Table with all verb tenses in French

  Present Imperfect Passé composé Futur simple Conditional Subjunctive
Used for: Events and actions that currently happening, habitual actions, general truths, or future actions Ongoing or repeated actions, habitual actions, and states of being in the past Completed actions in the past Actions that will happen in the future Hypothetical or polite requests Used when expressing doubt, uncertainty, or subjective feelings
Example:
  • Je parle français 
  • (I speak French)
  • Nous parlions souvent 
  • (We used to talk often)
  • Tu parleras bien français 
  • (You will speak French well)
  • J’ai mangé une pomme 
  • (I ate an apple)
  • Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît 
  • (I would like a coffee, please)
  • Il faut que tu viennes 
  • (It is necessary that you come)
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  Passé simple Plus-que-parfait Futur antérieur Past conditional Imperfect subj. Past subjunctive
Used for Completed actions in the past, used in formal writing Actions that occurred before another past action Future actions that are completed before other future actions Hypothetical actions in the past Express uncertainty, desire and wishes in the past Used when expressing doubt about actions in the past
Example
  • Victor Hugo écrivit “Les Misérables” en 1862 
  • (Victor Hugo wrote “Les Misérables” in 1862)
  • J’avais déjà mangé quand tu es arrivé 
  • (I had already eaten when you arrived)
  • Elle aura déménagé avant que nous arrivions 
  • (She will have moved before we arrive)
  • J’aurais aimé visiter Paris 
  • (I would have liked to visit Paris)
  • Je voulais que tu fasses tes devoirs avant de sortir
  • (I wanted you to do your homework before going out)
  • Il faut que tu aies fini avant midi.
  • It’s necessary that you have finished before noon
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  Pluperfect Subj. Past Anterior      
Used for Actions or events that are uncertain and that occurred before another action or event in the past Action that occurred before another action in the past    
Example:
  • Il fallait que j’eusse fini avant midi
  • (It was necessary that I had finished before noon)
  • Quand il eut fini son travail, il partit
  • (When he had finished his work, he left)
    
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