B2verb · transitive · rare

conceive

conceive · conceives · conceived · conceiving

розуміти, завагітніти, задумувати

понимать, забеременеть, зачать, беременеть

empfangen, schwanger werden, verstehen, konzipieren

To have a child; to become pregnantTo have a child; to become pregnant (with).

ⓘ

/kənˈsiːv/

» I can't conceive of living without him.

Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, ohne ihn zu leben.

Не могу представить себе жизнь без него.

Я не можу уявити життя без нього.

Не можу уявити собі життя без нього.

Meaning

4 senses

(ambitransitive)To have a child; to become pregnant (with).
Assisted procreation can help those trying to conceive.
empfangen, schwanger werden
бере́менетьberémenetʹ, забере́менетьzaberémenetʹ, зача́тьzačátʹ
завагі́тнітиzavahítnity
become pregnant; undergo conception
(transitive)To develop; to form in the mind; to imagine.
konzipieren, erdenken, ersinnen
замышлятьzamyšljatʹ
заду́муватиzadúmuvaty
(ambitransitive, ditransitive, with of)To imagine (as); to have a conception of; to form a representation of.
Can you conceive of him as a leader?
have the idea for
(transitive)To understand (someone).
empfangen, verstehen
понима́тьponimátʹ
розумі́тиrozumíty

Examples

75 sentences

I can't conceive of living without him.
Я не можу уявити життя без нього.
ruНе могу представить себе жизнь без него.
deIch kann mir nicht vorstellen, ohne ihn zu leben.
CC BY · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I can't conceive of her deceiving me.
CC BY · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I can't conceive of Tom doing that.
ruЯ не могу представить себе, что Том это сделал.
CC BY · Tatoeba · sharptoothed · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Layla wasn't able to conceive children.
CC BY · Tatoeba · OsoHombre · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Mary conceived the diabolical master plan.
CC BY · Tatoeba · LimeGreenTeknii · C1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

8 languages

Українська

By meaning 3

to become pregnant:

to develop an idea:

to understand someone:

Русский

By meaning 3

to become pregnant:

to develop an idea:

to understand someone:

Deutsch

By meaning 3

to become pregnant:

to develop an idea:

to understand someone:

Origin

From Middle English conceyven, from Old French concevoir, conceveir, from Latin concipiō,

From Middle English conceyven, from Old French concevoir, conceveir, from Latin concipiō, concipere (“to devise, to conceive”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

conceives, conceiving, conceived, conceived

Base form	conceive · to conceive
3rd person singular	conceives
Present participle	conceiving
Past simple	conceived
Past participle	conceived

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, they	conceive
he, she, it	conceives

Past simpleLesson

all persons

conceived

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, they	have conceived
he, she, it	has conceived

Future simple (will)Lesson

all persons

will conceive

Synonyms

6 synonyms

Close in meaning

have the idea for:gestate conceptualize conceptualise
judge or regard; look upon; judge:think believe consider

Word family

15 related words

DerivedconceivableB2 coconceive conceivability foreconceive malconceived misconceive nonconceiving preconceive reconceive unconceived unconceiving

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle