mettre conjugation and meaning

Below is a table showing how to conjugate the French verb “mettre” (to put) in the present tense, along with the pronunciation for each form. This will help you pronounce these forms correctly.


↳ Also study the verb ‘prendre’.


Personne Temps Présent Prononciation
Je (I) mets [ mɛ ]
Tu (You) mets [ mɛ ]
Il/Elle/On (He/She/It) met [ mɛ ]
Nous (We) mettons [ mɛtɔ̃ ]
Vous (You) mettez [ mɛte ]
Ils/Elles (They) mettent [ mɛt ]


Definitions and Examples

  1. To dress oneself, to wear clothing
    • Examples:
      • Elles ont mis une robe.  They put on a dress.
      • Elle a mis leurs manteaux, et elles sont sorties.  She put on their coats, and they went out.
  2. To place (set something down)
    • Examples:
      • Elle a mis le vase sur la table du salon.  She placed the vase on the living room table.
      • J’ai mis le lait dans le réfrigérateur.  I put the milk in the refrigerator.mettre conjugation and meaning 
  3. To put away (organize into a place)
    • Examples:
      • Il a mis ses affaires dans le tiroir. He put his belongings in the drawer.
      • As-tu mis le dossier dans l’armoire ?  Did you put the file in the cabinet?
  4. To post (mail something)
    • Example:
      • Il est allé mettre une lettre à la poste.  He went to post a letter.
  5. To slip (insert covertly or delicately)
    • Example:
      • J’ai mis un petit message sous la porte de la voisine.  I slipped a small note under the neighbor’s door.
  6. To hang (affix to a vertical surface)
    • Examples:
      • Paul a mis des affiches au mur.  Paul hung posters on the wall.
      • Je voudrais mettre des tableaux sur les murs de ma chambre.  I would like to hang paintings on the walls of my room.
  7. To start (begin an activity)
    • Examples:
      • Mon frère s’est enfin mis au travail.  My brother finally started working.
      • Mon voisin s’est mis à faire de la trompette.  My neighbor started playing the trumpet.

This lesson demonstrates the versatility of the verb “mettre” in French, highlighting its varied uses in everyday language. As you practice these examples, remember the different contexts in which “mettre” can be used.


Keywords : mettre conjugation and meaning