Conjugation of french verbs

In French, a verb is inflected to reflect its mood and tense, as well as to agree with its subject in person and number. Following the tradition of Latin grammar, the set of inflected forms of a French verb is called the verb's conjugation.

More than 10 000 French verbs exist, but only 2 000 of them are frequently used.


First group verbs

The french first group verbs are the verbs ending in -er. This is the largest class (90% of french verbs). French verbs ending in -er inflect somewhat differently from other verbs. Between the stem and the inflectional endings that are common across most verbs, there may be a vowel, which in the case of the -er verbs is a silent -e- (in the simple present singular), or -ai /e/ (in the past participle and the je form of the simple past), and -a- /a/ (in the rest of simple past singular and in the past subjunctive). In addition, the orthographic -t found in the -ir and -re verbs in the singular of the simple present and past is not found in this conjugation, so that the final consonants are -Ø, -s, -Ø rather than -s, -s, -t.

The conjugation table of the first group follow the conjugation of the verb aimer. The endings for the conjugation of the french first group verbs are regular (even if the stems are not always regular).

Endings for the conjugation of the french first group verbs

  • INFINITIVE : -er
  • INDICATIVE
    • Present :-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
    • Imperfect : -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
    • Simple Future : -erai, -eras, -era, -erons, -erez, -eront
    • Simple Past : -ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent
  • SUBJUNCTIVE
    • Present : -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent
    • Imperfect : -asse, -asses, -ât, -assions, -assiez, -assent
  • CONDITIONAL
    • Present : -erais, -erais, -erait, -erions, -eriez, -eraient
  • IMPERATIVE
    • Present : -e, -ons, -ez
  • PARTICIPLE
    • Present : -ant
    • Past : -é, -és, -ée, ées

Compound tenses

Conjugations for the different French verb tenses can be divided into two categories: simple and compound. Simple tenses have only one part (je suis) whereas compound tenses have two: an auxiliary verb and the past participle (j'ai été). The auxiliary verb is always either avoir or être.
There are 8 compound tenses based on the conjugation of the auxiliaries in the 8 simple tenses added to the past participle:
  • auxiliary in present indicative + past participle of main verb = present perfect indicative (passé composé de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect indicative + past participle of main verb = pluperfect indicative (plus-que-parfait de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple past indicative + past participle of main verb = past perfect indicative (passé antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple future indicative + past participle of main verb = future perfect indicative (futur antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in present subjunctive + past participle of main verb = past subjunctive (passé du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect subjunctive + past participle of main verb = pluperfect subjunctive (plus-que-parfait du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in present conditional + past participle of main verb = past conditional (conditionnel passé)
  • auxiliary in present imperative + past participle of main verb = past imperative (impératif passé)


Second group verbs

The french second group verbs are the verbs ending in -ir. The conjugation table of the secound group follow the conjugation of the verb finir. The -ir verbs differ from the -er verbs in the following points:
The vowel of the inflections is always -i-, for example -isse in the past subjunctive rather than the -asse of the -er verbs.
A few of the singular inflections themselves change, though this is purely orthographic and does not affect the pronunciation: in the simple present and past, these are -s, -s, -t rather than -Ø, -s, -Ø. (The change in pronunciation is due to the change of vowel from e, ai, a to -i-.)
In the simple present, imperfect, the present subjunctive, and the gerund, a suffix -iss- /is/ appears between the root and the inflectional endings. In the simple present singular, this suffix has disappeared and the endings are -is, -is, -it.
The stem of the second group verbs is regular except for the verbs fleurir and haïr.
The endings for the conjugation of the french secound group verbs are regular.

Endings for the conjugation of the french second group verbs

  • INFINITIVE : -ir
  • INDICATIVE
    • Present : -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent
    • Imperfect : -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient
    • Simple future : -irai, -iras, -ira, -irons, -irez, -iront
    • Simple past : -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent
  • SUBJUNCTIVE
    • Present : -isse, -isses, -isse, -issions, -issiez, -issent
    • Imperfect : -isse, -isses, -ît, -issions, -issiez, -issent
  • CONDITIONAL
    • Present : -irais, -irais, -irait, -irions, -iriez, -iraient
  • IMPERATIVE
    • Present : -is, -issons, -issez
  • PARTICIPLE
    • Present : -issant
    • Past : -i

Compound tenses

Conjugations for the different French verb tenses can be divided into two categories: simple and compound. Simple tenses have only one part (je suis) whereas compound tenses have two: an auxiliary verb and the past participle (j'ai été). The auxiliary verb is always either avoir or être.
There are 8 compound tenses based on the conjugation of the auxiliaries in the 8 simple tenses added to the past participle:
  • auxiliary in present indicative + past participle of main verb = present perfect indicative (passé composé de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect indicative + past participle of main verb = pluperfect indicative (plus-que-parfait de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple past indicative + past participle of main verb = past perfect indicative (passé antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple future indicative + past participle of main verb = future perfect indicative (futur antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in present subjunctive + past participle of main verb = past subjunctive (passé du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect subjunctive + past participle of main verb = pluperfect subjunctive (plus-que-parfait du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in present conditional + past participle of main verb = past conditional (conditionnel passé)
  • auxiliary in present imperative + past participle of main verb = past imperative (impératif passé)



Third group verbs

The first two groups follow a regular conjugation, whereas the third group follows an irregular one. The third group is considered a closed-class conjugation form, meaning that most new verbs introduced to the French language are of the first group (téléviser, atomiser, radiographier, verbs in -er), with the remaining ones being of the second group (verbs in -ir). The verb aller is the only verb ending in -er belonging to the third group. Some verbs of the third group are totally irregulars: dire, faire, pouvoir, savoir, valoir, vouloir.

Below you will find the endings of the third group verbs for each tense.

Endings


Present indicative

There are two types of endings in present indicative :

First type of endings for the verbs: assaillir, couvrir, cueillir, défaillir, offrir, ouvrir, souffrir, tressaillir and other similars verbs :
-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent

Second type of endings for the others verbs:
-s -ds ou -x, -s -ds ou -x, -t ou -d, -ons, -ez, -ent


Simple past indicative

There are four types of endings in simple past indicative : -a, in -i, in -u or in -in :

Endings in -a only for the verb aller: -ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent :
J'allai, tu allas, il alla, nous allâmes, vous allâtes, ils allèrent.

Endings in -i for the -ir verbs and -re verbs : -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent.
Je descendis, tu descendis, il descendit, nous descendîmes, vous descendîtes, ils descendirent.

Endings in -u for the verbs: courir, boire, émouvoir, lire, moudre, pouvoir, taire, vivre... : -us, -us, -ut, -ûmes, -ûtes, -urent.
Je courus, tu courus, il courut, nous courûmes, vous courûtes, ils coururent.

Endings in -in for the verbs tenir, venir and other similars verbs : -ins, -ins, -int, -înmes, -întes, -inrent :
Je tins, tu tins, il tint, nous tînmes, vous tîntes, ils tinrent.


Simple future indicative

In simple future, endings are always -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.
Je partirai, tu partiras, il partira, nous partirons, vous partirez, ils partiront

Only the stem changes for a few verbs :
For the -re verbs, the final -e is removed:
Je descendrai ; je prendrai ; je répandrai ; je boirai

For the verbs: acquérir, courir, mourir, pouvoir, voir, and similars verbs, another r is added to the stem :
J'acquerrai ; je courrai ; je mourrai ; je pourrai ; je verrai

Le future stem of verb cueillir and similars verbs is cueiller- :
Tu cueilleras, nous accueillerons, ils recueilleraient

Totally irregulars verbs :
Aller => j'irai, Avoir => j'aurai, Etre => je serai


Present conditional

In present conditional the endings are the following : -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Je partirais, tu partirais, il partirait, nous partirions, vous partiriez, ils partiraient

Le stem is the same as simple futur:
je boirai / je boirais ; tu pourras / tu pourrais ; il cueillera / il cueillerait ; nous irons /nous irions


Present subjunctive

The stem in present subjunctive is usually derived from that of the third person plural in present indicative except for the verbs aller, avoir, être, faire, falloir, pouvoir, savoir, traire, valoir, vouloir :
Verb suivre, in present indicative : je suis, tu suis, il suit, nous suivons, vous suivez, ils suivent.
Verb suivre, in present subjunctive: (que) je suive, tu suives, il suive, nous suivions, vous suiviez, ils suivent.
Verb vouloir, in present indicative : je veux, tu veux, il veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils veulent.
Verb vouloir, in present subjunctive: (que) je veuille, tu veuilles, il veuille, nous voulions, vous vouliez, ils veuillent.

When the stem of the first and second person plural in present indicative is not the same as the four other persons, the stem of the first and second person plural in present indicative is used for the first and second person plural in present subjunctive :
Verbe devoir, in present indicative : je dois, tu dois, il doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent.
Verbe devoir, in present subjunctive: (que) je doive, tu doives, il doive, nous devions, vous deviez, ils doivent.

Endings are the followings except for être and avoir : -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
que je sorte, que tu sortes, qu'il sorte, que nous sortions, que vous sortiez, qu'ils sortent


Imperfect subjonctive

The stem in imperfect subjunctive is derived from that of the secund person singular in simple past indicative (except for the secund person singular where the s is replace by the accent ^ on the preceding vowel). There are four type of endings in imperfect subjonctive: -se, -ses, -^t, -sions, -siez, -sent :

Endings in -a (only for the verb aller):
(Il fallait) que j'allasse, que tu allasses, qu'il allât, que nous allassions, que vous allassiez, qu'ils allassent

Endings in -i:
(Il fallait) que je prisse, que tu prisses, qu'il prît, que nous prissions, que vous prissiez, qu'ils prissent

Endings in -u:
(Il fallait) que je pusse, que tu pusses, qu'il pût, que nous pussions, que vous pussiez, qu'ils pussent

Endings in -in:
(Il fallait) que je vinsse, que tu vinsses, qu'il vînt, que nous vinssions, que vous vinssiez, qu'ils vinssent


Imperative

The conjugation in present subjunctive is usually derived from that of the conjugation in present indicative.:
Bois, buvons, buvez

Exceptions: avoir , être, savoir, vouloir, assaillir, couvrir, cueillir, défaillir, offrir, ouvrir, souffrir, tressaillir and derived verbs.
Aie, ayons, ayez
Sois, soyons, soyez
Sache, sachons, sachez
Veuille, veuillons, veuillez
Cueille, ouvre, va, aie, sache, veuille


Past participle

Past participle in for verbs: aller, être, naître, naitre :
Allé, été, né

Past participle in -i for verbs: rire, suivre, luire, suffire, nuire and for verbs in -ir (except for the verbs courir, couvrir, férir, mourir, offrir, ouvrir, quérir, souffrir, tenir, venir, vêtir and similar verbs) :
Parti, souri, sorti, suivi, suffi, lui, nui, ri

Past participle in -u for verbs in -oir (except asseoir and similar verbs) for verbs in -ir (courir, férir, tenir, venir, vêtir and similar verbs) and for verbs in -re (except absoudre, clore, dissoudre, éclore, inclure, mettre, prendre and similar verbs) :
Pu, voulu, vu, bu, descendu, tordu, couru, tenu, venu, vêtu

Past participle in -s (-is, -os ou -us) for verbs: absoudre, acquérir, asseoir ou assoir, circoncire, clore, conquérir, dissoudre, enquérir, inclure, mettre, occire, prendre and similar verbs.
Acquis, conquis, enquis, requis, circoncis, mis, occis, pris, sis, clos, absous, dissous, inclus

Past participle in -t (-ait, -int, -it, -ort, -ert):
  • for verbs in -ir (couvrir, offrir, mourir, ouvrir, souffrir): Couvert, offert, mort, ouvert, souffert
  • for verbs in -indre and in -uire (except for luire and nuire): Craint, joint, peint, bruit, cuit
  • for verbs in -re (confire, dire, écrire, frire, faire, traire): Confit, dit, écrit, frit, fait, trait


Compound tenses

Conjugations for the different French verb tenses can be divided into two categories: simple and compound. Simple tenses have only one part (je suis) whereas compound tenses have two: an auxiliary verb and the past participle (j'ai été). The auxiliary verb is always either avoir or être.
There are 8 compound tenses based on the conjugation of the auxiliaries in the 8 simple tenses added to the past participle:
  • auxiliary in present indicative + past participle of main verb = present perfect indicative (passé composé de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect indicative + past participle of main verb = pluperfect indicative (plus-que-parfait de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple past indicative + past participle of main verb = past perfect indicative (passé antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in simple future indicative + past participle of main verb = future perfect indicative (futur antérieur de l'indicatif)
  • auxiliary in present subjunctive + past participle of main verb = past subjunctive (passé du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in imperfect subjunctive + past participle of main verb = pluperfect subjunctive (plus-que-parfait du subjonctif)
  • auxiliary in present conditional + past participle of main verb = past conditional (conditionnel passé)
  • auxiliary in present imperative + past participle of main verb = past imperative (impératif passé)