Avancer Verb Conjugation, Meaning & Useful Tenses (With English Translations)

Meaning: to move forward / to advance
Type: Regular – ER verb (with minor spelling change: c → ç before “a” / “o”)
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Uses: movement, progress, physical or metaphorical advancement

Présent (Present Tense)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	j’avance	I move forward / I’m moving forward
tu	avances	you move forward / you’re moving forward
il/elle/on	avance	he/she/one moves forward / is moving forward
nous	avançons	we move forward / we are moving forward
vous	avancez	you move forward / you are moving forward
ils/elles	avancent	they move forward / they are moving forward

Passé Composé (Past – Completed Actions)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	ai avancé	I moved forward
tu	as avancé	you moved forward
il/elle/on	a avancé	he/she/one moved forward
nous	avons avancé	we moved forward
vous	avez avancé	you moved forward
ils/elles	ont avancé	they moved forward

Imparfait (Past – Ongoing / Used To)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	j’avançais	I used to move forward / I was moving forward
tu	avançais	you used to move forward / you were moving forward
il/elle/on	avançait	he/she/one used to move forward / was moving forward
nous	avançions	we used to move forward / were moving forward
vous	avançiez	you used to move forward / were moving forward
ils/elles	avançaient	they used to move forward / were moving forward

Passé Récent (Recent Past – “Just did…”)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	viens d’avancer	I just moved forward
tu	viens d’avancer	you just moved forward
il/elle/on	vient d’avancer	he/she/one just moved forward
nous	venons d’avancer	we just moved forward
vous	venez d’avancer	you just moved forward
ils/elles	viennent d’avancer	they just moved forward

Futur Proche (Near Future – “Going to…”)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	vais avancer	I’m going to move forward
tu	vas avancer	you’re going to move forward
il/elle/on	va avancer	he/she/one is going to move forward
nous	allons avancer	we’re going to move forward
vous	allez avancer	you’re going to move forward
ils/elles	vont avancer	they’re going to move forward

Futur Simple (“Will…”)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	avancerai	I will move forward
tu	avanceras	you will move forward
il/elle/on	avancera	he/she/one will move forward
nous	avancerons	we will move forward
vous	avancerez	you will move forward
ils/elles	avanceront	they will move forward

Conditionnel Présent (Would…)

Subject	French form	English meaning
je	avancerais	I would move forward
tu	avancerais	you would move forward
il/elle/on	avancerait	he/she/one would move forward
nous	avancerions	we would move forward
vous	avanceriez	you would move forward
ils/elles	avanceraient	they would move forward

Subjonctif Présent (after expressions of emotion, doubt, necessity, …)

Subject	French form	English meaning
que j’	avance	that I move forward
que tu	avances	that you move forward
qu’il/elle/on	avance	that he/she/one move forward
que nous	avancions	that we move forward
que vous	avanciez	that you move forward
qu’ils/elles	avancent	that they move forward

Impératif Présent (Commands)

Form	French form	English meaning
tu	avance	move forward!
nous	avançons	let’s move forward!
vous	avancez	move forward! (plural / formal)

Participes

Form	French	English meaning
Participe présent	avançant	moving forward
Participe passé	avancé	moved forward

Gérondif

Form	French	English meaning
en avançant	en avançant	while moving forward