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# devant — French to English

How French *devant* is translated into English in open, checked parallel texts: 6 translations with example sentences.

The Elamur Dictionary has no French section yet; the English translations below link to their meanings where it has them.

Sentence pairs counted, by form: devant (182 382), devants (417). By style: everyday 558 · literary 205 · biblical 1 418 · parliamentary 10 777 · legal and administrative 11 681 · UN documents 158 160.

## proactive

Used about 29 767 times in the texts (parliamentary ≈ 112 · UN documents ≈ 29 655).

- Nous démontrons notre capacité à prendre les **devants**, à résoudre les problèmes et à emboîter le pas aux idées nouvelles.
  We are proving that we can be **proactive**, solve problems and act on new ideas.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 1139068)

- Il convient que le Conseil de sécurité prenne les **devants** sur ces deux points.
  The Security Council could be more **proactive** on both issues.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 26744450)

- L &apos; industrie européenne du gaz - Nécessité de prendre les **devants** en ce qui concerne la sûreté des pipelines
  European gas industry - a **proactive** attitude concerning pipeline safety
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 15447099)

- À Maurice, nous avons toujours cherché à prendre les **devants** dans la lutte contre la propagation du VIH/sida.
  In Mauritius we have been **proactive** at all times in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 10184414)

- L &apos; État ne doit pas suivre la société, mais au contraire prendre les **devants** pour faire changer les mentalités.
  The State should not follow society but, on the contrary, should be **proactive** in changing attitudes.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 20466725)

## before

Used about 28 459 times in the texts (everyday ≈ 78 · literary ≈ 77 · biblical ≈ 709 · parliamentary ≈ 449 · legal and administrative ≈ 2 434 · UN documents ≈ 24 713). Meaning: [before in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/before/).

- Un vaste désert s'étendait **devant** nous.
  A vast desert lay **before** us.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by nimfeo and CM · checked, community translation · [\#240859](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/240859) [\#5317434](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/5317434))

- Tout cela était béant **devant** lui.
  All this was yawning **before** him.
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo les miserables, row 5940)

- Il envoya **devant** eux un homme: Joseph fut vendu comme esclave.
  He sent a man **before** them. Joseph was sold for a slave.
  ([World English Bible and Louis Segond 1910](https://ebible.org/) · World English Bible; Louis Segond 1910; public domain, eBible.org · checked, professional translation · PSA 105:17)

- Vous avez pu vous exprimer librement **devant** la commission compétente.
  You were able to state your case freely **before** the committee responsible.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 1888739)

- Recevabilité des preuves **devant** les autorités nationales de concurrence
  Admissibility of evidence **before** national competition authorities
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 4858626)

## lead

Used about 19 057 times in the texts (parliamentary ≈ 2 582 · UN documents ≈ 16 475). Meaning: [lead in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/lead/).

- L'UE doit prendre les **devants** en adoptant des règles meilleures.
  The EU must take the **lead** in the IMO by adopting better rules.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 207830)

- e) Prendre les **devants** de l &apos; action internationale visant à améliorer la condition des filles et des femmes;
  (e) **Lead** international action to improve the lives of girls and women;
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 29622177)

- Le monde industrialisé devrait prendre les **devants** en réduisant ses émissions de gaz à effet de serre.
  The industrialized world should take the **lead** in reducing its emissions of greenhouse gasses.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 4793660)

- Je crois qu’il y a des moments où il faut que l’Union prenne les **devants**.
  In my opinion, there are times when the European Union must take the **lead**.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 663166)

- b) L &apos; ONU prend les **devants** pour &lt; &lt; inspirer les dirigeants politiques &gt; &gt; (The Gulf News);
  (b) The United Nations takes the **lead** to &quot; galvanize world leaders &quot; (Gulf News);
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 18309837)

## court

Used about 7 750 times in the texts (parliamentary ≈ 674 · legal and administrative ≈ 487 · UN documents ≈ 6 590). Meaning: [court in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/court/).

- Tant qu'il ne sera pas renvoyé **devant** un tribunal, on ne pourra pas dire qu'il est coupable.
  There can be no talk of his being guilty before the prosecution has proved its case in **court**.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 1999411)

- les honoraires facturés par des avocats externes pour représenter le Conseil **devant** les tribunaux ou le conseiller sur des questions administratives ou contractuelles,
  fees charged by outside lawyers for representing the Council in **court** or for advising the Council in administrative and contractual matters,
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 2754211)

- Le mineur doit comparaître **devant** le juge.
  The minor must be presented to the **court**.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 11969125)

- Une erreur ou une négligence à cet égard constitueraient toujours une cause suffisante pour porter l' affaire **devant** la justice.
  Failure or negligence at this stage will always form grounds for taking the matter to **court**.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 245410)

- Un employeur qui n’est pas domicilié sur le territoire d’un État membre peut être attrait **devant** les juridictions d’un État membre conformément au paragraphe 1, point b).
  An employer not domiciled in a Member State may be sued in a **court** of a Member State in accordance with point (b) of paragraph 1.
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 2736146)

## take

Used about 6 931 times in the texts (literary ≈ 4 · parliamentary ≈ 337 · UN documents ≈ 6 590). Meaning: [take in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/take/).

- La patronne, qu'on appelle la belle Alphonsine, s'en vint, souriante, sur sa porte, et tendit la main aux deux dames qui hésitaient **devant** le marchepied trop haut.
  The mistress, well known as “La belle Alphonsine,” came smiling to the threshold, and held out her hand to the two ladies who hesitated to **take** the high step.
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · maupassant pierre jean, row 1472)

- L'Union européenne doit prendre les **devants**, en créant une grande alliance mondiale.
  The European Union must **take** the vanguard in creating a big global alliance.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 903151)

- En tant que jeunes, nous devons également exiger de nous-mêmes de prendre les **devants** afin d &apos; être associés.
  We must also, as youth, demand of ourselves that we **take** the initiative to be involved.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 1657365)

- C’est notre rôle, mais c’est nous qui devons prendre l’initiative et les **devants**.
  That is the role of the European Union, but we also have to **take** the initiative and show leadership.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 848311)

- Et il faudrait qu &apos; il prenne les **devants**, au lieu d &apos; attendre que des transformations soient imposées de l &apos; extérieur.
  And it should **take** the initiative rather than wait to have the changes imposed from outside.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 3724446)

## front

Used about 4 422 times in the texts (everyday ≈ 234 · literary ≈ 68 · biblical ≈ 113 · parliamentary ≈ 225 · legal and administrative ≈ 487 · UN documents ≈ 3 295). Meaning: [front in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/front/).

- Qu'y a-t-il **devant** toi ?
  What's in **front** of you?
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by sacredceltic and CK · checked, community translation · [\#264764](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/264764) [\#4552007](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/4552007))

- --Et **devant** lui, ce sanglier?
  “And that boar in **front** of him?”
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo notre dame, row 4838)

- Moïse et Aaron arrivèrent **devant** la tente d’assignation.
  Moses and Aaron came to the **front** of the Tent of Meeting.
  ([World English Bible and Louis Segond 1910](https://ebible.org/) · World English Bible; Louis Segond 1910; public domain, eBible.org · checked, professional translation · NUM 16:43)

- Toutefois, le fait que cela ait conduit à un siège **devant** l'ambassade d'Estonie à Moscou est inacceptable.
  However, the fact that it led to a siege in **front** of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow was unacceptable.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 934303)

- Réparation de la piste **devant** la balise 04
  Runway repair in **front** of threshold 04
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 3800156)

## More sentences

Sentence pairs with the word where no single translation was found: it may be translated by a phrase, or left out.

- Passer **devant** dans la queue est extrêmement impoli.
  Cutting in line is extremely rude.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by lbdx and Hybrid · checked, community translation · [\#7002763](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/7002763) [\#12444522](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/12444522))

- Je ne recule **devant** rien.
  I don't back down from anything.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by Talwit and LdjuherTaqvaylit · checked, community translation · [\#11919321](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/11919321) [\#10252024](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/10252024))

- Il y a déjà beaucoup de gens qui font la queue **devant** le cinéma.
  There are already a lot of people queuing outside the cinema.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by sacredceltic and sundown · checked, community translation · [\#10903659](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/10903659) [\#451428](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/451428))

## Grammar

Notes on grammar and translation on Mova: [French grammar](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/fr/) · [English grammar](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/en/) · [translating between English and French](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/pairs/en-fr/) · [translating from French](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/from-fr/) · [translating into English](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/into-en/).

## About these examples

Translations are found by how often the two words stand in the same sentence pairs, and the highlighted words are matched automatically: both are approximate. Counts are estimated from a sample of each source. Every example names its source and licence. [Submit a better translation or example](https://md.translate.elamur.ai/free/en/submit/?pair=fr-en&word=devant).


Every example is quoted under its source's licence and credited with it; the rest of the site is open under the Elamur Cosmic License.