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subvenir

provide for, meet (a need)

verb soob-vuh-NEER Rare

Usage Note

Subvenir is always followed by the preposition à: subvenir à ses besoins means 'to provide for one's needs'. It conjugates like venir but takes avoir as its auxiliary in compound tenses. The verb is formal and appears most often in written French discussing social welfare or family responsibilities.

Examples

"Il doit subvenir à ses besoins."

Natural Translation

He must provide for his own needs.

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