Etre Conjugation – Useful Tenses With Translations & Real Examples
Does Etre Conjugation feel overwhelming because this single verb seems to appear everywhere in French, from basic sentences to complex grammar structures? Être is the most essential verb in French. It expresses identity, state, condition, location, description, and emotion, and it also functions as a key auxiliary verb. This guide explains every tense clearly, with natural translations and real-life examples.
Avoir Verb Conjugation: Every Tense With Translations & Real Examples
Let’s start with why être is unique.
What You Need To Know Before Conjugating Être
Être means to be. It is a highly irregular verb with unique forms in almost every tense. Beyond meaning “to be,” être is also used as an auxiliary verb in compound tenses and passive constructions. Because of this dual role, mastering être is essential for understanding French grammar as a whole.
Indicative Mood
The indicative mood is used to express facts, states, descriptions, and real situations.
Present Tense (Présent)
The present tense of être is used to describe identity, characteristics, emotions, location, and current states. In English, it usually translates as “am,” “is,” or “are.”
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | suis | I am |
| Tu | es | you are |
| Il / Elle / On | est | he / she is |
| Nous | sommes | we are |
| Vous | êtes | you are |
| Ils / Elles | sont | they are |
Examples:
- Je suis fatigué. → I am tired.
- Elle est à la maison. → She is at home.
- Nous sommes prêts. → We are ready.
To describe states or situations in the past, French uses the imperfect.
Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)
The imperfect tense is used for ongoing states, descriptions, or background information in the past. In English, it often translates as “was” or “were.”
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | étais | I was |
| Tu | étais | you were |
| Il / Elle / On | était | he / she was |
| Nous | étions | we were |
| Vous | étiez | you were |
| Ils / Elles | étaient | they were |
Examples:
- J’étais heureux. → I was happy.
- Elle était malade. → She was sick.
- Ils étaient en retard. → They were late.
To express a completed state in the past, French uses the passé composé.
Passé Composé
The passé composé of être expresses a completed state or condition in the past. It always uses avoir as its auxiliary.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | ai été | I was / I have been |
| Tu | as été | you were |
| Il / Elle / On | a été | he / she was |
| Nous | avons été | we were |
| Vous | avez été | you were |
| Ils / Elles | ont été | they were |
Examples:
- J’ai été malade. → I was sick.
- Elle a été patiente. → She was patient.
- Nous avons été prêts. → We were ready.
To show a state that existed before another past event, French uses another tense.
Plus-Que-Parfait
The plus-que-parfait describes a state that had already existed before another past action.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | avais été | I had been |
| Tu | avais été | you had been |
| Il / Elle / On | avait été | he / she had been |
| Nous | avions été | we had been |
| Vous | aviez été | you had been |
| Ils / Elles | avaient été | they had been |
Examples:
- J’avais été prudent. → I had been careful.
- Elle avait été malade. → She had been sick.
- Ils avaient été avertis. → They had been warned.
Some tenses are mainly used in written French.
Passé Simple (Rare – Literary)
The passé simple of être appears mostly in literature.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | fus | I was |
| Tu | fus | you were |
| Il / Elle / On | fut | he / she was |
| Nous | fûmes | we were |
| Vous | fûtes | you were |
| Ils / Elles | furent | they were |
Examples:
- Il fut surpris. → He was surprised.
- Elle fut calme. → She was calm.
- Ils furent prêts. → They were ready.
French also uses the future tense frequently with être.
Simple Future (Futur Simple)
The future tense describes states or conditions that will exist later.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | serai | I will be |
| Tu | seras | you will be |
| Il / Elle / On | sera | he / she will be |
| Nous | serons | we will be |
| Vous | serez | you will be |
| Ils / Elles | seront | they will be |
Examples:
- Je serai prêt. → I will be ready.
- Elle sera là demain. → She will be there tomorrow.
- Nous serons ensemble. → We will be together.
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive is used to express necessity, emotion, doubt, or judgment involving a state or condition.
Present Subjunctive
In English, this often becomes “be” or “should be.”
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Que je | sois | that I be |
| Que tu | sois | that you be |
| Qu’il / elle / on | soit | that he / she be |
| Que nous | soyons | that we be |
| Que vous | soyez | that you be |
| Qu’ils / elles | soient | that they be |
Examples:
- Il faut que je sois prêt. → I need to be ready.
- Je veux qu’elle soit calme. → I want her to be calm.
- Bien qu’ils soient fatigués… → Although they are tired…
Past Subjunctive
Used when the state existed before the main verb.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Que je | aie été | that I have been |
| Que tu | aies été | that you have been |
| Qu’il / elle / on | ait été | that he / she has been |
| Que nous | ayons été | that we have been |
| Que vous | ayez été | that you have been |
| Qu’ils / elles | aient été | that they have been |
Examples:
- Je regrette qu’il ait été dur. → I regret that he was harsh.
- Bien qu’elle ait été absente… → Although she was absent…
- Je suis content qu’ils aient été là. → I’m glad they were there.
Conditional Mood
The conditional expresses hypothetical states, politeness, or imagined situations.
Present Conditional
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je | serais | I would be |
| Tu | serais | you would be |
| Il / Elle / On | serait | he / she would be |
| Nous | serions | we would be |
| Vous | seriez | you would be |
| Ils / Elles | seraient | they would be |
Examples:
- Je serais heureux. → I would be happy.
- Elle serait disponible. → She would be available.
- Nous serions d’accord. → We would agree.
Imperative Mood
The imperative is used to give commands, advice, or encouragement.
Present Imperative
| Form | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| (Tu) | sois | be |
| (Nous) | soyons | let’s be |
| (Vous) | soyez | be |
Examples:
- Sois patient. → Be patient.
- Soyons honnêtes. → Let’s be honest.
- Soyez prudents. → Be careful.
FAQ
Below are clear, beginner-friendly answers to the most common questions learners ask about the French verb être, explained in simple language with practical examples.
What Does The Verb Être Mean In French?
The verb être means “to be” and is used to express identity, state, condition, location, emotion, and description. It is one of the most essential verbs in French and appears in almost every type of sentence, from beginner phrases to advanced grammar structures.
Is Être A Regular Or Irregular Verb?
Être is a highly irregular verb. Its forms change significantly across tenses and do not follow standard conjugation patterns. Because of this, learners must memorize its forms rather than rely on rules used for regular verbs.
Why Is Être So Important In French?
Être is fundamental because it is used to describe who someone is, how they feel, where they are, and what something is like. It is also used as an auxiliary verb in compound tenses and passive constructions, making it essential for overall grammar mastery.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Present Tense?
In the present tense, être is conjugated as je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils sont. These forms are used constantly to describe current states, identities, emotions, and locations.
When Do You Use Être In The Present Tense?
The present tense of être is used to talk about facts, current conditions, emotions, and permanent or temporary states. It often translates to “am,” “is,” or “are” in English and appears in everyday conversation.
What Is The Imperfect Tense Of Être Used For?
The imperfect tense of être is used to describe ongoing states, habitual conditions, or background information in the past. It often translates as “was” or “were” and is common in storytelling and descriptions.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Imperfect Tense?
In the imperfect tense, être becomes j’étais, tu étais, il était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils étaient. These forms describe what someone or something was like over a period of time.
How Do You Use Être In The Past Tense?
Être uses the passé composé to describe completed states or conditions in the past. In this tense, it always uses avoir as its auxiliary, forming structures like j’ai été.
What Does J’ai Été Mean In English?
J’ai été usually translates as “I was” or “I have been.” It refers to a completed state in the past rather than an ongoing one, which is why it differs from j’étais.
What Is The Difference Between J’étais And J’ai Été?
J’étais describes an ongoing or habitual past state, while j’ai été refers to a completed or specific state in the past. The choice depends on whether the situation is viewed as continuous or finished.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Future Tense?
In the future tense, être is conjugated as je serai, tu seras, il sera, nous serons, vous serez, ils seront. These forms describe states or conditions that will exist later.
When Do You Use Être In The Future Tense?
The future tense of être is used to talk about future states, identities, conditions, or locations. It often translates as “will be” and is common in planning and predictions.
What Is The Plus-Que-Parfait Of Être Used For?
The plus-que-parfait of être is used to describe a state that existed before another past action. It usually translates as “had been” in English.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Plus-Que-Parfait?
In the plus-que-parfait, être becomes j’avais été, tu avais été, il avait été, and so on. This tense combines the imperfect of avoir with the past participle été.
Is Être Used As An Auxiliary Verb?
Yes, être is commonly used as an auxiliary verb in compound tenses, especially with movement verbs and reflexive verbs. In these cases, it helps form the past tense and triggers agreement rules.
Which Verbs Use Être As An Auxiliary?
Many movement verbs and all reflexive verbs use être as their auxiliary in compound tenses. This affects agreement of the past participle with the subject.
Why Does Être Cause Agreement In The Past Tense?
When être is used as an auxiliary, the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number. This agreement is a key feature of French grammar and must always be applied correctly.
How Do You Use Être In The Subjunctive Mood?
The subjunctive of être is used after expressions of necessity, emotion, doubt, or judgment. It often translates as “be” or “should be” in English.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Present Subjunctive?
In the present subjunctive, être becomes que je sois, que tu sois, qu’il soit, que nous soyons, que vous soyez, qu’ils soient. These forms express uncertainty or subjectivity.
What Is The Past Subjunctive Of Être Used For?
The past subjunctive of être is used to talk about a state that existed before the main verb in a subjective context. It often translates as “to have been.”
How Do You Use Être In The Conditional Tense?
The conditional of être expresses hypothetical states, politeness, or imagined situations. It usually translates as “would be” in English.
How Do You Conjugate Être In The Conditional Tense?
In the present conditional, être becomes je serais, tu serais, il serait, nous serions, vous seriez, ils seraient. These forms are common in polite speech and hypothetical situations.
Can Être Be Used In Commands?
Yes, être can be used in the imperative to give advice, encouragement, or commands. Forms like sois, soyons, and soyez are common in spoken French.
What Does Sois Mean In French?
Sois is the informal imperative form of être and means “be.” It is used to give advice or instructions, such as sois patient.
How Is Être Used To Express Location?
Être is used to indicate where someone or something is located. For example, il est à Paris means “he is in Paris.”
How Is Être Used To Describe Emotions?
Être is used with adjectives to describe emotions, such as être heureux, être fatigué, or être stressé. These expressions are extremely common in daily speech.
Can Être Be Used With Adjectives?
Yes, être is regularly used with adjectives to describe physical states, emotions, personality traits, and conditions. Agreement of adjectives follows standard gender and number rules.
Can Être Be Used With Nouns?
Être is used with nouns to express identity or profession, often without an article. For example, elle est médecin means “she is a doctor.”
How Is Être Different From Avoir?
Être describes states, identity, and location, while avoir expresses possession and certain conditions. Both are essential but serve different grammatical purposes.
Is Être Used In Passive Constructions?
Yes, être is used to form the passive voice in French. In these constructions, the past participle agrees with the subject.
What Are Common Mistakes Learners Make With Être?
Common mistakes include confusing être with avoir, misusing past tenses, and forgetting agreement rules when être is used as an auxiliary. Practice helps avoid these errors.
Is Être Used In Formal French?
Yes, être is used in both spoken and formal written French. Its forms remain the same, though sentence structure may be more complex in formal contexts.
Can Être Be Used Figuratively?
Yes, être is frequently used figuratively to describe states or situations, such as être dans le noir or être en difficulté.
How Do You Practice Être Effectively?
Practice être by forming sentences about identity, emotion, location, and state across multiple tenses. Mixing affirmative, negative, and question forms improves fluency.
Should Beginners Learn All Être Tenses At Once?
Beginners should start with the present, imperfect, and passé composé forms. Other tenses can be added gradually to avoid confusion.
Why Is Être Essential For Fluency?
Être appears constantly in conversation and writing. Mastering it allows learners to express basic and complex ideas accurately and confidently.
Does Être Appear In Fixed Expressions?
Yes, many common French expressions use être, especially those describing states, emotions, and situations. Recognizing these expressions improves comprehension.
Can Être Be Used With Reflexive Verbs?
Être itself is not reflexive, but it is used as an auxiliary for all reflexive verbs in compound tenses, which affects agreement rules.
How Does Être Improve Sentence Structure?
Être allows you to build descriptive sentences quickly and accurately. It supports adjectives, nouns, and prepositional phrases, making it central to sentence formation.
Is Être One Of The First Verbs To Learn?
Yes, être is usually one of the first verbs taught because it is essential for basic communication and understanding French grammar.
Can Être Be Used In Questions?
Yes, être is commonly used in questions, both with inversion and intonation. It helps ask about identity, state, and location.
How Do You Negate Être?
Être is negated using ne…pas around the verb, such as je ne suis pas prêt. This structure is consistent across tenses.
Why Does Être Appear In So Many Grammar Rules?
Because être functions both as a main verb and an auxiliary, it plays a role in agreement, tense formation, and sentence structure, making it central to French grammar.
Final Takeaway
The Etre Conjugation is the foundation of French grammar. Être expresses identity, state, emotion, and location, and it also supports many other verbs as an auxiliary. Once you master its irregular forms and understand how each tense functions, your French becomes clearer, more accurate, and more natural.