converse

English

Etymology 1

From Old French converser, from Latin conversare (“live, have dealings with”)

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /kənˈvɜːs/, SAMPA: /k@n"v3:s/
• (US) enPR: kənvûrs', IPA: /kənˈvɝs/, SAMPA: /k@n"v3`s/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)s

Verb

converse (third-person singular simple present converses, present participle conversing, simple past and past participle conversed)

1. (formal, intransitive) To talk; to engage in conversation.

Derived terms

• conversation

Translations

to engage in conversation

Bulgarian: разговарям (bg), беседвам (bg) Chinese: Mandarin: 通話 (zh), 通话 (zh) (tōnghuà) Croatian: razgovárati (hr) Dutch: converseren (nl) Esperanto: interparoli (eo) Finnish: keskustella (fi) French: converser (fr) Hebrew: שוחח (he) (sokhéakh)

Hindi: बात करना (hi) (bāt karnā) Icelandic: spjalla (is), tala saman (is) Italian: conversare (it) Latin: colloquor (la), fabulor (la) Portuguese: conversar (pt) Russian: беседовать (ru) (besédovat'), общаться (ru) (obščát'sja), разговаривать (ru) (razgovárivat') Spanish: conversar (es) Urdu: بات کرنا (ur) (bāt karnā) Welsh: ymddiddan (cy)

Noun

converse (plural converses)

1. (archaic or poetic) Familiar discourse; free interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat
   • Edward Young, Love of Fame, the Universal Passion, Satire V, On Women, lines 44-46

     Twice ere the sun descends, with zeal inspir'd,

     From the vain converse of the world retir'd,

     She reads the psalms and chapters for the day,

Etymology 2

From Latin conversus (“turned around”), past participle of converto (“turn about”)

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒnvɜːs/, SAMPA: /"kQnv3:s/
• (US) enPR: kŏn'vûrs, IPA: /ˈkɑnvɝs/, SAMPA: /"kAnv3`s/

Noun

converse (plural converses)

1. The opposite or reverse.
2. (logic) Of a proposition or theorem of the form: given that "If A is true, then B is true", then "If B is true, then A is true."
   equivalently: given that "All Xs are Ys", then "All Ys are Xs".

   All trees are plants, but the converse, that all plants are trees, is not true.

Derived terms

• conversely

Translations

opposite

Bulgarian: обратно (bg) n. Dutch: tegenovergestelde (nl)

Finnish: päinvastainen (fi)

proposition of the specific form

Bulgarian: обратна теорема (bg)

Icelandic: andhverfing (is) f.

Anagrams

• conserve
• coveners

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Italian

Alternative forms

• convergé (rare)

Verb

converse

1. third-person singular past historic of convergere

Anagrams

• conserve
• scernevo

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Latin

Participle

converse

1. vocative masculine singular of conversus

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Spanish

Verb

converse (infinitive conversar)

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of conversar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of conversar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of conversar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of conversar.