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Temps des verbes en français

Il y a de nombreux temps de verbes dans la langue française. Vous trouverez ici une infographie très utile pour vous assurer de connaître tous les temps de verbes.

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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).

Imparfait : 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).
Imparfait	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.

INDICATIF

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

Imparfait : 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.

Passé antérieur : 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).

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

Futur antérieur : 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.

Passé simple : 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.

Présent	The indicative present tense in French is used to express actions that are happening at time of discussion or of story-telling.
Imparfait	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.
Passé antérieur	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).
Futur simple	The indicative simple future tense in French is used to express actions that will happen in the future.
Futur antérieur	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.
Passé simple	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

PRÉSENT

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

IMPARFAIT

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

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

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

PASSÉ ANTÉRIEUR

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

FUTUR ANTÉRIEUR

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

FUTUR SIMPLE

Actions in the future
Je mangerai
I will eat

PASSÉ SIMPLE

Literary version of passé composé
Je mangeai
I have eaten

PASSÉ COMPOSÉ

Completed actions
J'ai mangé
I have eaten

SUBJONCTIF

Présent : 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.

Passé : 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.

Imparfait : 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.

Présent	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.
Passé	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.
Imparfait	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

PRÉSENT

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

PASSÉ

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

PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT

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

IMPARFAIT

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

CONDITIONNEL

Présent : 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.

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

Passé (2^ème) : 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.

Présent	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.
Passé	The conditional past tense in French is used to express what would have happened given certain events or actions.
Passé (2^ème)	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

PRÉSENT

Present hypothetical actions
Je mangerais
I would eat

PASSÉ

Past hypothetical actions
J'aurais mangé
I would have eaten

PASSÉ 2^e

PASSÉ (2^ÈME)

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

IMPÉRATIF

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

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

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

Commands

IMPÉRATIF

PRÉSENT

Present commands
Mange !
Eat!

PASSÉ

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

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