léguer

to bequeath, to leave as a legacy

verb leh-GEH Rare

Origin: From Latin 'legare' (to send, to bequeath).

Usage Note

léguer is used for passing on property or a legacy through inheritance (léguer ses biens à ses enfants — to bequeath one's assets to one's children). Figuratively, léguer un héritage culturel means to hand down a cultural heritage. The noun is un legs (a bequest), which is pronounced with a silent -gs: 'LEH'.

Examples

"Elle a légué sa maison à une association caritative."

Natural Translation

She bequeathed her house to a charitable organisation.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Noun Gender: Rules to Guess Right 80%

Guess French noun gender right 80% of the time using word endings: -age, -ment, -eau are masculine; -tion, -té, -ette are feminine. A high-yield system.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

How to Pronounce the French R (Step by Step)

The French R is a back-of-the-throat sound, not a rolled R. Learn the exact tongue position and a step-by-step drill to build it from sounds you already make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Je t'aime vs Je t'adore: I Love You in French

Je t'aime is the real romantic I love you; je t'adore means warm fondness, not romance. Here's the person-vs-thing rule and the bien trap that flips it.

June 4, 2026 6 min read