Conjugations
All six tenses and their examples are shown below. Use the links above to jump to a tense. English translations use the meaning “to combine.”
Present Présent
Habits, current states, and actions happening now.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | combine | I combine | |
| tu | combines | you combine | |
| il / elle / on | combine | he / she / it combineson: we combine / one combines | |
| nous | combinons | we combine | |
| vous | combinez | you combine | |
| ils / elles | combinent | they combine |
IN A SENTENCEPresent example
Paul combine les deux méthodes.
Paul combines the two methods.
Passé composé
Completed past events, using avoir or être plus a past participle.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | ai combiné | I combined | |
| tu | as combiné | you combined | |
| il / elle / on | a combiné | he / she / it combinedon: we combined / one combined | |
| nous | avons combiné | we combined | |
| vous | avez combiné | you combined | |
| ils / elles | ont combiné | they combined |
IN A SENTENCEPassé composé example
Hier, Paul a combiné les deux méthodes.
Yesterday, Paul combined the two methods.
The passé composé uses avoir. The table shows the unmarked participle; agreement with a preceding direct object is outside this reference.
Back to tense navigation ↑Imperfect Imparfait
Past habits, descriptions, and actions in progress.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | combinais | I used to combine | |
| tu | combinais | you used to combine | |
| il / elle / on | combinait | he / she / it used to combineon: we used to combine / one used to combine | |
| nous | combinions | we used to combine | |
| vous | combiniez | you used to combine | |
| ils / elles | combinaient | they used to combine |
IN A SENTENCEImperfect example
Autrefois, Paul combinait les deux méthodes.
Back then, Paul used to combine the two methods.
Future Futur simple
Future events and predictions.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | combinerai | I will combine | |
| tu | combineras | you will combine | |
| il / elle / on | combinera | he / she / it will combineon: we will combine / one will combine | |
| nous | combinerons | we will combine | |
| vous | combinerez | you will combine | |
| ils / elles | combineront | they will combine |
IN A SENTENCEFuture example
Plus tard, Paul combinera les deux méthodes.
Later, Paul will combine the two methods.
Conditional Conditionnel présent
Hypothetical events and polite requests.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | combinerais | I would combine | |
| tu | combinerais | you would combine | |
| il / elle / on | combinerait | he / she / it would combineon: we would combine / one would combine | |
| nous | combinerions | we would combine | |
| vous | combineriez | you would combine | |
| ils / elles | combineraient | they would combine |
IN A SENTENCEConditional example
Paul combinerait les deux méthodes.
Paul would combine the two methods.
Present subjunctive Subjonctif présent
Dependent clauses expressing wishes, necessity, doubt, and certain feelings.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | combine | (that) I combine | |
| tu | combines | (that) you combine | |
| il / elle / on | combine | (that) he / she / it combineson: (that) we combine / one combines | |
| nous | combinions | (that) we combine | |
| vous | combiniez | (that) you combine | |
| ils / elles | combinent | (that) they combine |
IN A SENTENCEPresent subjunctive example
Il est possible que Paul combine les deux méthodes.
It is possible that Paul combines the two methods.
French forms omit the subject. Use j’ before a vowel sound. Vous is polite singular or plural “you”; on often means “we,” or the general “one.” English wording depends on the context: passé composé can also use “have,” and the imperfect can describe an ongoing action. Subjunctive translations here follow “it is possible that.”
Meaning & usage
- to combine (bring (two or more things or activities) together)
English glosses are a starting point. The meaning of a verb can change with context, a preposition, or se. Read the full dictionary entry ↗
Meanings and simple conjugation forms adapted from English Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki.org / Wiktextract. Passé composé forms combine the source auxiliary and past participle. Frequency scores from wordfreq 3.1.1 by Robyn Speer and contributors. Adapted data is available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Entry source · Sources, download & limitations