s'improviser — French conjugation

to become (something) overnight (s'improviser cuisinier)

RegularReflexiveimproviser → s'improviser

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'improvise
tut'improvises
il/elles'improvise
nousnous improvisons
vousvous improvisez
ils/elless'improvisent

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'improvisai
tut'improvisas
il/elles'improvisa
nousnous improvisâmes
vousvous improvisâtes
ils/elless'improvisèrent

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'improvisais
tut'improvisais
il/elles'improvisait
nousnous improvisions
vousvous improvisiez
ils/elless'improvisaient

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'improviserais
tut'improviserais
il/elles'improviserait
nousnous improviserions
vousvous improviseriez
ils/elless'improviseraient

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'improviserai
tut'improviseras
il/elles'improvisera
nousnous improviserons
vousvous improviserez
ils/elless'improviseront

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'improvise
tut'improvises
il/elles'improvise
nousnous improvisions
vousvous improvisiez
ils/elless'improvisent

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'improvisasse
tut'improvisasses
il/elles'improvisât
nousnous improvisassions
vousvous improvisassiez
ils/elless'improvisassent