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descendre

to go down

verb deh-SAHN-druh Common
Travel & Places Movement

Also means

to descend

Usage Note

Descendre takes être in compound tenses (elle est descendue = she went down), not avoir, except when it has a direct object (il a descendu les bagages = he brought the bags down). It can also mean to get off a bus or train. The related noun la descente means 'descent' or 'a downhill slope.'

Examples

"Il descend les escaliers rapidement."

Natural Translation

He goes down the stairs quickly.

Literal Translation

He goes down the stairs quickly.

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