Le système d’assurage freine la corde.

to brake

Breakdown of Le système d’assurage freine la corde.

• la corde: the climbing rope
• le système d’assurage: the belay device

Questions & Answers about Le système d’assurage freine la corde.

Why is it d’assurage instead of de assurage?

Because de becomes d’ before a vowel sound. This is called elision.

• de + assurage → d’assurage

French does this very often:

• de eau → d’eau
• de accord → d’accord

So le système d’assurage means the belaying system or literally the system of belaying.

What does assurage mean here, and is it the same as assurance?

No, they are not the same.

• assurage is a technical word used in climbing. It refers to belaying.
• assurance usually means insurance, confidence, or reassurance, depending on context.

So in a climbing sentence, assurage is the correct word.

What grammatical form is freine?