couper

cut

verb koo-PEH Common

Also means

slice

Usage Note

Couper is the standard verb for cutting with scissors, a knife, or even interrupting (couper la parole — 'to cut someone off mid-sentence'). Couper le contact means 'to switch off the ignition' in a car, and couper court means 'to cut short.' The reflexive se couper means 'to cut oneself' or, idiomatically, to contradict oneself.

Examples

"Elle coupe le pain en tranches."

Natural Translation

She cuts the bread into slices.

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