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French verb tenses

There are so many verb tenses in the French language. Here you'll find a super helpful infographic to make sure you know all verb tenses.

There are many verb tenses in French that at first it might seem overwhelming. Use the following infographics to help you get a better understanding of when to use each one. Pay attention to which ones are literary tenses. Literary tenses are only used in formal writing and novels, they give a sense of fantasy or philosophy.

French verbs have four moods (modes): indicative, subjunctive, conditional and imperative. Each of the moods have their own tenses. When discussing grammar, some words have extra meanings, therefore it would be good to familiarize yourself with some new definitions.

DEFINITIONS

Clause: a part of a sentence that has a minimum of a subject and a verb. A clause will be preceded by conjunctions such as: that, when, etc. E.g., It's the biggest cake that I've ever seen (the clauses are underlined).

Imperfect: a past action was not completed.

Perfect: a past action was completed.

Simple: a tense that is composed of one word, rather than two. E.g., I ate vs I did eat.

Clause	a part of a sentence that has a minimum of a subject and a verb. A clause will be preceded by conjunctions such as: that, when, etc. E.g., It's the biggest cake that I've ever seen (the clauses are underlined).
Imperfect	a past action was not completed.
Perfect	a past action was completed.
Simple	a tense that is composed of one word, rather than two. E.g., I ate vs I did eat.

INDICATIVE

Present: The indicative present tense in French is used to express actions that are happening at time of discussion or of story-telling.

Imperfect: The indicative imperfect tense in French is used to express actions that happened in the past, but that may or may not have been completed, that had been executed multiple times in the past or that had happened over a long period of time in comparison to now.

Plus-que-parfait: The indicative plus-que-parfait tense in French is used to express that an action was completed before or after another action in the past. The plus-que-parfait tense is used for whichever action happened first, while a regular perfect or imperfect tense is used for the second. The plus-que-parfait tense is the written equivalent of the past perfect tense. This means, this tense is only to be used when speaking.

Past Perfect: The indicative past perfect tense in French is used to express that an action was completed before or after another action in the past. The past perfect tense is used for whichever action happened first, while a regular perfect or imperfect tense is used for the second. The past perfect tense is the literary equivalent of the plus-que-parfait tense. This means, this tense is only to be used when writing. The past perfect is normally preceded by the following conjunctions: quand (when), lorsque (when), après que (after), aussitôt que (as soon as), dès que (as soon as).

Simple Future: The indicative simple future tense in French is used to express actions that will happen in the future.

Future Perfect: The indicative future perfect tense in French is used to express actions that will happen and be completed in the future. It also has other applications, such as being used to express probability in the past, talking about historical events and for the subordinate clause in timed events where the subordinate clause happens after or before the main clause and that follows one of the following conjuctions: quand, lorsque, aussitôt que, une fois que, dès que or après que.

Passé composé: The indicative passé composé tense in French is used to express actions that happened in the past and that have been completed. The passé composé is a 'perfect' tense, meaning 'completed', where as the imperfect tense is a past tense that is incomplete. Read Notable points for more.

Simple Past: The indicative simple past tense in French is a literary tense that is used to express actions that happened in the past and that have been completed. The simple past is a 'perfect' tense, meaning 'completed', where as the imperfect tense is a past tense that is incomplete. The simple past tense is the literary equivalent of the passé composé. Read Notable points for more.

Present	The indicative present tense in French is used to express actions that are happening at time of discussion or of story-telling.
Imperfect	The indicative imperfect tense in French is used to express actions that happened in the past, but that may or may not have been completed, that had been executed multiple times in the past or that had happened over a long period of time in comparison to now.
*Plus-que-parfait*	The indicative plus-que-parfait tense in French is used to express that an action was completed before or after another action in the past. The plus-que-parfait tense is used for whichever action happened first, while a regular perfect or imperfect tense is used for the second. The plus-que-parfait tense is the written equivalent of the past perfect tense. This means, this tense is only to be used when speaking.
Past Perfect	The indicative past perfect tense in French is used to express that an action was completed before or after another action in the past. The past perfect tense is used for whichever action happened first, while a regular perfect or imperfect tense is used for the second. The past perfect tense is the literary equivalent of the plus-que-parfait tense. This means, this tense is only to be used when writing. The past perfect is normally preceded by the following conjunctions: quand (when), lorsque (when), après que (after), aussitôt que (as soon as), dès que (as soon as).
Simple Future	The indicative simple future tense in French is used to express actions that will happen in the future.
Future Perfect	The indicative future perfect tense in French is used to express actions that will happen and be completed in the future. It also has other applications, such as being used to express probability in the past, talking about historical events and for the subordinate clause in timed events where the subordinate clause happens after or before the main clause and that follows one of the following conjuctions: quand, lorsque, aussitôt que, une fois que, dès que or après que.
*Passé composé*	The indicative passé composé tense in French is used to express actions that happened in the past and that have been completed. The passé composé is a 'perfect' tense, meaning 'completed', where as the imperfect tense is a past tense that is incomplete. Read Notable points for more.
Simple Past	The indicative simple past tense in French is a literary tense that is used to express actions that happened in the past and that have been completed. The simple past is a 'perfect' tense, meaning 'completed', where as the imperfect tense is a past tense that is incomplete. The simple past tense is the literary equivalent of the passé composé. Read Notable points for more.

Factual statements

INDICATIF

INDICATIVE

PRÉSENT

PRESENT

Present and progressive actions
Je mange
I am eating; I eat

IMPARFAIT

IMPERFECT

Incomplete or continuous past actions
Je mangeais
I was eating; I used to eat

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

First past tense clause to be completed
J'avais mangé quand ...
I had eaten when ...

PASSÉ ANTÉRIEUR

PAST PERFECT

Literary version of plus-que-parfait
J'eus mangé quand ...
I had eaten when ...

FUTUR ANTÉRIEUR

FUTURE PERFECT

Completed actions in the future
J'aurai mangé
I will have eaten

FUTUR SIMPLE

SIMPLE FUTURE

Actions in the future
Je mangerai
I will eat

PASSÉ SIMPLE

SIMPLE PAST

Literary version of passé composé
Je mangeai
I have eaten

PASSÉ COMPOSÉ

PASSÉ COMPOSÉ

Completed actions
J'ai mangé
I have eaten

SUBJUNCTIVE

Present: The subjunctive present tense is used when the main clause is in the present and the subjunctive is also in the present tense. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The present subjunctive also replaces the future tense as it still happens after the main clause.

Past: The subjunctive past tense is used when the subjunctive clause happens before the main clause or when the main clause itself is in the past tense. Learn when to use the subjunctive here.

Plus-que-parfait: The subjunctive plus-que-parfait tense is used when the main clause is in the past tense and the subjunctive clause, the subordinate, happened before the main clause. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The subjunctive plus-que-parfait is also a literary tense for the subjunctive past tense, it can only be used when writing newspapers, novels, etc.

Imperfect: The subjunctive imperfect is used when the main clause is in the past tense and the subjunctive clause, the subordinate, didn't happen first. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The subjunctive imperfect is also a literary tense for the subjunctive present tense, it can only be used when writing newspapers, novels, etc.

Present	The subjunctive present tense is used when the main clause is in the present and the subjunctive is also in the present tense. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The present subjunctive also replaces the future tense as it still happens after the main clause.
Past	The subjunctive past tense is used when the subjunctive clause happens before the main clause or when the main clause itself is in the past tense. Learn when to use the subjunctive here.
*Plus-que-parfait*	The subjunctive plus-que-parfait tense is used when the main clause is in the past tense and the subjunctive clause, the subordinate, happened before the main clause. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The subjunctive plus-que-parfait is also a literary tense for the subjunctive past tense, it can only be used when writing newspapers, novels, etc.
Imperfect	The subjunctive imperfect is used when the main clause is in the past tense and the subjunctive clause, the subordinate, didn't happen first. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The subjunctive imperfect is also a literary tense for the subjunctive present tense, it can only be used when writing newspapers, novels, etc.

Uncertain subordinate clauses

SUBJONCTIF

SUBJUNCTIVE

PRÉSENT

PRESENT

Present and progressive actions
... que je mange
... that I am eating

PASSÉ

PAST

Past actions
... que j'aie mangé
... that I've eaten

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

Literary version of past
... que j'eusse mangé
... that I've eaten

IMPARFAIT

IMPERFECT

Literary version of present
... que je mangeasse
... that I am eating

CONDITIONAL

Present: The conditional present tense in French is used to express what would happen given certain events or actions. The conditional mood in French has two extra applications that are different in English. 1) When you're saying what someone said they will do in the future. 2) When the condition of the conditional clause happens while or at the same time. This is the case when quand, lorsque, au moment où, dès que, aussitôt que, pendant que or tandis que are used. In English we use an imperfect or perfect past tense but in French they use the conditional.

Past: The conditional past tense in French is used to express what would have happened given certain events or actions.

Past (2^nd): The 2^nd conditional past tense in French is used to express what would have happened given certain events or actions when writing. This tense is the literary equivalent of the past conditional. The tense works the same but resembles the subjunctive plus-que-parfait.

Present	The conditional present tense in French is used to express what would happen given certain events or actions. The conditional mood in French has two extra applications that are different in English. 1) When you're saying what someone said they will do in the future. 2) When the condition of the conditional clause happens while or at the same time. This is the case when quand, lorsque, au moment où, dès que, aussitôt que, pendant que or tandis que are used. In English we use an imperfect or perfect past tense but in French they use the conditional.
Past	The conditional past tense in French is used to express what would have happened given certain events or actions.
Past (2^nd)	The 2^nd conditional past tense in French is used to express what would have happened given certain events or actions when writing. This tense is the literary equivalent of the past conditional. The tense works the same but resembles the subjunctive plus-que-parfait.

Dependant clauses

CONDITIONNEL

CONDITIONAL

PRÉSENT

PRESENT

Present hypothetical actions
Je mangerais
I would eat

PASSÉ

PAST

Past hypothetical actions
J'aurais mangé
I would have eaten

PASSÉ 2^e

PAST (2^ND)

Literary version of past
J'eusse mangé
I would have eaten

IMPERATIVE

Present: The imperative present tense in French is used to express a command, just like in English.

Past: The imperative past tense in French is used to express something that must be done before a certain time.

Present	The imperative present tense in French is used to express a command, just like in English.
Past	The imperative past tense in French is used to express something that must be done before a certain time.

Commands

IMPÉRATIF

IMPERATIVE

PRÉSENT

PRESENT

Present commands
Mange !
Eat!

PASSÉ

PAST

Commands as main clauses
Aie mangé avant ... !
Eat before ...!

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