dépanner

to fix, to help out

verb deh-pah-NEH Rare

Usage Note

Dépanner literally means to repair a breakdown (dépanner une voiture = to fix a broken-down car) and informally means to bail someone out or help them in a pinch, as in tu peux me dépanner de 20 euros? (can you lend me 20 euros?). A dépanneur is a repairman; in Quebec it also means a convenience store.

Examples

"Le technicien est venu dépanner notre chaudière."

Natural Translation

The technician came to fix our boiler.

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