regarder
/ʁə.ɡaʁ.de/
Definition
To look at something or to watch something, giving it your attention.
Example
Le soir, nous regardons un film ensemble.
Show translation
In the evening, we watch a film together.
Etymology
From Old French *regarder*, a compound of the intensive prefix *re-* + *garder* ("to guard, keep watch over"), itself borrowed from Frankish *wardōn* (to watch). The shift from "guarding" to "looking" reflects how the gaze was once conceived as a protective act of attention.
Cultural note
In French, *regarder* and *voir* both translate loosely to "to see/watch/look," but they are not interchangeable. *Regarder* implies deliberate, active attention — you *choose* to look. *Voir* is more passive — something comes into your vision. A French learner might say *Je regarde la télé* (I'm watching TV) but *Je vois une étoile* (I see a star). Mixing them up is a very common beginner mistake.