rapprocher — French conjugation

to bring closer

Frequency#313RegularReflexivese rapprocher — to get closer

Indicative

Present (Présent) Regular

Use the présent for habits, what is true now, and what is about to happen soon. A single set of endings covers what English often splits into “I speak” and “I am speaking”.

Elle parle arabe et français.

PronounFrench
jerapproche
turapproches
il/ellerapproche
nousrapprochons
vousrapprochez
ils/ellesrapprochent

Simple past (Passé simple) Regular

The passé simple narrates completed past events in a literary or very formal style. In everyday conversation people use the passé composé instead, so you mostly meet this form in books and journalism.

Ils virent le roi s'approcher.

PronounFrench
jerapprochai
turapprochas
il/ellerapprocha
nousrapprochâmes
vousrapprochâtes
ils/ellesrapprochèrent

Imperfect (Imparfait) Regular

The imparfait describes ongoing or repeated past actions and sets the background — how things were, what used to happen, weather, feelings. The passé composé, by contrast, marks single completed events.

Quand j'étais petit, j'allais souvent à la piscine.

PronounFrench
jerapprochais
turapprochais
il/ellerapprochait
nousrapprochions
vousrapprochiez
ils/ellesrapprochaient

Conditional (Conditionnel) Regular

The conditionnel is for polite questions and requests, “would”-type hypotheticals, and what someone said would happen. It is also the usual consequent clause in si + imparfait → conditionnel patterns.

Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

PronounFrench
jerapprocherais
turapprocherais
il/ellerapprocherait
nousrapprocherions
vousrapprocheriez
ils/ellesrapprocheraient

Future (Futur) Regular

The futur is for future plans and objective predictions. In speech, aller + infinitive is often clearer for the immediate future, while the simple future is common for facts further ahead or in writing.

Demain, nous dînerons chez eux.

PronounFrench
jerapprocherai
turapprocheras
il/ellerapprochera
nousrapprocherons
vousrapprocherez
ils/ellesrapprocheront

Present perfect (Passé composé) Regular

The passé composé is the main spoken past for completed, bounded actions (often with a time adverb). Use avoir with most verbs; être is required for a fixed group of motion/inchange and all pronominal verbs, with participle agreement when necessary.

Elle est venue tôt, puis elle a téléphoné.

PronounFrench
jej'ai rapproché
tutu as rapproché
il/elleil/elle a rapproché
nousnous avons rapproché
vousvous avez rapproché
ils/ellesils/elles ont rapproché

Pluperfect (Plus-que-parfait) Regular

The plus-que-parfait is the “earlier past”: one action was already over before another past moment. It answers “had already” when a story is anchored in a past time.

Déjà, il avait fini quand je suis arrivé.

PronounFrench
jej'avais rapproché
tutu avais rapproché
il/elleil/elle avait rapproché
nousnous avions rapproché
vousvous aviez rapproché
ils/ellesils/elles avaient rapproché

Conditional perfect (Conditionnel passé) Regular

The conditionnel passé states what would have been true, plans that failed, and unreal past if-clauses (often with si + plus-que-parfait in the apodose).

J'aurais dit oui, mais c'était impossible.

PronounFrench
jej'aurais rapproché
tutu aurais rapproché
il/elleil/elle aurait rapproché
nousnous aurions rapproché
vousvous auriez rapproché
ils/ellesils/elles auraient rapproché

Future perfect (Futur antérieur) Regular

The futur antérieur marks an action that will be finished before a later future moment (by then I will have…). It can also suggest a conjecture about a recent past fact in formal or literary use.

D'ici samedi, j'aurai lu le rapport.

PronounFrench
jej'aurai rapproché
tutu auras rapproché
il/elleil/elle aura rapproché
nousnous aurons rapproché
vousvous aurez rapproché
ils/ellesils/elles auront rapproché

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjonctif présent) Regular

The present subjunctive appears in subordinate clauses after desire, doubt, fear, need, and many impersonals, usually when the subject of the subordinate is different. Learn common triggers: il faut que, je veux que, je doute que…

Il faut qu'il parte avant midi.

PronounFrench
jerapproche
turapproches
il/ellerapproche
nousrapprochions
vousrapprochiez
ils/ellesrapprochent

Imperfect subjunctive (Subjonctif imparfait) Regular

The imparfait du subjonctif is a literary and formal past subjunctive. In modern speech, the present subjunctive usually replaces it for the same meaning.

Bien qu'il fût fatigué, il continua.

PronounFrench
jerapprochasse
turapprochasses
il/ellerapprochât
nousrapprochassions
vousrapprochassiez
ils/ellesrapprochassent

Other forms

Imperative (Impératif) Regular

The imperative is for direct orders and advice to tu, nous, and vous. For many -er verbs, the tu form drops the final -s of the present (parle!); negatives use the subjunctive-like forms in practice.

Fermons la porte, s'il vous plaît !

PronounFrench
turapproche
nousrapprochons
vousrapprochez