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Support, soutien or assistance? Translating "support" in French
Un support is a physical support or medium; emotional support is le soutien; tech support is l'assistance or le support technique. Choose the right word.
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In short
Choose by meaning: emotional or political support is le soutien (merci pour ton soutien); technical help is l'assistance or le support technique; un support is mainly a physical holder or a medium (un support de cours, course materials). To support a team: supporter or soutenir.
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- un supportsupport (help, encouragement)a holder, stand; a medium (paper, digital)
Le support de cours est en ligne.The course materials are online.
Emotional support: le soutien: Merci pour ton soutien.
- supporterto support (help)to put up with, tolerate; (sport) to support a team
Je ne supporte pas le bruit.I can't stand noise.
To support someone through difficulty: soutenir quelqu'un.
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Thanks for your support. | Merci pour ton soutien. |
| Contact customer support. | Contactez le service client / l'assistance. |
| I support the project. | Je soutiens le projet. |
| I can't stand him. | Je ne le supporte pas. |
| a phone holder | un support pour téléphone |
| course materials | un support de cours |
| I support Lyon (football). | Je suis supporter de l'OL. |
The trap is supporter: in everyday French it mostly means "to tolerate", so Je ne supporte pas mon chef is "I can't stand my boss", not "I don't support him". Soutenir is the safe verb for backing or helping someone. In IT, le support technique is now widely used alongside l'assistance technique.
Le stade était plein de supporters marseillais.
The stadium was full of Marseille supporters.
In sport, un supporter is a fan.
- Je supporte ta décision.Je soutiens ta décision.
Backing a decision: soutenir.
- Merci pour ton support.Merci pour ton soutien.
Emotional support: le soutien.
- Je ne peux pas soutenir ce bruit.Je ne supporte pas ce bruit.
Tolerating: supporter.