Confidently Conjugate Être in French (With Charts and Examples)

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Have you ever heard the quote “Je pense, donc je suis” (I believe, subsequently I’m) by thinker René Descartes? The irregular verb used is être—probably the most generally used verb within the French language. In English, it interprets as “to be” however it’s conjugated to “am” within the well-known assertion above. 

Because it’s an irregular verb, you won’t acknowledge it whenever you’re simply studying French, however this information will show you how to be taught to conjugate être like a professional. You’ll have the ability to converse French extra fluently and comply with essential French grammar guidelines which might be important for constructing sentences. Être conjugation takes apply, however it’s your constructing block to expressing your state of being and a lot extra!

Why you could know the best way to conjugate être in French

To succeed in the A1 (newbie) CEFR stage in French, you might have to have the ability to introduce your self and others, and you’ve got to have the ability to ask and reply primary questions on your life, environment, and many others. As you grasp these conversational expertise, you’ll typically want to make use of a conjugation of être prior to now, current, or future tense. 

You possibly can’t say easy issues like, Je suis américain/américaine (“I’m American.”) or J’étais à Paris (“I used to be in Paris.”) with out realizing the best way to conjugate être.

Être within the présent (current tense)

The very first thing to know is that there are a lot of verb tenses in French, simply as there are in English. You’ll must know the way the French conjugate être in each, beginning with the commonest: French current tense. 

That is the best and most typical verb tense, so that you’ll seemingly be taught most of your verb conjugations on this tense earlier than transferring on to different tenses. 

Listed below are a couple of sentence examples of utilizing être within the current tense:

• Les enfants sont dans la classe. = The kids are within the classroom.
• La voiture est rouge. = The automobile is pink.
• Le médecin est là. = The physician is right here.

Être within the passé composé (previous tense)

In French, the passé composé tense signifies actions which might be each finite and full—they occurred prior to now. It’s generally known as the “completed previous.” For the verb être, we are able to consider this as sentences with “was” or “had been” in them. Identical to many different French verbs, to conjugate être in passé composé, you’ll use avoir as an auxiliary verb.

When utilizing être prior to now tense, it’s essential to keep in mind that “being” is a steady state, so être typically makes use of the imparfait conjugation. To assist illustrate the distinction between passé composé vs imparfait conjugations, let’s have a look at this sentence: “Final 12 months, I used to be sick.”

• Passé composé: L’année dernière, j’ai été vraiment malade. = Final 12 months, I used to be actually sick (at one level).
• Imparfait: L’année dernière, j’étais vraiment malade. = Final 12 months, I used to be actually sick (typically or all 12 months).

Within the passé composé tense, the sentence implies that you simply had been sick for a short time period. However within the imparfait tense, you’re implying that you simply had been sick for an prolonged time period. Ultimately, both tense will get the purpose throughout, however it’s as much as your judgment as to which one is “extra” appropriate. Typically, utilizing être within the imparfait tense is the correct option to go.

Keep in mind to have topic settlement when conjugating être within the passé composé. This implies when you have an adjective, like content material within the instance under, you could add an “-e” on the finish if the topic is female and an “-s” on the finish for plural topics. 

• Masculine: J’ai été content material de te voir. = I used to be blissful to see you. 
• Female: J’ai été content materiale de te voir. = I used to be blissful to see you.
• Plural: Ils étaient content materials de vous voir. = They had been blissful to see you. 

Être within the imparfait (imperfect tense)

As we defined above, conjugating être for the previous typically makes use of the imparfait tense. This tense describes states of being and actions that had been ongoing or repeated prior to now.

You’ll most frequently use l’imparfait to explain issues that you simply used to do repeatedly, emotions you had, or locations you’ve been.

• Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais du piano. = After I was a toddler, I used to play the piano.
• Il était content material de te voir. = He was blissful to see you.
• Nous étions dans la forêt quand il a commencé à neiger. = We had been within the forest when it began to snow.

Être within the futur easy (future tense)

Conjugating être sooner or later tense is much like different French verbs. You merely drop the ending of the verb and add the suitable ending. Nevertheless, as être is a extremely irregular verb, the stem phrase for être sooner or later tense is ser.

For sentences the place you wish to categorical what you “will do” or “will probably be,” you’ll use the longer term tense of être.

• Je serai en retard pour la réunion de 14h. = I will probably be late for our 2 p.m. assembly.
• L’été prochain, ils seront en France pour deux semaines. = Subsequent summer time, they will probably be in France for 2 weeks.
• Elle sera absente la semaine prochaine. = She will probably be out subsequent week.

Être within the subjonctif présent (subjunctive tense)

In French, emotions like doubt and need require the subjunctive current tense, as do expressions of necessity, risk, and judgment. This tense can also be known as a “temper” because it expresses issues which might be subjective or unsure.

Listed below are a pair examples of subjective concepts utilizing être within the subjunctive current tense:

• Il faut que tu sois gentil(le) avec tes amis. = You should be good to your pals.
• Je ne pense pas que ce soit une bonne idée. = I don’t assume it is a good suggestion.
• Il est attainable que nous soyons en retard. =  It’s attainable that we could be late.

Être within the impératif (crucial)

The crucial kind is used to present orders or recommendation to a number of folks. The crucial solely exists within the tu, nous, and vous varieties. To conjugate être within the crucial is identical as for the subjunctive current tense, however the topic pronouns are omitted.

• Sois gentil(le). = Be good.
• Soyons sufferers. = Let’s be affected person.
• Soyez heureux. = Be blissful.

Être as an auxiliary verb

When you’ve learn our information to French verb conjugation, chances are you’ll keep in mind that verbs within the passé composé require an auxiliary verb to kind the tense. Most French verbs use avoir because the auxiliary verb, however there are 17 verbs that use être because the auxiliary verb.

Forming passé composé utilizing être follows the identical sample as verbs that use avoir. First, être is conjugated within the current tense adopted by the previous participle of the verb exhibiting the motion. Listed below are the 17 verbs that use être within the passé composé:

Verbs whose serving to verb is être should present settlement of their previous participle in gender and quantity. This implies including an “-e” to the tip for female topics and including an “-s” for plural topics.

Masculine topics:

• Je suis allé au cinéma. = I went to the flicks. 
• Tu es parti vendredi dernier. = You left final Friday.
• Il est né le 2 avril 1910. = He was born on April 2nd, 1910.

Female topics:

• Je suis allée au cinéma. = I went to the flicks.
• Tu es partie vendredi dernier. = You left final Friday.
• Elle est née le 2 avril 1910. = She was born on April 2nd, 1910.

Plural masculine topics:

• Vous êtes venus nous rendre visite l’année dernière. = You got here to go to us final 12 months.
• Ils sont sortis ensemble. = They are going out collectively.
• Nous sommes arrivés en retard. = We arrived late.

Plural female topics:

• Vous êtes venues nous rendre visite l’année dernière. = You got here to go to us final 12 months.

• Elles sont sorties ensemble. = They went out collectively.
• Nous sommes arrivées en retard. = We arrived late.

6 methods to make use of être appropriately in French

As the commonest verb within the French language, être is used to precise emotions, traits, your location, and extra! Figuring out the best way to use and conjugate être will show you how to speak about your self and the folks round you.

1. To specific a state of being:

A method you should utilize être is to explain the way you’re feeling. Identical to in English, French audio system use “I’m” statements to explain how they really feel bodily or emotionally. 

• Je suis content material / contente. = I am blissful.
• Il est fatigué. = He is drained.
• Nous sommes malades. = We are sick.

2. To explain somebody:

One other widespread use of être is to explain the bodily traits of different folks and issues. In these circumstances the opposite individual is the topic of the sentence.

• Il est grand. = He is tall.
• Elle est petite. = She is small.
• Ils sont beaux. = They are good-looking.

3. To specific possession:

If you wish to point out possession of one thing, like within the phrase “It’s my automobile,” être is the verb to make use of! In these sentences, the individual, place, or factor you’re possessing is the topic of the sentence.

• C’est mon chat. = It is my cat.
• C’est le chien de ma mère. = It is my mom’s canine.
• Ce sont mes clés. = These are my keys.

Be aware: Ce means “it” or “this.” The singular, first individual contraction above—C’est—is a mixture of ce + est. In French, it’s widespread apply to create a contraction between two phrases when one phrase ends with a vowel and the following begins with a vowel. 

4. To offer your location:

In the identical manner you’ll say “I’m at work” in English, you’ll use être to point your location in French.

• Je suis à Paris. = I am in Paris.
• Il est au travail. = He is at work.
• Vous êtes dans le jardin. = You are within the backyard.

5. To inform somebody your job or nationality:

Être can also be used to inform somebody what you do for work or what nationality you might be.

Make word that in French, professions lose their particular article (le, las, les) or indefinite article (un, une, des) and turn out to be adjectives once they comply with être.

• Je suis Français. = I am French.
• Il est professeur. = He is a instructor.
• Vous êtes dentiste. = You are a dentist.

6. To specific punctuality:

The final most typical utilization of être is to inform time. The whole lot makes use of the verb être, from speaking in regards to the present time to discussing how late or early somebody or one thing is.

• Quelle heure est-il ? = What time is it?
• Il est huit heures. = It is eight o’clock.

• Je suis en retard. = I am late.
• Il est en avance. = He is early.

Tip: Don’t use être to explain your age

Since sentences with être are similar to English sentences utilizing “am,” “is,” or “are,” many individuals assume that they will use être to state their age. However that is truly a mistake many newbie French learners make.

In French, it’s applicable to make use of the verb avoir when you’re speaking about your age. So whereas it could appear odd to say you “have your age,” that’s the way it’s finished in French!

• J’ai vingt ans. = I am 20 years outdated.
• Elle a soixante ans. = She is 60 years outdated.

Be taught to conjugate être in French with Rosetta Stone

A visit to France or any French-speaking nation will awaken many feelings throughout your travels. You’ll wish to share the way you’re feeling, the place you might be, and a lot extra. Figuring out the various methods to conjugate être will show you how to really feel like you possibly can talk on a foundational stage.

If you wish to speed up your studying of probably the most widespread verbs in French, then dive into the  Rosetta Stone App, the place you’ll be taught French naturally with an immersive method via audio, visible, and interactive actions that train you in the identical manner you discovered your first language.