Complete Guide to Conjugating ‘Être’ in French: A Must-Have Resource for English Speakers
Mastering a new language involves understanding its verbs and their various forms. For English speakers learning French, the verb ‘être’ (to be) is fundamental and often one of the first verbs introduced due to its frequent use. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed conjugation table for the verb ‘être’ across all tenses and moods, complete with English translations. This resource is designed to help English-speaking learners grasp the nuances of this essential French verb, making their journey into French language learning smoother and more effective.
Présent de l’Indicatif (Present Tense)
Français
Anglais
Je suis
I am
Tu es
You are
Il/Elle est
He/She is
Nous sommes
We are
Vous êtes
You are
Ils/Elles sont
They are
Imparfait de l’Indicatif (Imperfect Tense)
Français
Anglais
J’étais
I was
Tu étais
You were
Il/Elle était
He/She was
Nous étions
We were
Vous étiez
You were
Ils/Elles étaient
They were
Futur Simple de l’Indicatif (Future Simple Tense)
Français
Anglais
Je serai
I will be
Tu seras
You will be
Il/Elle sera
He/She will be
Nous serons
We will be
Vous serez
You will be
Ils/Elles seront
They will be
Passé Simple de l’Indicatif (Simple Past Tense)
Français
Anglais
Je fus
I was
Tu fus
You were
Il/Elle fut
He/She was
Nous fûmes
We were
Vous fûtes
You were
Ils/Elles furent
They were
Plus-que-parfait de l’Indicatif (Pluperfect Tense)
Français
Anglais
J’avais été
I had been
Tu avais été
You had been
Il/Elle avait été
He/She had been
Nous avions été
We had been
Vous aviez été
You had been
Ils/Elles avaient été
They had been
Futur Antérieur de l’Indicatif (Future Perfect Tense)
Français
Anglais
J’aurai été
I will have been
Tu auras été
You will have been
Il/Elle aura été
He/She will have been
Nous aurons été
We will have been
Vous aurez été
You will have been
Ils/Elles auront été
They will have been
Conditionnel Présent (Present Conditional)
Français
Anglais
Je serais
I would be
Tu serais
You would be
Il/Elle serait
He/She would be
Nous serions
We would be
Vous seriez
You would be
Ils/Elles seraient
They would be
Conditionnel Passé (Past Conditional)
Français
Anglais
J’aurais été
I would have been
Tu aurais été
You would have been
Il/Elle aurait été
He/She would have been
Nous aurions été
We would have been
Vous auriez été
You would have been
Ils/Elles auraient été
They would have been
Subjonctif Présent
Français
Anglais
Que je sois
That I be
Que tu sois
That you be
Qu’il/elle soit
That he/she be
Que nous soyons
That we be
Que vous soyez
That you be
Qu’ils/elles soient
That they be
Subjonctif Imparfait
Français
Anglais
Que je fusse
That I were
Que tu fusses
That you were
Qu’il/elle fût
That he/she were
Que nous fussions
That we were
Que vous fussiez
That you were
Qu’ils/elles fussent
That they were
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait
Français
Anglais
Que j’eusse été
That I had been
Que tu eusses été
That you had been
Qu’il/elle eût été
That he/she had been
Que nous eussions été
That we had been
Que vous eussiez été
That you had been
Qu’ils/elles eussent été
That they had been
Impératif
Français
Anglais
Sois
Be (informal)
Soyons
Let’s be
Soyez
Be (formal/plural)
Participe Présent
Français
Anglais
Étant
Being
Participe Passé
Français
Anglais
Été
Been
Infinitif
Français
Anglais
Être
To be
Gérondif
Français
Anglais
En étant
By being
In conclusion, the conjugation of the verb ‘être’ in French is a cornerstone in mastering the language. This table serves as a valuable reference for English speakers learning French, offering clear and concise translations for each form. With regular practice and reference to this guide, learners will find themselves more confident and proficient in using one of the most important verbs in the French language. Remember, language learning is a journey of continuous discovery and improvement.