together couple, lovers, siblings
rapprocher
depolarize COMM, POL attitudes, parties
rapprocher
to draw nigh
se rapprocher
approximate frequency, profits, size
se rapprocher de
to approximate to (in quantity, size etc)
se rapprocher de
close in pursuers, enemy:
se rapprocher (on de)
to pull away from/pull into the kerb
s'éloigner/se rapprocher du trottoir
shrink boundaries:
se rapprocher
French
French
English
English
I. rapprocher [ʀapʀɔʃe] VB trans
1. rapprocher (avancer):
rapprocher objets, chaises
to bring closer
rapproche ta chaise de la table/de moi!
move your chair closer to the table/me!
2. rapprocher (réconcilier):
rapprocher ennemis, familles brouillées
to reconcile
ce drame nous a beaucoup rapprochés
this tragedy brought us closer together
3. rapprocher (mettre en parallèle):
rapprocher idées, thèses
to compare
II. rapprocher [ʀapʀɔʃe] VB refl
1. rapprocher (approcher):
se rapprocher de qn/qc
to approach sb/sth
rapproche-toi de moi!
come closer!
l'orage/le bruit se rapproche de nous
the storm/noise is getting closer (to us)
2. rapprocher (sympathiser):
se rapprocher
to be reconciled
English
English
French
French
to bring people together
rapprocher des gens
to close in on sth
se rapprocher de qc
to bridge the gap between sb/sth and sb/sth
rapprocher qn/qc et qn/qc
to put two things together fig
rapprocher deux choses
to put clues/facts together
rapprocher des indices/des faits
to bring people closer together a. fig
rapprocher les gens
come over
se rapprocher
to be/to get close to sb
être proche/se rapprocher de qn
to come nearer to sb/sth
se rapprocher de qn/qc
to pull a chair closer to sb/sth
rapprocher une chaise de qn/qc
French
French
English
English
I. rapprocher [ʀapʀɔʃe] VB trans
1. rapprocher (avancer):
rapprocher objets, chaises
to bring closer
rapproche ta chaise de la table/de moi!
move your chair closer to the table/me!
2. rapprocher (réconcilier):
rapprocher ennemis, familles brouillées
to reconcile
ce drame nous a beaucoup rapprochés
this tragedy brought us closer together
3. rapprocher (mettre en parallèle):
rapprocher idées, thèses
to compare
II. rapprocher [ʀapʀɔʃe] VB refl
1. rapprocher (approcher):
se rapprocher de qn/qc
to approach sb/sth
rapproche-toi de moi!
come closer!
l'orage/le bruit se rapproche de nous
the storm/noise is getting closer (to us)
2. rapprocher (sympathiser):
se rapprocher
to be reconciled
English
English
French
French
to bring people together
rapprocher des gens
to close in on sth
se rapprocher de qc
to bridge the gap between sb/sth and sb/sth
rapprocher qn/qc de qn/qc
to put two things together fig
rapprocher deux choses
to put clues/facts together
rapprocher des indices/des faits
to bring people closer together a. fig
rapprocher les gens
come over
se rapprocher
to be/to get close to sb
être proche/se rapprocher de qn
to pull a chair closer to sb/sth
rapprocher une chaise de qn/qc
to come nearer to sb/sth
se rapprocher de qn/qc
Présent
jerapproche
turapproches
il/elle/onrapproche
nousrapprochons
vousrapprochez
ils/ellesrapprochent
Imparfait
jerapprochais
turapprochais
il/elle/onrapprochait
nousrapprochions
vousrapprochiez
ils/ellesrapprochaient
Passé simple
jerapprochai
turapprochas
il/elle/onrapprocha
nousrapprochâmes
vousrapprochâtes
ils/ellesrapprochèrent
Futur simple
jerapprocherai
turapprocheras
il/elle/onrapprochera
nousrapprocherons
vousrapprocherez
ils/ellesrapprocheront
See further verb tables
PONS OpenDict

Would you like to add a word, a phrase or a translation?

We'd love you to send us a new entry for PONS OpenDict. The submitted suggestions are reviewed by the PONS editorial team and incorporated into the results accordingly.

Add entry
Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)
se rapprocher de qn/qc
to approach sb/sth
se rapprocher
to be reconciled
Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)
Ce mouvement remporte alors victoire sur victoire au point de se rapprocher de la capitale.
fr.wikipedia.org
Les mesures antisocialistes poussent les deux partis à se rapprocher.
fr.wikipedia.org
Andy, déçu, commence par la rejeter à son tour, mais les deux jeunes gens finiront par se réconcilier et se rapprocher l'un de l'autre.
fr.wikipedia.org
La gravitation oblige les atomes d'hydrogène à se rapprocher suffisamment pour former des corps célestes.
fr.wikipedia.org
Makoto espère donc profiter de l'occasion de se rapprocher d'elle.
fr.wikipedia.org

Browse the dictionary

Look up "rapprocher" in other languages

French
German
French
Polish
French
Italian
French
Chinese
French
Spanish
French
Slovenian