very

très

Se place devant un mot décrivant une qualité ou un état pour en renforcer le sens.

En anglais simple : Used before a describing word to make its meaning stronger.

• The water is very cold.
• She spoke very slowly.
• Were you very tired after the journey?

Comment l'utiliser : very + adjective/adverb (The children played very quietly.)

Synonymes : really, extremely

Expressions courantes : very good, very tired, very quickly

tout, absolument

Souligne qu’une chose est la meilleure, la pire, la toute première ou un autre extrême.

En anglais simple : Used to stress that something is the best, worst, first, or another extreme.

• This is the very best cake.
• She caught the very last train.
• He was the very youngest person on the team.

Comment l'utiliser : the very + superlative/first/last (They gave us the very best room.)

Synonymes : absolutely

Expressions courantes : the very best, the very first, the very least

très, typiquement

Devant un nom, indique qu’une chose montre nettement les traits typiques de cette personne ou de cette chose.

En anglais simple : Used before a name or noun to say something strongly shows that person's or thing's typical qualities.

• That hat is very you.
• The dry humor felt very British.
• Her new apartment is very New York.

Comment l'utiliser : very + pronoun/name/noun used descriptively (That bright scarf is very you.)

Synonymes : typically, characteristically

Expressions courantes : very you, very british, very london

même, exact

La personne ou la chose précise dont on parle, et pas une autre qui lui ressemble.

En anglais simple : The exact person or thing being discussed, rather than another similar one.

• We met in this very room.
• She is the very person I wanted to see.
• They returned to the very same hotel.

Comment l'utiliser : the very + noun (This is the very desk my grandfather used.)

Synonymes : exact, same, actual

Expressions courantes : the very same, the very person, the very place, the very one

seul, simple

Souligne que le simple fait de penser à une chose ou de la mentionner suffit à provoquer une réaction.

En anglais simple : Used to stress that simply thinking about or mentioning something is enough to cause a reaction.

• The very idea made me laugh.
• The very sight of blood frightened her.
• His face brightened at the very mention of home.

Comment l'utiliser : the very + noun + of something (The very thought of flying makes him nervous.)

Synonymes : mere

Expressions courantes : the very idea, the very thought, the very mention