Marcher Verb Conjugation, Meaning & Useful Tenses (With English Translations)
Meaning: to walk, to work (function), to operate
Type: Regular – ER verb (uses avoir in passé composé)
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Uses: walking, daily actions, saying something works or doesn’t work
Présent (Present Tense)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | marche | I walk / I’m walking |
| tu | marches | you walk / you’re walking |
| il/elle/on | marche | he/she/one walks / is walking |
| nous | marchons | we walk / we are walking |
| vous | marchez | you walk / you are walking |
| ils/elles | marchent | they walk / they are walking |
Passé Composé (Past – Completed Actions)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | ai marché | I walked |
| tu | as marché | you walked |
| il/elle/on | a marché | he/she/one walked |
| nous | avons marché | we walked |
| vous | avez marché | you walked |
| ils/elles | ont marché | they walked |
Note: Ça marche is very common: “It works / Sounds good.”
Imparfait (Past – Ongoing / Used To)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | marchais | I used to walk / I was walking |
| tu | marchais | you used to walk / you were walking |
| il/elle/on | marchait | he/she/one used to walk / was walking |
| nous | marchions | we used to walk / we were walking |
| vous | marchiez | you used to walk / were walking |
| ils/elles | marchaient | they used to walk / were walking |
Passé Récent (Recent Past – “Just did…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | viens de marcher | I just walked |
| tu | viens de marcher | you just walked |
| il/elle/on | vient de marcher | he/she/one just walked |
| nous | venons de marcher | we just walked |
| vous | venez de marcher | you just walked |
| ils/elles | viennent de marcher | they just walked |
Futur Proche (Near Future – “Going to…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais marcher | I’m going to walk |
| tu | vas marcher | you’re going to walk |
| il/elle/on | va marcher | he/she/one is going to walk |
| nous | allons marcher | we’re going to walk |
| vous | allez marcher | you’re going to walk |
| ils/elles | vont marcher | they’re going to walk |
Futur Simple (“Will…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | marcherai | I will walk |
| tu | marcheras | you will walk |
| il/elle/on | marchera | he/she/one will walk |
| nous | marcherons | we will walk |
| vous | marcherez | you will walk |
| ils/elles | marcheront | they will walk |
Conditionnel Présent (Would…)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | marcherais | I would walk |
| tu | marcherais | you would walk |
| il/elle/on | marcherait | he/she/one would walk |
| nous | marcherions | we would walk |
| vous | marcheriez | you would walk |
| ils/elles | marcheraient | they would walk |
Subjonctif Présent (after expressions of emotion, doubt, necessity, …)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| que je | marche | that I walk |
| que tu | marches | that you walk |
| qu’il/elle/on | marche | that he/she/one walk |
| que nous | marchions | that we walk |
| que vous | marchiez | that you walk |
| qu’ils/elles | marchent | that they walk |
Impératif Présent (Commands)
| Form | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| tu | marche | walk! |
| nous | marchons | let’s walk! |
| vous | marchez | walk! (plural / formal) |
Participes
| Form | French | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Participe présent | marchant | walking |
| Participe passé | marché | walked |
Gérondif
| Form | French | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| en marchant | en marchant | while walking |