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 prescribe.”
Present Présent
Habits, current states, and actions happening now.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | prescris | I prescribe | |
| tu | prescris | you prescribe | |
| il / elle / on | prescrit | he / she / it prescribeson: we prescribe / one prescribes | |
| nous | prescrivons | we prescribe | |
| vous | prescrivez | you prescribe | |
| ils / elles | prescrivent | they prescribe |
IN A SENTENCEPresent example
Le médecin prescrit un traitement adapté.
The doctor prescribes an appropriate treatment.
Passé composé
Completed past events, using avoir or être plus a past participle.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | ai prescrit | I prescribed | |
| tu | as prescrit | you prescribed | |
| il / elle / on | a prescrit | he / she / it prescribedon: we prescribed / one prescribed | |
| nous | avons prescrit | we prescribed | |
| vous | avez prescrit | you prescribed | |
| ils / elles | ont prescrit | they prescribed |
IN A SENTENCEPassé composé example
Hier, le médecin a prescrit un traitement adapté.
Yesterday, the doctor prescribed an appropriate treatment.
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’ | prescrivais | I used to prescribe | |
| tu | prescrivais | you used to prescribe | |
| il / elle / on | prescrivait | he / she / it used to prescribeon: we used to prescribe / one used to prescribe | |
| nous | prescrivions | we used to prescribe | |
| vous | prescriviez | you used to prescribe | |
| ils / elles | prescrivaient | they used to prescribe |
IN A SENTENCEImperfect example
Autrefois, le médecin prescrivait un traitement adapté.
Back then, the doctor used to prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Future Futur simple
Future events and predictions.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | prescrirai | I will prescribe | |
| tu | prescriras | you will prescribe | |
| il / elle / on | prescrira | he / she / it will prescribeon: we will prescribe / one will prescribe | |
| nous | prescrirons | we will prescribe | |
| vous | prescrirez | you will prescribe | |
| ils / elles | prescriront | they will prescribe |
IN A SENTENCEFuture example
Plus tard, le médecin prescrira un traitement adapté.
Later, the doctor will prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Conditional Conditionnel présent
Hypothetical events and polite requests.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | prescrirais | I would prescribe | |
| tu | prescrirais | you would prescribe | |
| il / elle / on | prescrirait | he / she / it would prescribeon: we would prescribe / one would prescribe | |
| nous | prescririons | we would prescribe | |
| vous | prescririez | you would prescribe | |
| ils / elles | prescriraient | they would prescribe |
IN A SENTENCEConditional example
Le médecin prescrirait un traitement adapté.
The doctor would prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Present subjunctive Subjonctif présent
Dependent clauses expressing wishes, necessity, doubt, and certain feelings.
| Subject | French | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | prescrive | (that) I prescribe | |
| tu | prescrives | (that) you prescribe | |
| il / elle / on | prescrive | (that) he / she / it prescribeson: (that) we prescribe / one prescribes | |
| nous | prescrivions | (that) we prescribe | |
| vous | prescriviez | (that) you prescribe | |
| ils / elles | prescrivent | (that) they prescribe |
IN A SENTENCEPresent subjunctive example
Il est possible que le médecin prescrive un traitement adapté.
It is possible that the doctor prescribes an appropriate treatment.
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 prescribe (a medication)
- (Reflexive) To lose by prescription, to lapse
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