the verb essayer in french

More Lawless French

Support Lawless French

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation .

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

What’s New at Lawless French?

Devoir, pouvoir, vouloir quiz - tu viens à la fête .

DILF / DELF / DALF - Official French Proficiency Tests

De s + Adjective

La main dans le sac / Red-handed

Imparfait vs Passé composé

Talking about the past – remembering old friends, recalling great parties, reminiscing about wonderful travels – is a lot of fun, but doing it in French can be stressful, thanks to the tricky relationship between the two most common French past tenses . This issue of Lawless French à fond will help you get “past” your fears.

Tomber dans les pommes

Subscribe to my free newsletter

Please check your email and click the link to confirm your subscription - merci !

French Verb Conjugation Using "Essayer" (to Try)

Erica Shires / Getty Images

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Resources For Teachers

The French verb  essayer  means "to try." It's a simple word that can easily be confused with  essuyer  (to wipe) , so be sure to look and listen for that 'A' in  essayer .

In order to place  essayer  into the past, present, or future tense, the verb needs to be conjugated . Just follow along in this lesson and you'll be saying "tried" and "trying" in French before you know it.

Conjugating the French Verb  Essayer ​​

Essayer  is an optional stem-changing verb . Typically with verbs that end in - yer , the 'Y' has to change to an 'I' in certain forms. The rules are a little more casual with  essayer  as you'll see in the table. When there are two forms of the conjugation, you can use either.

The stem of  essayer  is  essay -. To this, a variety of infinitive endings is added that conform with the subject pronoun as well as the tense of the sentence. For instance, "I try" is " j'essaie " or " j'essaye ." Similarly, there are two options for "we will try": " nous essaierons " or " nous essayerons ."

All this leaves you with many words to memorize. The good news is that there are many opportunities to practice it and use  essayer  as you "try" things throughout your day.

The Present Participle of  Essayer

The  present participle  of essayer is  essayant . This is as simple as adding - ant  to the verb stem. Not only does it work as a verb, but it can also become an adjective, gerund, or noun when needed.

The Past Participle and Passé Composé

The  past participle   essayé  is used to form the  passé composé , a common past tense form of "tried" in French. To use this, you'll also need to conjugate the  auxiliary verb   avoir . For example, "I tried" is " j'ai essayé " and "we tried" is " nous avons essayé ."

More Simple  Essayer  Conjugations to Know

When the action of trying is in some way questionable, you can turn to the subjunctive verb mood . Similarly, if it's dependent on something, the conditional verb mood is used.

With less frequency, you will come across the passé simple or the imperfect subjunctive . These are mostly found in formal writing and will help considerably with reading comprehension.

To use  essayer  in commands or direct requests, turn to the imperative verb form . When using this, the subject pronoun is not required: use " essaie " instead of " tu essaie ."

• How to Conjugate "Essuyer" (to Wipe)
• How to Conjugate the French Verb 'Dire' (to Say)
• Using the French Future Tense
• Learn How to Conjugate the Verb "Penser" (to Think)
• Learn How to Conjugate the French Verb "Passer" (to Pass)
• How to Conjugate the French Verb "Admirer" (to Admire)
• How to Conjugate the French Irregular Verb 'Écrire' ('to Write')
• Conjugate the Irregular French Verb Boire (to Drink)
• Comprendre: To Understand
• Conjugate the Irregular French Verb Connaître, to Know
• Learn to Conjugate the French Irregular Verb Lire (to Read)
• French Irregular -RE Verbs
• Passé composé: French Compound Past Tense
• How to Conjugate "Louer" (to Rent)
• How to Conjugate "Influencer" (to Influence) in French
• Learn the Conjugations for "Présenter" (to Present)

• Essayer conjugation table
• Essayer conjugation rules
• Essayer synonyms

Essayer french definition

Essayer conjugation in all forms, essayer conjugation in all tenses.

• Essayer : verbs with similar conjugation
• Essayer conjugation in indicative
• Essayer conjugation in present indicative
• Essayer conjugation in present perfect indicative
• Essayer conjugation in imperfect indicative
• Essayer conjugation in pluperfect indicative
• Essayer conjugation in simple past indicative
• Essayer conjugation in past perfect indicative
• Essayer conjugation in simple future indicative
• Essayer conjugation in future perfect indicative
• Essayer conjugation in subjunctive
• Essayer conjugation in present subjunctive
• Essayer conjugation in past subjunctive
• Essayer conjugation in imperfect subjunctive
• Essayer conjugation in pluperfect subjunctive
• Essayer conjugation in conditional
• Essayer conjugation in present conditional
• Essayer conjugation in past conditional
• Essayer conjugation in imperative
• Essayer conjugation in present imperative
• Essayer conjugation in past imperative
• Infinitive of french verb Essayer
• Present infinitive of french verb Essayer
• Past infinitive of french verb Essayer
• Participle of french verb essayer
• Present participle of french verb essayer
• Past participle of french verb essayer
• Gerundive of french verb essayer
• Present gerundive of french verb essayer
• Past gerundive of french verb essayer

Common french verbs

• French Conjugation Rules
• French Tenses
• French Verbs

French Auxiliaries Verbs

• French First Group Verbs
• French Second Group Verbs
• French Third Group Verbs
• Most Common French Verbs
• Avoir conjugation
• Être conjugation
• Aimer conjugation
• Manger conjugation
• Finir conjugation
• Partir conjugation
• Aller conjugation
• Faire conjugation
• Dire conjugation
• Lire conjugation
• Voir conjugation
• Venir conjugation
• Pouvoir conjugation
• Prendre conjugation
• Vouloir conjugation
• Devoir conjugation
• Savoir conjugation
• Mettre conjugation
• Present Indicative
• Imperfect Indicative
• Simple Past Indicative
• Simple Future Indicative
• Present Perfect Indicative
• Pluperfect Indicative
• Past Perfect Indicative
• Future Perfect Indicative
• Present Subjunctive
• Past Subjunctive
• Imperfect Subjunctive
• Pluperfect Subjunctive
• Present Conditional
• Past Conditional
• Present Imperative
• Past Imperative
• French Conjugation
• Essayer conjugation

Conjugation of french verb essayer

Present perfect, simple past, past perfect, simple future, future perfect, subjunctive, conditional, essayer french verb, conjugation rules, reflexive form:, negative form:, interrogative form:.

• Essayer french verb conjugation rules

Essayer french synonyms

• Essayer similar verbs conjugation

This is the list of essayer french verb synonyms :

Active voice conjugation

Passive voice conjugation, reflexive form conjugation, similar verbs conjugation.

Here is the full list of verbs sharing the same verb conjugation :

List of verbs used as patterns in french conjugation:

Most common first group verbs

Most common second group verbs, most common third group verbs.

• Terms of use

Contact us :

Essayer – To try

By: Author David Issokson

Posted on Published: January 7, 2024  - Last updated: June 16, 2024

In today’s lesson we’ll have a look at the verb essayer , which means “to try”. For example, j’essaie d’apprendre le français (I try to learn French). Let’s jump right into the lesson!

Essayer – To try

Word origin.

The French verb essayer is related to the noun essai (try, attempt), which comes from the Latin verb exigere (to judge, examine, weigh) and noun exagium (weight, balance).

Present tense conjugation

Essayer is a regular ER verb. This means that its endings are the same as all other French regular ER verbs when conjugated in the present tense. Essayer has two accepted spelling patterns in the present tense. The pronunciations are the exact same.

J’essaie I try Tu essaies You try (singular, informal) Il, elle essaie He, she tries Nous essayons We try Vous essayez You try (plural, formal) Ils, elles essaient They try

J’essaye I try Tu essayes You try (singular, informal) Il, elle essaye He, she tries Nous essayons We try Vous essayez You try (plural, formal) Ils, elles essayent They try

Example sentences

In our first example sentence, essayer is simply “to try”. This example uses the word jamais (never), which we cover in our French negations lesson. This sentence is in the futur simple , a commonly used French future tense .

Si tu n’essaies pas , tu ne réussiras jamais .

If you don’ try, you’ll never succeed.

Essayer de + infinitive

In these two example sentences , essayer de + infinitive means “to try to do something”.

J’essaie de chanter la chanson mais c’est très difficile.

I try to sing the song but it’s very difficult.

Je vais essayer de terminer mon projet avant demain .

I’ll try to finish my project before tomorrow

Essayer + noun

In the next two examples, essayer is followed by a noun , meaning “to try something”. Essayer can also translate to “to test”. Hence, “I test the skis ” could also work as a translation for this next sentence.

The les in this example sentence is a direct object pronoun, meaning “them”. This post on our site covers object pronouns in depth.

J’essaie les nouveaux skis avant de les acheter .

I try the new skies before buying them.

Nous allons essayer le nouveau restaurant ce soir.

We are going to try the new restaurant tonight.

In French, the noun essai transaltes to “try” or “attempt” and is the origin of the English word “essay”.

Il a réussi son examen au troisième essai.

He passed the exam after the third try.

Et voilà ! You now know how to use essayer in French! Now check out our other lessons covering the verbs quitter (to leave), bosser (to work hard) and ranger (to tidy, put away).

Word of the Day Lessons

Lessons by David Issokson

• Wiktionary.org
• WordReference

Sharing is caring!

David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.

See all posts by David Issokson

• Conjugation essayer
• Exercise essayer

Conjugation French verb essayer

Translation essayer, indicatif (indicative), présent (present), passé composé (present perfect), imparfait (imperfect), plus-que-parfait (pluperfect), passé simple (simple past), passé antérieur (past perfect), futur simple (future), futur antérieur (past future), conditionnel (conditional), passé (perfect), subjonctif (subjunctive), passé (past), impératif (imperative), infinitif (infinitive), participe (participle), gérondif (gerund), synonyms for the verb essayer.

Online Language Dictionaries

model for -er verbs: model for -ir verbs: model for -re verbs: - model verb Verbs that follow this model: Firefox and Chrome users: install a shortcut ( or ) then type "conj essayer" in your address bar for the fastest conjugations. It is conjugated like: essayer essayant essayé présent j' e, essaye tu es, essayes il, elle, on e, essaye nous essayons vous essayez ils, elles ent, essayent imparfait j' essayais tu essayais il, elle, on essayait nous essayions vous essayiez ils, elles essayaient passé simple j' essayai tu essayas il, elle, on essaya nous essayâmes vous essayâtes ils, elles essayèrent futur simple j' erai, essayerai tu eras, essayeras il, elle, on era, essayera nous erons, essayerons vous erez, essayerez ils, elles eront, essayeront formes composées / compound tenses passé composé j' ai essayé tu as essayé il, elle, on a essayé nous avons essayé vous avez essayé ils, elles ont essayé plus-que-parfait j' avais essayé tu avais essayé il, elle, on avait essayé nous avions essayé vous aviez essayé ils, elles avaient essayé passé antérieur j' eus essayé tu eus essayé il, elle, on eut essayé nous eûmes essayé vous eûtes essayé ils, elles eurent essayé futur antérieur j' aurai essayé tu auras essayé il, elle, on aura essayé nous aurons essayé vous aurez essayé ils, elles auront essayé présent que j' e, essaye que tu es, essayes qu'il, elle, on e, essaye que nous essayions que vous essayiez qu'ils, elles ent, essayent imparfait que j' essayasse que tu essayasses qu'il, elle, on essayât que nous essayassions que vous essayassiez qu'ils, elles essayassent passé que j' aie essayé que tu aies essayé qu'il, elle, on ait essayé que nous ayons essayé que vous ayez essayé qu'ils, elles aient essayé plus-que-parfait que j' eusse essayé que tu eusses essayé qu'il, elle, on eût essayé que nous eussions essayé que vous eussiez essayé qu'ils, elles eussent essayé conditionnel présent j' erais, essayerais tu erais, essayerais il, elle, on erait, essayerait nous erions, essayerions vous eriez, essayeriez ils, elles eraient, essayeraient passé j' aurais essayé tu aurais essayé il, elle, on aurait essayé nous aurions essayé vous auriez essayé ils, elles auraient essayé passé II j' eusse essayé tu eusses essayé il, elle, on eût essayé nous eussions essayé vous eussiez essayé ils, elles eussent essayé présent – (tu) e, essaye ! – (nous) essayons ! (vous) essayez ! – passé – tu aie essayé ! – nous ayons essayé ! vous ayez essayé ! – *Blue letters in conjugations are irregular forms. ( example ) *Red letters in conjugations are exceptions to the model. ( example ) *Grayed conjugations are forms that are extremely rare. Report a problem. Conjugations for essayer Cambridge Dictionary +Plus Translation of essayer – French–English dictionary (Translation of essayer from the GLOBAL French-English Dictionary © 2018 K Dictionaries Ltd) Translation of essayer | PASSWORD French-English Dictionary (Translation of essayer from the PASSWORD French-English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd) Examples of essayer Nous collaborons étroitement avec les autorités de ce pays, y compris avec les institutions financières internationales, afin d'essayer de faire à nouveau tourner le moteur à pleine puissance. Nous allons essayer de les ramener rapidement. C'est ce que je vais essayer de faire maintenant. Nous devons essayer de le modeler positivement. Continuez à essayer de parvenir à des accords. Word of the Day kick something into the long grass to delay dealing with something, especially because you want people to forget about it Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy Learn more with +Plus Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}} Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English English–Dutch Dutch–English English–French French–English English–German German–English English–Indonesian Indonesian–English English–Italian Italian–English English–Japanese Japanese–English English–Norwegian Norwegian–English English–Polish Polish–English English–Portuguese Portuguese–English English–Spanish Spanish–English English–Swedish Swedish–English Dictionary +Plus Word Lists GLOBAL French–English    Verb PASSWORD French–English    Verb All translations To add essayer to a word list please sign up or log in. Add essayer to one of your lists below, or create a new one. {{message}} Something went wrong. There was a problem sending your report. Select your French level To personalize your experience. Essayer Conjugation Essayer to try, to attempt Essayer - indicative. Présent j'essaye je n'essaye pas j'essaie je n'essaie pas tu essayes tu n'essayes pas tu essaies tu n'essaies pas il/elle essaye il/elle n'essaye pas il/elle essaie il/elle n'essaie pas nous essayons nous n'essayons pas vous essayez vous n'essayez pas ils/elles essayent ils/elles n'essayent pas ils/elles essaient ils/elles n'essaient pas Futur j'essayerai je n'essayerai pas j'essaierai je n'essaierai pas tu essayeras tu n'essayeras pas tu essaieras tu n'essaieras pas il/elle essayera il/elle n'essayera pas il/elle essaiera il/elle n'essaiera pas nous essayerons nous n'essayerons pas nous essaierons nous n'essaierons pas vous essayerez vous n'essayerez pas vous essaierez vous n'essaierez pas ils/elles essayeront ils/elles n'essayeront pas ils/elles essaieront ils/elles n'essaieront pas Imparfait j'essayais je n'essayais pas tu essayais tu n'essayais pas il/elle essayait il/elle n'essayait pas nous essayions nous n'essayions pas vous essayiez vous n'essayiez pas ils/elles essayaient ils/elles n'essayaient pas Passé Simple j'essayai je n'essayai pas tu essayas tu n'essayas pas il/elle essaya il/elle n'essaya pas nous essayâmes nous n'essayâmes pas vous essayâtes vous n'essayâtes pas ils/elles essayèrent ils/elles n'essayèrent pas Essayer - Perfect Passé Composé Passé Composé j'ai essayé je n'ai pas essayé tu as essayé tu n'as pas essayé il/elle a essayé il/elle n'a pas essayé nous avons essayé nous n'avons pas essayé vous avez essayé vous n'avez pas essayé ils/elles ont essayé ils/elles n'ont pas essayé Futur Antérieur Futur Antérieur j'aurai essayé je n'aurai pas essayé tu auras essayé tu n'auras pas essayé il/elle aura essayé il/elle n'aura pas essayé nous aurons essayé nous n'aurons pas essayé vous aurez essayé vous n'aurez pas essayé ils/elles auront essayé ils/elles n'auront pas essayé Plus-que-parfait Plus-que-parfait j'avais essayé je n'avais pas essayé tu avais essayé tu n'avais pas essayé il/elle avait essayé il/elle n'avait pas essayé nous avions essayé nous n'avions pas essayé vous aviez essayé vous n'aviez pas essayé ils/elles avaient essayé ils/elles n'avaient pas essayé Passé Antérieur Passé Antérieur j'eus essayé je n'eus pas essayé tu eus essayé tu n'eus pas essayé il/elle eut essayé il/elle n'eut pas essayé nous eûmes essayé nous n'eûmes pas essayé vous eûtes essayé vous n'eûtes pas essayé ils/elles eurent essayé ils/elles n'eurent pas essayé Essayer - Subjunctive Présent j'essaye je n'essaye pas j'essaie je n'essaie pas tu essayes tu n'essayes pas tu essaies tu n'essaies pas il/elle essaye il/elle n'essaye pas il/elle essaie il/elle n'essaie pas nous essayions nous n'essayions pas vous essayiez vous n'essayiez pas ils/elles essayent ils/elles n'essayent pas ils/elles essaient ils/elles n'essaient pas Imparfait j'essayasse je n'essayasse pas tu essayasses tu n'essayasses pas il/elle essayât il/elle n'essayât pas nous essayassions nous n'essayassions pas vous essayassiez vous n'essayassiez pas ils/elles essayassent ils/elles n'essayassent pas Passé Passé j'aie essayé je n'aie pas essayé tu aies essayé tu n'aies pas essayé il/elle ait essayé il/elle n'ait pas essayé nous ayons essayé nous n'ayons pas essayé vous ayez essayé vous n'ayez pas essayé ils/elles aient essayé ils/elles n'aient pas essayé Plus-que-parfait j'eusse essayé je n'eusse pas essayé tu eusses essayé tu n'eusses pas essayé il/elle eût essayé il/elle n'eût pas essayé nous eussions essayé nous n'eussions pas essayé vous eussiez essayé vous n'eussiez pas essayé ils/elles eussent essayé ils/elles n'eussent pas essayé Essayer - Conditional Présent j'essayerais je n'essayerais pas j'essaierais je n'essaierais pas tu essayerais tu n'essayerais pas tu essaierais tu n'essaierais pas il/elle essayerait il/elle n'essayerait pas il/elle essaierait il/elle n'essaierait pas nous essayerions nous n'essayerions pas nous essaierions nous n'essaierions pas vous essayeriez vous n'essayeriez pas vous essaieriez vous n'essaieriez pas ils/elles essayeraient ils/elles n'essayeraient pas ils/elles essaieraient ils/elles n'essaieraient pas Passé 1 Passé 1 j'aurais essayé je n'aurais pas essayé tu aurais essayé tu n'aurais pas essayé il/elle aurait essayé il/elle n'aurait pas essayé nous aurions essayé nous n'aurions pas essayé vous auriez essayé vous n'auriez pas essayé ils/elles auraient essayé ils/elles n'auraient pas essayé Passé 2 Passé 2 j'eusse essayé je n'eusse pas essayé tu eusses essayé tu n'eusses pas essayé il/elle eût essayé il/elle n'eût pas essayé nous eussions essayé nous n'eussions pas essayé vous eussiez essayé vous n'eussiez pas essayé ils/elles eussent essayé ils/elles n'eussent pas essayé Essayer - Imperative (Commands) Présent (tu) essaye (tu) n'essaye pas (tu) essaie (tu) n'essaie pas (nous) essayons (nous) n'essayons pas (vous) essayez (vous) n'essayez pas We notice you're using an ad blocker. Linguasorb is free and ad supported, without ad revenue we can't exist. Certain features such as audio, directly cost us money and so are disabled for ad block users. Please disable your ad blocker for this site if you wish to use the premium features. Alternatively you can become a supporter and remove the ads completely . French: essayer French verb 'essayer' conjugated. Conjugaison du verbe essayer Participe passé essayer, sans accord. Masculin Féminin Singulier essa essa Pluriel essa essa Avec accord Passé composé, plus-que-parfait, passé simple, passé antérieur, futur simple, futur antérieur, conditionnel, synonyme du verbe essayer, traduction essayer. Speak any language with confidence Take our quick quiz to start your journey to fluency today, essayer (to try) conjugation, conjugation of essayer, examples of essayer.
Example in French	Translation in English
! - Je dois essayer d'inverser le processus.	- I have to try to reverse the process.
" - Ils vont essayer de se débarrasser de toi.	- They'll try to get rid of you.
" essayer, c'est savoir et ne pas essayer, c'est essayer de ne pas savoir. "	"trying is knowing and not trying is trying not to know."
"A", je suis terrifiée que ces gars avec des armes vont essayer de nous trouver parce que nous avons vu leur putain de champ de cannabis.	"A," I'm terrified those guys with guns are gonna try and find us because we saw their stupid pot field.
"Alors je vais essayer"	/ So I'll try /
! Tu as essayé de nous tuer, mon père et moi.	You tried to kill me and our father.
" Hier soir, la veille de la Toussaint, le père Moore a essayé de chasser six démons hors de mon corps.	"Last night, on Allhallows' Eve Father Moore tried to cast six demons from my body.
" Il a essayé de nous tué.	"He tried to kill us.
" J'ai essayé de la calmer"	*I have tried pacifying her so much*
" On a tout essayé." " On l'a rétrécie, chatouillé sa plus grande peur."	"We tried everything-- shrunk her down to size..."
! Tu es celle qui essaye toujours de contrôler les choses.	You're the one who's always trying to control things.
" Plus que j'essaye et apaise... "	"The more I try and quieten... "
" Plus que j'essaye et j'apaise... "	"The more I try and quieten... "
"Cette fois-ci", essaye d'être un peu plus aimable.	Let's try the whole thing all over again. Only this time, try to be more cordial.
"Elle essaye de me détruire!"	"She's trying to destroy me!"
"D'accord, essayons quelques prises sans couper... et donnez-moi des couleurs différentes".	"Okay, let's try it a few times without cutting... and show me a few different colors."
"Mais au moins, essayons."	But at least let's try it."
"Tiens, essayons ça.	"Oh, cool, yeah, let's try this!
- Alors essayons.	- OK, let's try then.
- Bien, essayons de nouveau.	- Now, let's try it again.
! - Vous essayez de nous faire tuer ?	- Are you trying to get us killed?
"Désolé, le numéro que vous essayez de joindre n'est pas disponible."	"Sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable."
"Enfoirés, si vous essayez de virer la machine,	"If you sons of bitches try to remove this typewriter,
"Et bien, essayez toujours de voir la vie comme si vous sortiez d'un tunnel."	"Well," he'd say, "always try to see life around you as if you just came out of a tunnel."
"J'ai besoin que vous changiez et essayez de nouvelles choses."	"I need you guys to switch it up and try things."
"Des centaines de soldats avaient donné" "leurs vies et membres en essayant de prendre..."	"Hundreds of soldiers had given their lives and limbs trying to take..."
"J'ai senti Brock essayant de remonter à la surface".	"I felt Brock trying to get to the surface."
"Ma vie dans les tranchés se passait à courir..." "de classe en classe essayant d'éviter l'inévitable."	My life in the trenches was spent rushing... from class to class, trying to avoid the unavoidable.
"Ok, les gars, essayant encore pour un bébé.	"Okay, folks, trying again for a baby.
"Ou on mourra en essayant ?"	"Or die trying?"

More French verbs

Similar but longer, other french verbs with the meaning similar to 'try':, 'try' in different languages.

Learning Materials

• Business Studies
• Combined Science
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• English Literature
• Environmental Science
• Human Geography
• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Essayer Conjugation

Mastering the conjugation of "essayer," a pivotal verb in French , facilitates a deeper understanding of the language's complexities. It shifts remarkably across tenses, from 'j'essaie' in the present to 'j'essaierai' in the future, highlighting the verb's versatility. This essential guide ensures you deftly navigate through its various forms, enriching your French linguistic prowess.

Millions of flashcards designed to help you ace your studies

• Cell Biology

Why is the conditional tense important for the verb 'apprendre'?

Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?

Which common mistake often occurs when conjugating 'apprendre' in the present tense?

How does the conjugation of 'apprendre' change from singular to plural forms in the present tense?

What does the subjunctive mood express for the verb 'apprendre'?

How does the past participle of 'apprendre' change with different subjects in the passé composé?

How is 'apprendre' conjugated in the passé composé tense?

What is the correct present tense conjugation of 'apprendre' for the pronoun 'nous'?

In the past tense 'passé composé', how is 'apprendre' conjugated for 'je'?

What is required to conjugate 'apprendre' in the passé composé?

Why is 'avoir' used as the auxiliary verb in the passé composé of 'apprendre'?

Review generated flashcards

to start learning or create your own AI flashcards

Start learning or create your own AI flashcards

• French Film
• French Grammar
• Acheter Conjugation
• Adjective Agreement Rules
• Adjectives French
• Adverbial Pronouns Y And En
• Adverbs French
• Affirmative Imperativ French
• African French
• Aider Conjugation
• Aimer Conjugation
• Aller Conjugation
• Annoncer Conjugation
• Appeler Conjugation
• Apprendre Conjugation
• Attendre Conjugation
• Auxilary Verbs French
• Avoir Conjugation
• Belgian French
• Boire Conjugation
• Cajun French
• Casual Prepositions French
• Changer Conjugation
• Choisir Conjugation
• Clause Types French
• Clauses French
• Colour Adjectives French
• Commencer Conjugation
• Comprendre Conjugation
• Conditional Clauses French
• Conditionnel
• Conditionnel Passé
• Conditionnel Présent
• Conduir Conjugation
• Conjunctions French
• Connaitre Conjugation
• Construire Conjugation
• Courir Conjugation
• Creole Languages
• Crier Conjugation
• Croire Conjugation
• Decouvrir Conjugation
• Definite Articles French
• Demonstrative Pronouns French
• Descendre Conjugation
• Devoir Conjugation
• Dire Conjugation
• Direct Objects
• Disjunctive Pronouns French
• Donner Conjugation
• Dormir Conjugation
• Ecrire Conjugation
• Entendre Conjugation
• Envoyer Conjugation
• Epeler Conjugation
• Esperer Conjugation
• Etre Conjugation
• Faire Conjugation
• Falloir Conjugation
• Finir Conjugation
• Francophone Identity
• French Accents
• French Articles
• French As A Second Language
• French Bilingual Identity
• French Code-switching
• French Cognitive Linguistics
• French Colloquial Expressions
• French Communicative Competence
• French Communicative Strategies
• French Conceptual Metaphors
• French Conversational Analysis
• French Diachronic Linguistics
• French Dialectal Variation
• French Dialectology
• French Dialects
• French Discourse Analysis
• French Discourse Markers
• French Discursive Practices
• French Expressions
• French Figurative Language
• French Gender Linguistics
• French Grammatical Categories
• French Grammaticalization
• French Historical Sociolinguistics
• French In Canada
• French In Louisiana
• French In Vietnam
• French Interlanguage Pragmatics
• French Intonation Patterns
• French Language Acquisition
• French Language Acquisition Device
• French Language Acquisition Theories
• French Language And Cognition
• French Language And Culture
• French Language And Emotion
• French Language And Identity
• French Language And Migration
• French Language And Society
• French Language And Technology
• French Language And Thought
• French Language Anxiety
• French Language Attitudes
• French Language Change
• French Language Change Mechanisms
• French Language Contact
• French Language Death
• French Language Decay
• French Language Discrimination
• French Language Ecology
• French Language Evolution
• French Language Games
• French Language History
• French Language Identity
• French Language Ideologies
• French Language Ideology And Power
• French Language Ideology Debates
• French Language Media
• French Language Planning
• French Language Play
• French Language Policy
• French Language Preservation
• French Language Processing
• French Language Revitalization
• French Language Rights
• French Language Shift
• French Language Teaching
• French Language Universals
• French Language Variation
• French Lexical Borrowing
• French Lexical Innovation
• French Lexical Semantics
• French Lexicon
• French Linguistic Code
• French Linguistic Determinism
• French Linguistic Landscape
• French Linguistic Landscapes
• French Linguistic Politeness
• French Linguistic Relativity
• French Linguistic Typology
• French Linguistic Variation
• French Linguistics
• French Loanwords
• French Metaphor
• French Morphological Analysis
• French Morphosyntax
• French Multilingualism Effects
• French Narrative Structures
• French Nouns
• French Orthography
• French Participles
• French Phonemic Variation
• French Phonetic Evolution
• French Phonological Patterns
• French Phonology
• French Phonology And Orthography
• French Politeness Strategies
• French Pragmatic Competence
• French Pragmatic Markers
• French Pragmatics
• French Prepositions
• French Prepositions Of Place
• French Prepositions Of Time
• French Pronoun Usage
• French Prosodic Features
• French Prosody
• French Regional Dialects
• French Register Variation
• French Second Language Acquisition
• French Semantic Change
• French Semantic Fields
• French Semantic Primitives
• French Semantic Prosody
• French Semantic Roles
• French Semantics
• French Semiotic Analysis
• French Sign Languages
• French Social Indexing
• French Sociolinguistic Variation
• French Sociolinguistics
• French Sociophonetics
• French Speech Acts
• French Speech Communities
• French Speech Perception
• French Synchronic Analysis
• French Syntactic Structures
• French Syntactic Theory
• French Syntactic Variation
• French Syntax
• French Tense And Aspect
• French Tenses
• French Verb Conjugation
• French Verbal Agreement
• French Verbs
• Frenchlanguage And Globalization
• Futur Antérieur
• Futur Composé
• Futur Simple
• Habiter Conjugation
• Indefinite Articles French
• Indefinite Pronouns French
• Indirect Invitation French
• Indirect Objects
• Indirect Speech French
• Infinitive Clauses French
• Interrogative Clauses French
• Interrogative Pronouns French
• Ir Verbs In French
• Irregular Verbs French
• Jeter Conjugation
• Jouer Conjugation
• Linguistic Repertoire
• Lire Conjugation
• Maghrebi French
• Main Clause French
• Manger Conjugation
• Mentir Conjugation
• Mettre Conjugation
• Modal Verbs French
• Negated Imperativ French
• Negative Clauses French
• Norman French
• Object Pronouns French
• Ouvrir Conjugation
• Parler Conjugation
• Participe Passé
• Participe Présent
• Partir Conjugation
• Parts Of Speech
• Passive French
• Passé Antérieur
• Passé Composé
• Passé Simple
• Payer Conjugation
• Perdre Conjugation
• Personal Pronouns French
• Pidgin And Creole French
• Plaire Conjugation
• Pleuvoir Conjugation
• Plus-que-parfait
• Possessive Pronouns French
• Pouvoir Conjugation
• Preferer Conjugation
• Prendre Conjugation
• Prepositions Of Manner French
• Promettre Conjugation
• Pronoun Agreement
• Pronoun Placement
• Pronouns French
• Propostional Phrases French
• Quebec French
• Recevoir Conjugation
• Recontrer Conjugation
• Reflexive Pronouns French
• Reflexive Verbs French
• Regarder Conjugation
• Regular Verbs French
• Relative Clauses French
• Relative Pronouns French
• Rendre Conjugation
• Repondre Conjugation
• Rester Conjugation
• Rire Conjugation
• Savoir Conjugation
• Sentence Types French
• Sentir Conjugation
• Sourire Conjugation
• Subjonctif Passé
• Subjonctif Présent
• Subordinate Clause French
• Suivre Conjugation
• Supendre Conjugation
• Swiss French
• Tomber Conjugation
• Travailler Conjugation
• Verbal Periphrases French
• Verbs In Er French
• Verbs In Re French
• Verbs With Prepositions French
• Vivre Conjugation
• Voir Conjugation
• Vouloir Conjugation
• Word Formation French
• French Literature
• French Social Issues
• French Vocabulary

Understanding Essayer Conjugation in French

Conjugating the French verb essayer translates to attempting or trying in English. It's an essential verb that you’ll often encounter. Getting familiar with its conjugation can significantly enhance your French learning journey.

The basics of Essayer Verb Conjugation

Essayer is a regular -er verb but with a slight twist. When conjugated, the 'y' changes to an 'i' in the singular and the third person plural forms, although this change doesn’t apply to all tenses. This variation is a key aspect to remember about essayer conjugation.

Remember, the spelling change from 'y' to 'i' before a silent 'e' helps with the pronunciation.

How to Conjugate Essayer in the Present Tense

Conjugating essayer in the present tense involves a straightforward pattern similar to that of other regular -er verbs, with the noted exception of the 'y' to 'i' change in certain forms. Here’s how you conjugate essayer in the present tense:

Note that both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable forms of the first person singular in the present tense, reflecting the spelling variation mentioned earlier.

Mastering Essayer Conjugation: The Past Tense

To form the past tense, also known as the passé composé , of essayer , you need the helping verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé'. The structure is similar to many other French verbs. The conjugation in the passé composé depends on the subject pronoun:

The past participle essayé maintains its spelling across all subject pronouns in the passé composé, which simplifies its usage. The auxiliary verb 'avoir' is conjugated according to the subject, making understanding of 'avoir' conjugation equally essential in mastering essayer in the past tense.

Deep Dive into Essayer Conjugation French

Conjugation forms an integral part of mastering French, bringing verbs to life in different contexts and tenses. A detailed look at essayer conjugation across various moods and tenses can broaden your understanding and usage of this versatile verb.

Essayer Conjugation Present: A Closer Look

The present tense of essayer offers the first glimpse into its usage, showing how the verb adapts in current scenarios. The unique 'y' to 'i' switch in certain forms makes it slightly different from other regular -er verbs.Here is the conjugation of essayer in the present tense for quick reference:

The forms 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are both correct, demonstrating a flexible aspect of French spelling and pronunciation norms.

Navigating Essayer Imparfait Conjugation

The imparfait , or imperfect tense, conveys ongoing actions or states of being in the past. It illuminates what was happening at a certain point without focusing on the beginning or end of the action. Conjugating essayer in the imparfait involves a standard set of endings added to the stem: Stem: essay-Here’s a quick guide to its conjugation:

The Subjunctive and Conditional Moods in Essayer Conjugation

The subjunctive and conditional moods of essayer explore possibilities, hypotheses, and situations dependent on conditions.For the subjunctive mood, expressing doubt, wish, or uncertainty, here are the forms:

The conditional mood deals with potential scenarios or actions that would happen under certain conditions. Here’s how to conjugate essayer in the conditional mood:

Understanding these moods requires recognizing the nuances in tone and meaning they bring to conversations or written text. The subjunctive often appears after expressions that start with 'il faut que' (it is necessary that), 'bien que' (although), or 'pour que' (so that), reflecting its use in expressing desires or hypothetical situations. Meanwhile, the conditional mood is frequently used in polite requests or in sentences that begin with 'si' (if), laying down a condition for the action to occur.

Practising Conjugate Essayer Across Tenses

Understanding how to conjugate the French verb essayer across different tenses is integral to mastering its use. This versatility allows you to express actions in the present, past, future, and conditional states, making your French more fluent and nuanced.

The Future and Perfect Tenses of Essayer Verb Conjugation

Conjugating essayer in the future and perfect tenses allows for expressing actions that will occur or have been completed. The future tense speaks about events that will happen, while the perfect tense, using the passé composé, talks about actions that were completed in the past.

The future tense of essayer closely follows the regular -er verb conjugation pattern but with its unique twist in spelling.

For the perfect tense, combining the auxiliary verb avoir with the past participle essayé forms a compound tense that expresses actions completed in the past.

Regular vs Irregular Patterns in Essayer Conjugation French

The verb essayer presents an interesting case of blending regular -er verb conjugation patterns with its own unique irregularities. Understanding these patterns is crucial to effectively using essayer in various contexts.

A regular verb follows a predictable pattern of conjugations across different tenses and moods. In contrast, an irregular verb does not follow these standard conjugation patterns, making memorization necessary.

With its unique 'y' to 'i' shift in certain forms and uses, essayer stands between the realms of regular and irregular verbs. In the present tense, for example, both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable, showcasing this flexibility. This mix of predictability and irregularity is what makes studying French both a challenge and a joy. Understanding when each form is appropriate comes with practice and exposure to the language in various scenarios.

The choice between using the 'y' or changing it to 'i' in essayer conjugation often depends on pronunciation ease rather than a hard rule, especially in informal settings.

In summary, mastering the conjugation of essayer requires understanding its regular patterns and the exceptions. Whether you’re expressing what you're trying or what you will try in the future, or what you have tried in the past, essayer is a verb that can add depth to your French repertoire.

Common Mistakes and Tips for Conjugation Essayer

Conjugating essayer , meaning 'to try' in French, can sometimes be tricky for learners. While it follows the general pattern of regular -er verbs, certain nuances can lead to common mistakes. Understanding these can significantly improve your grasp of French verb conjugation.

Avoiding Common Errors with Essayer Conjugation

Conjugating essayer presents unique challenges that often lead to mistakes. Recognizing these can help you avoid them in the future.Here are some frequently encountered pitfalls:

• Mixing up the 'y' to 'i' change: In certain forms, especially in the singular and the third person plural forms of some tenses, 'essayer' changes the 'y' to an 'i'. Not applying this change where necessary is a common error.
• Forgetting the double 's' in the nous form: In the present tense, 'nous essayons' retains the double 's', rather than changing to a single 's', which can be misleading.
• Incorrect auxiliary verb in compound tenses: Using the wrong auxiliary verb (être instead of avoir) for the passé composé and other compound tenses is another typical mistake.

Always double-check the spelling when conjugating essayer , especially for the 'y' to 'i' shift and the use of double 's' in the nous form.

Handy Tips to Remember Conjugation Essayer

To successfully memorise and apply the conjugation of essayer , consider implementing these strategies:Here are beneficial tips to enhance your learning process:

• Create mnemonic devices: Developing unique memory aids can help you recall the specific spelling changes of essayer .
• Practise with sentences: Use essayer in various sentences to get comfortable with its conjugation across different tenses.
• Listen and repeat: Engage with multimedia resources in French to hear the conjugation of essayer in action. Repeating what you hear reinforces learning.

Understanding that the 'y' to 'i' change in essayer conjugation is to facilitate pronunciation can help remember when to apply it. This change occurs before a silent 'e', a common practice in French to make pronunciation smoother. Making such connections between language rules and their practical applications can significantly enhance your language learning.

Essayer Conjugation - Key takeaways

• Essayer Conjugation French: Essayer means 'to try', and its conjugation is essential for proficiency in French.
• Essayer Verb Conjugation Twist: While essayer follows the regular -er verb pattern, it features a 'y' to 'i' change in singular and third person plural forms for certain tenses.
• Conjugation Essayer in the Present: Forms include 'j'essaie/essaye', 'tu essaies', 'il/elle/on essaie', 'nous essayons', 'vous essayez' and 'ils/elles essaient/essayent'.
• Essayer Past Tense and Perfect Tense: Utilizes the auxiliary verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé', yielding forms like 'j'ai essayé', demonstrating consistency across subject pronouns.
• Essayer Imperfect Conjugation (Imparfait): Reflects ongoing or habitual past actions, for example, 'j'essayais', 'tu essayais', indicating actions or states of being continuing in the past.

Flashcards in Essayer Conjugation 12

It's important because it's the only tense used to give commands or instructions.

'Apprendre' is part of the first group of verbs, making it very regular in pattern.

Mixing up the conjugation with -er ending verbs

By changing 'apprend' to 'appront' for plural forms

The subjunctive mood expresses doubts, wishes, or possibilities, essential when expressing desires or uncertainties about learning.

The past participle 'appris' changes based on the subject's number.

Learn with 12 Essayer Conjugation flashcards in the free StudySmarter app

We have 14,000 flashcards about Dynamic Landscapes.

Already have an account? Log in

Frequently Asked Questions about Essayer Conjugation

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards.

Why is the conditional tense important for the verb 'apprendre'?

Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?

Which common mistake often occurs when conjugating 'apprendre' in the present tense?

Join the StudySmarter App and learn efficiently with millions of flashcards and more!

Keep learning, you are doing great.

Discover learning materials with the free StudySmarter app

About StudySmarter

StudySmarter is a globally recognized educational technology company, offering a holistic learning platform designed for students of all ages and educational levels. Our platform provides learning support for a wide range of subjects, including STEM, Social Sciences, and Languages and also helps students to successfully master various tests and exams worldwide, such as GCSE, A Level, SAT, ACT, Abitur, and more. We offer an extensive library of learning materials, including interactive flashcards, comprehensive textbook solutions, and detailed explanations. The cutting-edge technology and tools we provide help students create their own learning materials. StudySmarter’s content is not only expert-verified but also regularly updated to ensure accuracy and relevance.

StudySmarter Editorial Team

Team French Teachers

• 10 minutes reading time
• Checked by StudySmarter Editorial Team

Study anywhere. Anytime.Across all devices.

Create a free account to save this explanation..

Save explanations to your personalised space and access them anytime, anywhere!

By signing up, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy of StudySmarter.

Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.

Join over 22 million students in learning with our StudySmarter App

The first learning app that truly has everything you need to ace your exams in one place

• Flashcards & Quizzes
• AI Study Assistant
• Study Planner
• Smart Note-Taking

Cosa ne pensi di noi?

Il tuo nome

La tua email

Conjugation of the French Verb "Essayer"

Mappa concettuale.

Mastering the French verb 'essayer' involves understanding its unique conjugation patterns, such as the optional 'y' to 'i' change in certain forms. This guide covers present, past, imperfect, conditional, and future tenses, as well as the use of the auxiliary verb 'avoir' in compound tenses. It also provides strategies to avoid common errors and enhance memorization of the correct forms, emphasizing the importance of pronunciation in the French language.

Mostra di più

Regular -er Verb with Unique Characteristics

Meaning and usage of "essayer".

"Essayer" is a regular -er verb in French that means 'to try' and has a unique characteristic of changing 'y' to 'i' in certain forms

Optional 'y' to 'i' Change in Certain Tenses

Pronunciation and Spelling Changes

In the singular and third person plural forms of certain tenses, the 'y' in "essayer" may change to an 'i', affecting both pronunciation and spelling

Dual Spelling in First Person Singular Present Tense

The first person singular present tense of "essayer" can be spelled as 'j'essaie' or 'j'essaye', highlighting the intricacies of French orthographic conventions

Conjugation Patterns and Usage in Different Tenses

"Essayer" follows regular -er verb conjugation patterns, with the optional 'y' to 'i' change in some forms, and is used to describe actions or states occurring at the moment of speaking

Essential Tenses for Everyday Communication

Present tense conjugation.

The present tense conjugation of "essayer" is similar to that of other regular -er verbs, but with the optional 'y' to 'i' change in some forms

Passé Composé

The passé composé, formed with the auxiliary verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé', is used to convey completed actions in the past

Imperfect Tense and Other Moods

Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense, or imparfait, describes past actions that were ongoing or habitual

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood, expressing doubt, desire, or uncertainty, includes forms like 'que j'essaie' and 'que vous essayiez'

Conditional Mood

The conditional mood, used for hypothetical scenarios, is conjugated as 'j'essayerais' or 'vous essayeriez'

Future and Past Tenses

Future tense.

The future tense of "essayer" is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the infinitive and discusses future events

Plus-Que-Parfait

The plus-que-parfait, a form of the perfect tense, is constructed with the imperfect tense of 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé', used for actions that had been completed before another past action

Vuoi creare mappe dal tuo materiale?

Inserisci un testo, carica una foto o un audio su Algor. In pochi secondi Algorino lo trasformerà per te in mappa concettuale, riassunto e tanto altro!

Impara con le flashcards di Algor Education

Clicca sulla singola scheda per saperne di più sull'argomento.

In French, the verb 'essayer' translates to '______,' and it belongs to the ______-er verb category.

to try regular

Optional 'y' to 'i' change in 'essayer'

Occurs in singular forms except nous/vous; 'j'essaie' or 'j'essaye'.

Present tense usage in French

Describes actions/states at the moment of speaking; used daily.

Dual spelling in French orthography

Some verbs like 'essayer' have two correct spellings; 'essaie' or 'essaye'.

The ______ tense is used to express completed actions in the past with the verb 'essayer'.

passé composé

Imperfect Tense Usage

Describes ongoing/habitual past actions, sets scene for narratives.

Subjunctive Mood Function

Expresses doubt, desire, uncertainty, used in dependent clauses.

Conditional Mood Application

Used for hypotheticals, polite requests, and future events in the past.

To express future actions in French, 'essayer' changes to 'j'essaierai' for 'I will try', and 'ils/elles essaieront' for 'they will try'.

j'essaierai ils/elles essaieront

Essayer conjugation exception: 'y' to 'i' shift

In certain forms, 'essayer' changes 'y' to 'i' before a silent 'e'.

Essayer 1st person singular present tense: dual spelling

In present tense, 'essayer' can be spelled as 'j'essaie' or 'j'essaye'.

In the present tense 'nous' form of 'essayer', it's important to remember the double '______', and to use the correct auxiliary verb in compound tenses.

Ecco un elenco delle domande più frequenti su questo argomento

What is the unique aspect of the french verb "essayer" in terms of conjugation, how is "essayer" conjugated in the present tense, and what does it signify, how do you form the passé composé with "essayer," and what is its significance, can you describe the use of "essayer" in the imperfect, subjunctive, and conditional moods, what are the future and plus-que-parfait tenses of "essayer" used for, is "essayer" considered a regular or irregular verb, and why, what are some common mistakes when conjugating "essayer" and how can they be avoided, contenuti simili, esplora altre mappe su argomenti simili.

French Multilingualism

Social Mobility in France

Vowel Harmony in French

The Impact of Social Media in Contemporary France

Mastering French Public Transportation Vocabulary

French Liaison Rules

French Unrounded Vowels

Non trovi quello che cercavi?

Cerca un argomento inserendo una frase o una parola chiave

Understanding the Basics of Essayer Conjugation in French

Present Tense Conjugation of Essayer

Past tense mastery with essayer, exploring the imperfect and conditional forms of essayer, future and perfect tenses in essayer conjugation, regular vs. irregular patterns in essayer conjugation, avoiding common mistakes and tips for conjugating essayer.

Modifica disponibile

essayer translation | French-English dictionary

s'essayer , essayeur , essuyer , essaimer

Additional comments:

• Edit the entry
• Delete the entry
• Add a suggestion
• Add comment
• ! Put in pending

Sign up to add your entry

Verb conjugation of "essayer" in French

What Does the French Word "Essayer" Mean in English?

Definition:.

Essayer is a French word that means "to try" or "to attempt" in English. It is a versatile verb used to express the action of trying something or attempting to do something in French.

Understanding how to use "essayer" correctly is important for expressing your intentions and efforts in various situations. In this guide, we'll explore the meaning, usage, and nuances of this essential French verb.

The word "essayer" comes from the Old French word "essai," which means "trial" or "attempt." It is derived from the Latin word "exagium," meaning "weighing" or "balance."

Part of Speech:

Usage and examples:.

Expressing an attempt: When you want to say that you are trying something, you can use "essayer." For example, "J'essaie de comprendre" means "I am trying to understand."

Asking someone to try: You can also use "essayer" to ask someone to try something. For instance, "Essaie ce plat, il est délicieux" translates to "Try this dish, it's delicious."

AI Fun Fact 😅 :

In French, "essayer" is often used in conjunction with the preposition "de" (to) to indicate what is being tried. This construction is known as the infinitive form of the verb.

Expressions avec "Essayer" en anglais

• Essayer de nouveau : Try again
• Essayer une nouvelle recette : Try a new recipe
• Essayer de comprendre : Try to understand
• Essayer quelque chose de nouveau : Try something new
• Essayer sa chance : Try one's luck
• Essayer avant d'acheter : Try before you buy
• Essayer de résoudre un problème : Try to solve a problem
• Essayer de nouvelles expériences : Try new experiences
• Essayer de rester calme : Try to stay calm
• Essayer une approche différente : Try a different approach

Conclusion:

"Essayer" is a fundamental verb in French that allows you to express the act of trying or attempting something. By mastering the usage and conjugation of "essayer," you can effectively communicate your efforts and intentions in various contexts, from everyday conversations to more formal settings.

Subjunctive of the French verb essayer

Subscribe to The Connexion

See prices & plans

HELP GUIDES

Income Tax in France

Healthcare in France

Inheritance Law and Wills in France

Visas and residency cards for France

Everyday French phrases with the verb ‘passer’

Many of these expressions can be used in daily conversation, boosting your fluency

850,000 retirees in France will see their pension increase from October

Hunting season set to open in France: key information and calendar

Can dual UK-Irish citizens spend six months in France and six months in the UK?

Mediterranean storms and lots of rain: French weekend weather update September 7 - 8

French verbs, as in any other language, are often the basis for expressions, especially when they have more than one meaning or are very common.

The verb passer is a classic example that can be employed in many different ways.

This means there is no shortage of idiomatic expressions using passer, many of which are useful in everyday conversation. 

Passer un savon à quelqu’un - To scold someone

Passer un savon is like the equivalent of to give someone an earful or to scold someone. 

Ultimately it suggests telling someone off in a very severe way. 

It comes from the time when people would wash their clothes with a washboard and soap and is associated with the violence required to scrub the clothes. 

For example, Le prof lui a passé un savon pour son retard (The teacher gave him a scolding for being late.)

This is also the origin of the expression laver la tete which means to dispute or argue.

Passer l’éponge - To forgive and forget

Literally translating as "to pass the sponge" this idiom means to let go of past mistakes or to forgive someone. You can use this if someone has scolded you. 

Après leur dispute, ils ont décidé de passer l'éponge . (After their argument, they decided to forgive and forget.)

Passer une nuit blanche - to do an all nighter

Passer une nuit blanche means to have a sleepless night. 

It can be used both in the sense of intending to do it, for example to stay up to party, or the idea of not being able to get any sleep.

Parents with a new baby may passent une nuit blanche , for example.

J'ai passé une nuit blanche à cause du stress . (I had a sleepless night because of stress.)

Passer sous silence - To keep quiet about / To ignore

This phrase means to deliberately not mention or omit something from a conversation or report.

Ils ont passé sous silence les erreurs dans leur article . (They kept quiet about the mistakes in their report.)

Read more: Seven English words you might not realise are French

Passer à côté de quelque chose - To miss out on something

This expression is used when someone does not take advantage of something or misses out on an opportunity.

En refusant ce travail, elle a passé à côté d'une grande opportunité . (He missed out on a great opportunity by refusing that job.) 

Similarly, laisser passer sa chance means to let an opportunity slip away without taking it. 

Passer du coq à l’âne - To jump from one topic to another

This idiom, which literally means "to go from the rooster to the donkey," describes someone who changes subjects abruptly in a conversation.

Passer un coup de fil - To make a phone call

A great one to use in everyday conversation, passer un coup de fil is a very casual way of saying "to call someone”. 

Je vais lui passer un coup de fil pour confirmer notre rendez-vous ce soir . (I'm going to give him a call to confirm our meeting this evening.)

Read more: Learning French: 8 handy French phrases using the word pouce

Passer la main - To hand over / To step down

This expression is used when someone is stepping down from a position of responsibility or handing over their duties to someone else.

Passer un mauvais quart d'heure - To have a tough time

Translating to "to spend a bad quarter of an hour," this phrase is used to describe a brief but difficult or unpleasant experience.

J'ai passé un mauvais quart d'heure en essayant de réparer mon four . (I had a tough time trying to fix my oven.)

Ne pas passer par quatre chemins - To get straight to the point

This expression means to be direct and not beat around the bush.

Elle n'est pas passée par quatre chemins pour annoncer la mauvaise nouvelle . (She didn’t beat around the bush to announce the bad news.)

Read more: Nine reasons to learn French

More from The Connexion

On va pas chercher midi à quatorze heures : Fun French expression no. 1

Find out what this amusing French expression means so you can start to use it in your conversations

‘Soaked like soup’: 7 French expressions to use for wet weather

From cows and dogs to soup, ropes and buckets - use these phrases when it is raining to sound like a native

Films, series, sports: What to watch in September to help improve your French

The new season of a Netflix 'love-to-hate' classic is available this month, alongside films at the cinema and the end of France's summer sporting extravaganza

Franco-Lebanese tycoon acquires French media giants

Rodolphe Saadé expands his media portfolio with the purchase of BFM-TV and RMC for €1.55billion

Which iconic French brands are the most beloved?

Quirky french property: 13th-century watermill is moving with the times, photos: four chateaux for sale for under $1 million in dordogne.

€1 franchise fee proposed for medical devices in France in new report

Adding the fee could save the state at least €259 million in healthcare costs, it is claimed

Immigration, EU, pay: What are PM Michel Barnier's known policies?

The new PM likely faces an uphill battle in parliament to push policies through, as there is still not a clear majority

Suspended jail term and fine for French MP in €114,000 expenses fraud

Socialist Jean-Christophe Cambadélis has been found guilty in a criminal court in Paris

The French marathon where runners eat cheese and drink wine along the route

The Olympics put the focus on serious sport, but the Marathon des Châteaux du Médoc in the south of the country is offering a little light relief

Danone drops Nutri-Score label on drinkable yoghurts after downgrade

The creator of the Nutri-Score has said the change is a “deplorable” step backwards

Shop olive oil: French consumer group names cheapest healthiest option

It is now rare to find a litre of olive oil for less than €10

French study praises ‘miracle product’ against bedbugs

The study found that a commonly-used clay powder is effective against the insects

Letters: Bin collection fees have soared in France - for fewer pick-ups

Readers say the fees mean putting the rubbish out only once every six weeks

Do ‘Crit’Air’ stickers go out of date for French low-emission zones?

How should you dispose of used tyres in france.

Is it easy to buy French train tickets online, even if abroad?

You can print out electronic tickets or store them on your smartphone

France to offer free STI screening for young - no prescription needed

Previously only HIV tests were available this way

Is a second home subject to gift tax in France?

Notaires are required to confirm the transaction

Couple use official '90-day' calculator for French trip – but told dates wrong

Border guards gave two different dates deadline for ferry passengers to return to the UK - both of which were different to the calculator's

Who can I appoint as my power of attorney in France

Antonia Ridley-Hughes of Ashtons Legal, answers a reader query

I moved to France and became a mountain guide

Why far right support is key to whether michel barnier stays as french pm.

It starts this Sunday in many departments, with others to follow in the next two weeks

Rules for medical certificates and sport in France

Rules are different for adults and children and were recently changed

Flash sale of €19 TGV train tickets ends at midnight

Hundreds of thousands of cut-price tickets are available across the network

Wife raped by 50 men on husband’s invitation opts for open trial in France

‘I have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of’, she told the courtroom, waiving her right to anonymity

Michel Barnier is named as France's new prime minister

The EU's former chief Brexit negotiator was selected for the role by President Macron

Eligible pensioners will also receive an average €600 retrospective payment

Do not fall for a scam relating to a ‘gift’ Decathlon tent in France

It is being spread via a Facebook post that invites users to take part in ‘a simple competition’...

PHOTOS: Dramatic scenes as violent storms hit southern France

Roads in Marseille were flooded and some homes in the back country behind Nice were evacuated by precaution