Skip to content

indispensable

indispensable

adjective an-dees-pahn-SAHBL Rare

Also means

essential

Usage Note

Indispensable is invariable in form and means something that cannot be done without. It is often followed by à + infinitive or noun: indispensable à la réussite (essential to success). A learner note: unlike English 'indispensable to someone', French uses indispensable pour quelqu'un or indispensable à quelqu'un depending on the structure.

Examples

"L'eau est indispensable à la vie."

Natural Translation

Water is indispensable to life.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic