éviter vs prévenir
French word comparison
Listen to éviter
Listen to prévenir
| éviter | prévenir |
|---|---|
/ay-vee-TAY/ verb | /pray-vuh-neer/ verb |
| to avoid; to keep away from something or prevent something from happening | to prevent; to avert; to stop something from happening |
How they differ
"Prévenir" focuses on stopping an unwanted event before it happens, not on keeping away from it in general. It overlaps with "éviter" only when the idea is prevention, but it is more specific and often emphasizes action taken in advance.
When to use each
When to use éviter: Use "éviter" when the main idea is staying away from something or not doing it.
When to use prévenir: Use "prévenir" when you mean to take steps in advance to stop a problem, danger, or mistake from occurring.
Side-by-side examples
- Je veux éviter les erreurs inutiles.
(I want to avoid unnecessary mistakes.) - Nous avons pris des mesures pour prévenir les erreurs inutiles.
(We took measures to prevent unnecessary mistakes.)
Register & nuance: "Prévenir" is neutral and very common in formal, technical, and everyday contexts when the emphasis is on prevention.