Élever vs. augmenter vs. accroître vs. hausser
The French language has several terms to describe the concept of 'to raise' or 'to increase', and although they can sometimes be used interchangeably, they also possess their specific nuances. The words 'élever', 'augmenter', 'accroître', and 'hausser' reflect different aspects of this act or process of increasing or raising. We will explore these subtleties, illustrating them with examples.
Élever
To bring up, to rear, to elevate, or to lift up, often used in the context of raising children, animals or constructing something physically higher.
Elle élève trois enfants toute seule.
(She is raising three children on her own.)
L'architecte voulait élever le plafond de deux mètres.
(The architect wanted to raise the ceiling by two meters.)
Augmenter
To increase in a general sense, often referring to quantities, prices, volumes, or intensities.
Il faut augmenter la production pour répondre à la demande.
(Production needs to be increased to meet demand.)
Les prix ont augmenté de 10% cette année.
(Prices have gone up by 10% this year.)
Accroître
To increase, to grow, or to enlarge, usually used with abstract notions such as wealth, influence, or reputation; but can also apply to physical things like areas or quantities. Its use often suggests a gradual process.
Nous devons accroître notre présence sur les marchés internationaux.
(We need to increase our presence in international markets.)
L'entreprise cherche à accroître ses profits chaque année.
(The company seeks to grow its profits each year.)
Hausser
To raise or to lift something directly and sometimes abruptly; primarily used with body parts, prices, sounds, and can also refer to increasing the level of something.
Haussant les épaules, il a continué son chemin.
(Shrugging his shoulders, he continued on his way.)
Le gouvernement a haussé les taxes.
(The government has raised taxes.)
Summary
In summary, while all four French words can relate to the idea of increasing or raising something, 'élever' is more associated with upbringing and physically lifting something higher; 'augmenter' is a more general term for any kind of increase; 'accroître' denotes a focus on enlargement or growth, often over time; and 'hausser' implies raising or lifting up something more directly and possibly swiftly. Each term has its specific contexts where it is appropriately applied. Understanding these differences helps in grasping the nuances of the French language better.