simplifier — French conjugation

to simplify

Frequency#633Regular

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jesimplifieI simplify
tusimplifiesyou simplify
il/ellesimplifiehe/she/it simplifies
noussimplifionswe simplify
voussimplifiezyou (pl.) simplify
ils/ellessimplifientthey simplify

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jesimplifiaiI simplified
tusimplifiasyou simplified
il/ellesimplifiahe/she/it simplified
noussimplifiâmeswe simplified
voussimplifiâtesyou (pl.) simplified
ils/ellessimplifièrentthey simplified

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
jesimplifiais
tusimplifiais
il/ellesimplifiait
noussimplifiions
voussimplifiiez
ils/ellessimplifiaient

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 ?

PronounFrenchEnglish
jesimplifieraisI would simplify
tusimplifieraisyou would simplify
il/ellesimplifieraithe/she/it would simplify
noussimplifierionswe would simplify
voussimplifieriezyou (pl.) would simplify
ils/ellessimplifieraientthey would simplify

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jesimplifieraiI will simplify
tusimplifierasyou will simplify
il/ellesimplifierahe/she/it will simplify
noussimplifieronswe will simplify
voussimplifierezyou (pl.) will simplify
ils/ellessimplifierontthey will simplify

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jej'ai simplifiéI have simplified
tutu as simplifiéyou have simplified
il/elleil/elle a simplifiéhe/she/it has simplified
nousnous avons simplifiéwe have simplified
vousvous avez simplifiéyou (pl.) have simplified
ils/ellesils/elles ont simplifiéthey have simplified

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jej'avais simplifiéI had simplified
tutu avais simplifiéyou had simplified
il/elleil/elle avait simplifiéhe/she/it had simplified
nousnous avions simplifiéwe had simplified
vousvous aviez simplifiéyou (pl.) had simplified
ils/ellesils/elles avaient simplifiéthey had simplified

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 simplifié
tutu aurais simplifié
il/elleil/elle aurait simplifié
nousnous aurions simplifié
vousvous auriez simplifié
ils/ellesils/elles auraient simplifié

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.

PronounFrenchEnglish
jej'aurai simplifiéI will have simplified
tutu auras simplifiéyou will have simplified
il/elleil/elle aura simplifiéhe/she/it will have simplified
nousnous aurons simplifiéwe will have simplified
vousvous aurez simplifiéyou (pl.) will have simplified
ils/ellesils/elles auront simplifiéthey will have simplified

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
jesimplifie
tusimplifies
il/ellesimplifie
noussimplifiions
voussimplifiiez
ils/ellessimplifient

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
jesimplifiasse
tusimplifiasses
il/ellesimplifiât
noussimplifiassions
voussimplifiassiez
ils/ellessimplifiassent

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
tusimplifie
noussimplifions
voussimplifiez