s'activer — French conjugation

to get busy

RegularReflexiveactiver → s'activer

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
jem'active
tut'actives
il/elles'active
nousnous activons
vousvous activez
ils/elless'activent

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
jem'activai
tut'activas
il/elles'activa
nousnous activâmes
vousvous activâtes
ils/elless'activèrent

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
jem'activais
tut'activais
il/elles'activait
nousnous activions
vousvous activiez
ils/elless'activaient

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
jem'activerais
tut'activerais
il/elles'activerait
nousnous activerions
vousvous activeriez
ils/elless'activeraient

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
jem'activerai
tut'activeras
il/elles'activera
nousnous activerons
vousvous activerez
ils/elless'activeront

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
jem'active
tut'actives
il/elles'active
nousnous activions
vousvous activiez
ils/elless'activent

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
jem'activasse
tut'activasses
il/elles'activât
nousnous activassions
vousvous activassiez
ils/elless'activassent