Usage Note
Percevoir has two main uses: sensing or noticing something (percevoir un bruit, to notice a sound) and collecting money or taxes (percevoir un salaire, to receive a salary). It is irregular — the present tense gives je perçois, nous percevons — and shares its conjugation pattern with recevoir and devoir. The noun perception covers both senses.
Examples
"Elle perçoit les moindres changements."
Natural Translation
She perceives the slightest changes.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
6 min read
FrenchNow
7 min read