Futur |
---|
j'essayerai je n'essayerai pas j'essaierai je n'essaierai pas |
tu essayeras tu n'essayeras pas tu essaieras tu n'essaieras pas |
il/elle essayera il/elle n'essayera pas il/elle essaiera il/elle n'essaiera pas |
nous essayerons nous n'essayerons pas nous essaierons nous n'essaierons pas |
vous essayerez vous n'essayerez pas vous essaierez vous n'essaierez pas |
ils/elles essayeront ils/elles n'essayeront pas ils/elles essaieront ils/elles n'essaieront pas |
Imparfait |
---|
j'essayais je n'essayais pas |
tu essayais tu n'essayais pas |
il/elle essayait il/elle n'essayait pas |
nous essayions nous n'essayions pas |
vous essayiez vous n'essayiez pas |
ils/elles essayaient ils/elles n'essayaient pas |
Passé Simple |
---|
j'essayai je n'essayai pas |
tu essayas tu n'essayas pas |
il/elle essaya il/elle n'essaya pas |
nous essayâmes nous n'essayâmes pas |
vous essayâtes vous n'essayâtes pas |
ils/elles essayèrent ils/elles n'essayèrent pas |
Passé Composé |
---|
Passé Composé |
---|
j'ai essayé je n'ai pas essayé |
tu as essayé tu n'as pas essayé |
il/elle a essayé il/elle n'a pas essayé |
nous avons essayé nous n'avons pas essayé |
vous avez essayé vous n'avez pas essayé |
ils/elles ont essayé ils/elles n'ont pas essayé |
Futur Antérieur |
---|
Futur Antérieur |
---|
j'aurai essayé je n'aurai pas essayé |
tu auras essayé tu n'auras pas essayé |
il/elle aura essayé il/elle n'aura pas essayé |
nous aurons essayé nous n'aurons pas essayé |
vous aurez essayé vous n'aurez pas essayé |
ils/elles auront essayé ils/elles n'auront pas essayé |
Plus-que-parfait |
---|
Plus-que-parfait |
---|
j'avais essayé je n'avais pas essayé |
tu avais essayé tu n'avais pas essayé |
il/elle avait essayé il/elle n'avait pas essayé |
nous avions essayé nous n'avions pas essayé |
vous aviez essayé vous n'aviez pas essayé |
ils/elles avaient essayé ils/elles n'avaient pas essayé |
Passé Antérieur |
---|
Passé Antérieur |
---|
j'eus essayé je n'eus pas essayé |
tu eus essayé tu n'eus pas essayé |
il/elle eut essayé il/elle n'eut pas essayé |
nous eûmes essayé nous n'eûmes pas essayé |
vous eûtes essayé vous n'eûtes pas essayé |
ils/elles eurent essayé ils/elles n'eurent pas essayé |
Présent |
---|
j'essaye je n'essaye pas j'essaie je n'essaie pas |
tu essayes tu n'essayes pas tu essaies tu n'essaies pas |
il/elle essaye il/elle n'essaye pas il/elle essaie il/elle n'essaie pas |
nous essayions nous n'essayions pas |
vous essayiez vous n'essayiez pas |
ils/elles essayent ils/elles n'essayent pas ils/elles essaient ils/elles n'essaient pas |
Imparfait |
---|
j'essayasse je n'essayasse pas |
tu essayasses tu n'essayasses pas |
il/elle essayât il/elle n'essayât pas |
nous essayassions nous n'essayassions pas |
vous essayassiez vous n'essayassiez pas |
ils/elles essayassent ils/elles n'essayassent pas |
Passé |
---|
Passé |
---|
j'aie essayé je n'aie pas essayé |
tu aies essayé tu n'aies pas essayé |
il/elle ait essayé il/elle n'ait pas essayé |
nous ayons essayé nous n'ayons pas essayé |
vous ayez essayé vous n'ayez pas essayé |
ils/elles aient essayé ils/elles n'aient pas essayé |
Plus-que-parfait |
---|
j'eusse essayé je n'eusse pas essayé |
tu eusses essayé tu n'eusses pas essayé |
il/elle eût essayé il/elle n'eût pas essayé |
nous eussions essayé nous n'eussions pas essayé |
vous eussiez essayé vous n'eussiez pas essayé |
ils/elles eussent essayé ils/elles n'eussent pas essayé |
Présent |
---|
j'essayerais je n'essayerais pas j'essaierais je n'essaierais pas |
tu essayerais tu n'essayerais pas tu essaierais tu n'essaierais pas |
il/elle essayerait il/elle n'essayerait pas il/elle essaierait il/elle n'essaierait pas |
nous essayerions nous n'essayerions pas nous essaierions nous n'essaierions pas |
vous essayeriez vous n'essayeriez pas vous essaieriez vous n'essaieriez pas |
ils/elles essayeraient ils/elles n'essayeraient pas ils/elles essaieraient ils/elles n'essaieraient pas |
Passé 1 |
---|
Passé 1 |
---|
j'aurais essayé je n'aurais pas essayé |
tu aurais essayé tu n'aurais pas essayé |
il/elle aurait essayé il/elle n'aurait pas essayé |
nous aurions essayé nous n'aurions pas essayé |
vous auriez essayé vous n'auriez pas essayé |
ils/elles auraient essayé ils/elles n'auraient pas essayé |
Passé 2 |
---|
Passé 2 |
---|
j'eusse essayé je n'eusse pas essayé |
tu eusses essayé tu n'eusses pas essayé |
il/elle eût essayé il/elle n'eût pas essayé |
nous eussions essayé nous n'eussions pas essayé |
vous eussiez essayé vous n'eussiez pas essayé |
ils/elles eussent essayé ils/elles n'eussent pas essayé |
Présent |
---|
(tu) essaye (tu) n'essaye pas (tu) essaie (tu) n'essaie pas |
(nous) essayons (nous) n'essayons pas |
(vous) essayez (vous) n'essayez pas |
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Mastering the conjugation of "essayer," a pivotal verb in French , facilitates a deeper understanding of the language's complexities. It shifts remarkably across tenses, from 'j'essaie' in the present to 'j'essaierai' in the future, highlighting the verb's versatility. This essential guide ensures you deftly navigate through its various forms, enriching your French linguistic prowess.
Conjugating the French verb essayer translates to attempting or trying in English. It's an essential verb that you’ll often encounter. Getting familiar with its conjugation can significantly enhance your French learning journey.
Essayer is a regular -er verb but with a slight twist. When conjugated, the 'y' changes to an 'i' in the singular and the third person plural forms, although this change doesn’t apply to all tenses. This variation is a key aspect to remember about essayer conjugation.
Remember, the spelling change from 'y' to 'i' before a silent 'e' helps with the pronunciation.
Conjugating essayer in the present tense involves a straightforward pattern similar to that of other regular -er verbs, with the noted exception of the 'y' to 'i' change in certain forms. Here’s how you conjugate essayer in the present tense:
j' /essa e | I try |
tu essa es | you try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essa e | he/she/one tries |
nous essayons | we try |
vous essayez | you try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essaient/essayent | they try |
Note that both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable forms of the first person singular in the present tense, reflecting the spelling variation mentioned earlier.
To form the past tense, also known as the passé composé , of essayer , you need the helping verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé'. The structure is similar to many other French verbs. The conjugation in the passé composé depends on the subject pronoun:
j'ai essayé | I tried |
tu as essayé | you tried (singular informal) |
il/elle/on a essayé | he/she/one tried |
nous avons essayé | we tried |
vous avez essayé | you tried (plural formal) |
ils/elles ont essayé | they tried |
The past participle essayé maintains its spelling across all subject pronouns in the passé composé, which simplifies its usage. The auxiliary verb 'avoir' is conjugated according to the subject, making understanding of 'avoir' conjugation equally essential in mastering essayer in the past tense.
Conjugation forms an integral part of mastering French, bringing verbs to life in different contexts and tenses. A detailed look at essayer conjugation across various moods and tenses can broaden your understanding and usage of this versatile verb.
The present tense of essayer offers the first glimpse into its usage, showing how the verb adapts in current scenarios. The unique 'y' to 'i' switch in certain forms makes it slightly different from other regular -er verbs.Here is the conjugation of essayer in the present tense for quick reference:
The forms 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are both correct, demonstrating a flexible aspect of French spelling and pronunciation norms.
The imparfait , or imperfect tense, conveys ongoing actions or states of being in the past. It illuminates what was happening at a certain point without focusing on the beginning or end of the action. Conjugating essayer in the imparfait involves a standard set of endings added to the stem: Stem: essay-Here’s a quick guide to its conjugation:
j'essay | I was trying |
tu essay | you were trying (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essay | he/she/one was trying |
nous essay | we were trying |
vous essay | you were trying (plural formal) |
ils/elles essay | they were trying |
The subjunctive and conditional moods of essayer explore possibilities, hypotheses, and situations dependent on conditions.For the subjunctive mood, expressing doubt, wish, or uncertainty, here are the forms:
que j' /essa e | That I try |
que tu essa es | That you try |
qu'il/elle/on essa e | That he/she/one tries |
que nous essay | That we try |
que vous essay | That you try |
qu'ils/elles essaient/essayent | That they try |
The conditional mood deals with potential scenarios or actions that would happen under certain conditions. Here’s how to conjugate essayer in the conditional mood:
j'essayer | I would try |
tu essayer | you would try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essayer | he/she/one would try |
nous essayer | We would try |
vous essayer | You would try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essayer | They would try |
Understanding these moods requires recognizing the nuances in tone and meaning they bring to conversations or written text. The subjunctive often appears after expressions that start with 'il faut que' (it is necessary that), 'bien que' (although), or 'pour que' (so that), reflecting its use in expressing desires or hypothetical situations. Meanwhile, the conditional mood is frequently used in polite requests or in sentences that begin with 'si' (if), laying down a condition for the action to occur.
Understanding how to conjugate the French verb essayer across different tenses is integral to mastering its use. This versatility allows you to express actions in the present, past, future, and conditional states, making your French more fluent and nuanced.
Conjugating essayer in the future and perfect tenses allows for expressing actions that will occur or have been completed. The future tense speaks about events that will happen, while the perfect tense, using the passé composé, talks about actions that were completed in the past.
The future tense of essayer closely follows the regular -er verb conjugation pattern but with its unique twist in spelling.
j'essaierai | I will try |
tu essaieras | you will try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essaiera | he/she/one will try |
nous essaierons | we will try |
vous essaierez | you will try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essaieront | they will try |
For the perfect tense, combining the auxiliary verb avoir with the past participle essayé forms a compound tense that expresses actions completed in the past.
j'ai essayé | I have tried |
tu as essayé | you have tried (singular informal) |
il/elle/on a essayé | he/she/one has tried |
nous avons essayé | we have tried |
vous avez essayé | you have tried (plural formal) |
ils/elles ont essayé | they have tried |
The verb essayer presents an interesting case of blending regular -er verb conjugation patterns with its own unique irregularities. Understanding these patterns is crucial to effectively using essayer in various contexts.
A regular verb follows a predictable pattern of conjugations across different tenses and moods. In contrast, an irregular verb does not follow these standard conjugation patterns, making memorization necessary.
With its unique 'y' to 'i' shift in certain forms and uses, essayer stands between the realms of regular and irregular verbs. In the present tense, for example, both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable, showcasing this flexibility. This mix of predictability and irregularity is what makes studying French both a challenge and a joy. Understanding when each form is appropriate comes with practice and exposure to the language in various scenarios.
The choice between using the 'y' or changing it to 'i' in essayer conjugation often depends on pronunciation ease rather than a hard rule, especially in informal settings.
In summary, mastering the conjugation of essayer requires understanding its regular patterns and the exceptions. Whether you’re expressing what you're trying or what you will try in the future, or what you have tried in the past, essayer is a verb that can add depth to your French repertoire.
Conjugating essayer , meaning 'to try' in French, can sometimes be tricky for learners. While it follows the general pattern of regular -er verbs, certain nuances can lead to common mistakes. Understanding these can significantly improve your grasp of French verb conjugation.
Conjugating essayer presents unique challenges that often lead to mistakes. Recognizing these can help you avoid them in the future.Here are some frequently encountered pitfalls:
Always double-check the spelling when conjugating essayer , especially for the 'y' to 'i' shift and the use of double 's' in the nous form.
To successfully memorise and apply the conjugation of essayer , consider implementing these strategies:Here are beneficial tips to enhance your learning process:
Understanding that the 'y' to 'i' change in essayer conjugation is to facilitate pronunciation can help remember when to apply it. This change occurs before a silent 'e', a common practice in French to make pronunciation smoother. Making such connections between language rules and their practical applications can significantly enhance your language learning.
What determines the conjugation of 'apprendre' in French?
The conjugation of 'apprendre' varies depending on the tense and the subject pronoun.
Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?
'Apprendre' is part of the first group of verbs, making it very regular in pattern.
In the past tense 'passé composé', how is 'apprendre' conjugated for 'je'?
'Je apprendre' is how it's conjugated; the passé composé isn't used with 'apprendre'.
What is the correct present tense conjugation of 'apprendre' for the pronoun 'nous'?
Nous apprennez
Which common mistake often occurs when conjugating 'apprendre' in the present tense?
Mixing up the conjugation with -er ending verbs
How does the conjugation of 'apprendre' change from singular to plural forms in the present tense?
By changing 'apprend' to 'appront' for plural forms
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What determines the conjugation of 'apprendre' in French?
Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?
In the past tense 'passé composé', how is 'apprendre' conjugated for 'je'?
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By: Author David Issokson
Posted on Published: January 7, 2024 - Last updated: June 16, 2024
In today’s lesson we’ll have a look at the verb essayer , which means “to try”. For example, j’essaie d’apprendre le français (I try to learn French). Let’s jump right into the lesson!
Word origin.
The French verb essayer is related to the noun essai (try, attempt), which comes from the Latin verb exigere (to judge, examine, weigh) and noun exagium (weight, balance).
Essayer is a regular ER verb. This means that its endings are the same as all other French regular ER verbs when conjugated in the present tense. Essayer has two accepted spelling patterns in the present tense. The pronunciations are the exact same.
J’essaie I try Tu essaies You try (singular, informal) Il, elle essaie He, she tries Nous essayons We try Vous essayez You try (plural, formal) Ils, elles essaient They try
J’essaye I try Tu essayes You try (singular, informal) Il, elle essaye He, she tries Nous essayons We try Vous essayez You try (plural, formal) Ils, elles essayent They try
In our first example sentence, essayer is simply “to try”. This example uses the word jamais (never), which we cover in our French negations lesson. This sentence is in the futur simple , a commonly used French future tense .
Si tu n’essaies pas , tu ne réussiras jamais .
If you don’ try, you’ll never succeed.
In these two example sentences , essayer de + infinitive means “to try to do something”.
J’essaie de chanter la chanson mais c’est très difficile.
I try to sing the song but it’s very difficult.
Je vais essayer de terminer mon projet avant demain .
I’ll try to finish my project before tomorrow
In the next two examples, essayer is followed by a noun , meaning “to try something”. Essayer can also translate to “to test”. Hence, “I test the skis ” could also work as a translation for this next sentence.
The les in this example sentence is a direct object pronoun, meaning “them”. This post on our site covers object pronouns in depth.
J’essaie les nouveaux skis avant de les acheter .
I try the new skies before buying them.
Nous allons essayer le nouveau restaurant ce soir.
We are going to try the new restaurant tonight.
In French, the noun essai transaltes to “try” or “attempt” and is the origin of the English word “essay”.
Il a réussi son examen au troisième essai.
He passed the exam after the third try.
Et voilà ! You now know how to use essayer in French! Now check out our other lessons covering the verbs quitter (to leave), bosser (to work hard) and ranger (to tidy, put away).
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David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.
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I've looked up conjugation of “essayer” and two different sources have given me two different suggestions:
According to this source , one would pronounce “j'essaye” as “ʒ‿esɛj”.
According to the other source , one would pronounce it as “ʒ‿ese”.
I would like to ask which pronunciation is the correct one. Or, if they are both correct, which is “more usual” and which is “less usual”.
Both j'essaie pronounced /ʒ‿esɛ/ or /ʒ‿ese/ and j'essaye pronounced /ʒ‿esɛj/ are correct.
The former looks to be more frequently written but I'm not sure the same is true for spoken French where both might be equally used. In any case, I do not make a difference between these forms.
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Has the conjugation of essayer in the present tense changed over the years? I learned "j'essaye" ( a long time ago ).
No, nothing has changed. French has always supported different spellings in the conjugated forms of essayer. In fact at school I was taught "j'essaie" and was confused when I first came across the alternative form. Payer is similar.
j'essa ie /essa ye tu essa ies /essa yes il essa ie /essa ye nous essa yons vous essa yez ils essa ient /essa yent
I see that essayer in the well used 501 french verbs uses the conjugaison with a y in all forms. It does not explain any other alternative. This is quite confusing
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From essay + -er .
essayer ( plural essayers )
Inherited from Middle French essayer , essaier , from Old French essaiier , essayer , essaier , from essay , essai ( “ attempt; assay; experiment ” ) + -er ( “ infinitive-forming suffix ” ) , from Late Latin exagium ( “ weight; weighing, testing on the balance ” ) , from Latin exigere + -ium , from ex- + agere , from Proto-Italic *agō , from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti .
Audio: | ( ) |
This is a regular -er verb as far as pronunciation is concerned, but as with other verbs in -ayer (such as payer and essayer , the <y> of its stem may optionally be written as <i> when it precedes a silent <e> (compare verbs in -eyer , which never have this spelling change, and verbs in -oyer and -uyer , which always have it; verbs in -ayer belong to either group, according to the writer's preference).
infinitive | essayer | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
+ past participle | |||||||
present participle or gerund | /e.sɛ.jɑ̃/ or /e.se.jɑ̃/ | ||||||
+ past participle | |||||||
past participle | /e.sɛ.je/ or /e.se.je/ | ||||||
singular | plural | ||||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | je (j’) | tu | il, elle, on | nous | vous | ils, elles | |
present | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | /e.sɛ.jɔ̃/ or /e.se.jɔ̃/ | /e.sɛ.je/ or /e.se.je/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | |
imperfect | /e.sɛ.jɛ/ or /e.se.jɛ/ | /e.sɛ.jɛ/ or /e.se.jɛ/ | /e.sɛ.jɛ/ or /e.se.jɛ/ | /e.sɛj.jɔ̃/ | /e.sɛj.je/ | /e.sɛ.jɛ/ or /e.se.jɛ/ | |
past historic | /e.sɛ.je/ or /e.se.je/ | /e.sɛ.ja/ or /e.se.ja/ | /e.sɛ.ja/ or /e.se.ja/ | /e.sɛ.jam/ or /e.se.jam/ | /e.sɛ.jat/ or /e.se.jat/ | /e.sɛ.jɛʁ/ or /e.se.jɛʁ/ | |
future | or /e.sɛj.ʁe/ or /e.sɛ.ʁe/ or /e.se.ʁe/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁa/ or /e.sɛ.ʁa/ or /e.se.ʁa/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁa/ or /e.sɛ.ʁa/ or /e.se.ʁa/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁɔ̃/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɔ̃/ or /e.se.ʁɔ̃/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁe/ or /e.sɛ.ʁe/ or /e.se.ʁe/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁɔ̃/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɔ̃/ or /e.se.ʁɔ̃/ | |
conditional | or /e.sɛj.ʁɛ/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɛ/ or /e.se.ʁɛ/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁɛ/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɛ/ or /e.se.ʁɛ/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁɛ/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɛ/ or /e.se.ʁɛ/ | or /e.sɛ.jə.ʁjɔ̃/ or /e.se.jə.ʁjɔ̃/ or /e.sɛ.ʁjɔ̃/ or /e.se.ʁjɔ̃/ | or /e.sɛ.jə.ʁje/ or /e.se.jə.ʁje/ or /e.sɛ.ʁje/ or /e.se.ʁje/ | or /e.sɛj.ʁɛ/ or /e.sɛ.ʁɛ/ or /e.se.ʁɛ/ | |
present perfect | present indicative of + past participle | ||||||
pluperfect | imperfect indicative of + past participle | ||||||
past anterior | past historic of + past participle | ||||||
future perfect | future of + past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | conditional of + past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que je (j’) | que tu | qu’il, qu’elle | que nous | que vous | qu’ils, qu’elles | |
present | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | /e.sɛj.jɔ̃/ | /e.sɛj.je/ | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | |
imperfect | /e.sɛ.jas/ or /e.se.jas/ | /e.sɛ.jas/ or /e.se.jas/ | /e.sɛ.ja/ or /e.se.ja/ | /e.sɛ.ja.sjɔ̃/ or /e.se.ja.sjɔ̃/ | /e.sɛ.ja.sje/ or /e.se.ja.sje/ | /e.sɛ.jas/ or /e.se.jas/ | |
past | present subjunctive of + past participle | ||||||
pluperfect | imperfect subjunctive of + past participle | ||||||
imperative | – | – | – | ||||
simple | — | or /e.sɛj/ or /e.sɛ/ | — | /e.sɛ.jɔ̃/ or /e.se.jɔ̃/ | /e.sɛ.je/ or /e.se.je/ | — | |
compound | — | simple imperative of + past participle | — | simple imperative of + past participle | simple imperative of + past participle | — | |
The French gerund is usable only with the preposition . | |||||||
In less formal writing or speech, these tenses may be found to have been replaced in the following way: (Christopher Kendris [1995], , pp. , , , ). |
infinitive | essayer | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
+ past participle | |||||||
present participle or gerund | |||||||
present participle or gerund of + past participle | |||||||
past participle | |||||||
singular | plural | ||||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ie (i’) | tu | il, elle | nous | vous | ilz, elles | |
present | |||||||
imperfect | , | , | , | , | , | , | |
past historic | |||||||
future | , | ||||||
conditional | , | , | , | , | , | , | |
present perfect | present indicative of + past participle | ||||||
pluperfect | imperfect indicative of + past participle | ||||||
past anterior | past historic of + past participle | ||||||
future perfect | future of + past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | conditional of + past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ie (i’) | que tu | qu’il, qu’elle | que nous | que vous | qu’ilz, qu’elles | |
present | |||||||
imperfect | |||||||
past | present subjunctive of + past participle | ||||||
pluperfect | imperfect subjunctive of + past participle | ||||||
imperative | – | – | – | ||||
simple | — | — | — | ||||
compound | — | simple imperative of + past participle | — | simple imperative of + past participle | simple imperative of + past participle | — | |
The present participle was variable in gender and number until the 17th century (Anne Sancier-Château [1995], , p. ). The would eventually declare it not to be declined in 1679. | |||||||
The gerund was held to be invariable by grammarians of the early 17th century, and was usable with preposition , as in , although the preposition was not mandatory (Anne Sancier-Château [1995], , p. ). |
essayer n
Mastering the conjugation of "essayer," a pivotal verb in French , facilitates a deeper understanding of the language's complexities. It shifts remarkably across tenses, from 'j'essaie' in the present to 'j'essaierai' in the future, highlighting the verb's versatility. This essential guide ensures you deftly navigate through its various forms, enriching your French linguistic prowess.
Conjugating the French verb essayer translates to attempting or trying in English. It's an essential verb that you’ll often encounter. Getting familiar with its conjugation can significantly enhance your French learning journey.
Essayer is a regular -er verb but with a slight twist. When conjugated, the 'y' changes to an 'i' in the singular and the third person plural forms, although this change doesn’t apply to all tenses. This variation is a key aspect to remember about essayer conjugation.
Remember, the spelling change from 'y' to 'i' before a silent 'e' helps with the pronunciation.
Conjugating essayer in the present tense involves a straightforward pattern similar to that of other regular -er verbs, with the noted exception of the 'y' to 'i' change in certain forms. Here’s how you conjugate essayer in the present tense:
j' /essa e | I try |
tu essa es | you try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essa e | he/she/one tries |
nous essayons | we try |
vous essayez | you try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essaient/essayent | they try |
Note that both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable forms of the first person singular in the present tense, reflecting the spelling variation mentioned earlier.
To form the past tense, also known as the passé composé , of essayer , you need the helping verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'essayé'. The structure is similar to many other French verbs. The conjugation in the passé composé depends on the subject pronoun:
j'ai essayé | I tried |
tu as essayé | you tried (singular informal) |
il/elle/on a essayé | he/she/one tried |
nous avons essayé | we tried |
vous avez essayé | you tried (plural formal) |
ils/elles ont essayé | they tried |
The past participle essayé maintains its spelling across all subject pronouns in the passé composé, which simplifies its usage. The auxiliary verb 'avoir' is conjugated according to the subject, making understanding of 'avoir' conjugation equally essential in mastering essayer in the past tense.
Conjugation forms an integral part of mastering French, bringing verbs to life in different contexts and tenses. A detailed look at essayer conjugation across various moods and tenses can broaden your understanding and usage of this versatile verb.
The present tense of essayer offers the first glimpse into its usage, showing how the verb adapts in current scenarios. The unique 'y' to 'i' switch in certain forms makes it slightly different from other regular -er verbs.Here is the conjugation of essayer in the present tense for quick reference:
The forms 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are both correct, demonstrating a flexible aspect of French spelling and pronunciation norms.
The imparfait , or imperfect tense, conveys ongoing actions or states of being in the past. It illuminates what was happening at a certain point without focusing on the beginning or end of the action. Conjugating essayer in the imparfait involves a standard set of endings added to the stem: Stem: essay-Here’s a quick guide to its conjugation:
j'essay | I was trying |
tu essay | you were trying (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essay | he/she/one was trying |
nous essay | we were trying |
vous essay | you were trying (plural formal) |
ils/elles essay | they were trying |
The subjunctive and conditional moods of essayer explore possibilities, hypotheses, and situations dependent on conditions.For the subjunctive mood, expressing doubt, wish, or uncertainty, here are the forms:
que j' /essa e | That I try |
que tu essa es | That you try |
qu'il/elle/on essa e | That he/she/one tries |
que nous essay | That we try |
que vous essay | That you try |
qu'ils/elles essaient/essayent | That they try |
The conditional mood deals with potential scenarios or actions that would happen under certain conditions. Here’s how to conjugate essayer in the conditional mood:
j'essayer | I would try |
tu essayer | you would try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essayer | he/she/one would try |
nous essayer | We would try |
vous essayer | You would try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essayer | They would try |
Understanding these moods requires recognizing the nuances in tone and meaning they bring to conversations or written text. The subjunctive often appears after expressions that start with 'il faut que' (it is necessary that), 'bien que' (although), or 'pour que' (so that), reflecting its use in expressing desires or hypothetical situations. Meanwhile, the conditional mood is frequently used in polite requests or in sentences that begin with 'si' (if), laying down a condition for the action to occur.
Understanding how to conjugate the French verb essayer across different tenses is integral to mastering its use. This versatility allows you to express actions in the present, past, future, and conditional states, making your French more fluent and nuanced.
Conjugating essayer in the future and perfect tenses allows for expressing actions that will occur or have been completed. The future tense speaks about events that will happen, while the perfect tense, using the passé composé, talks about actions that were completed in the past.
The future tense of essayer closely follows the regular -er verb conjugation pattern but with its unique twist in spelling.
j'essaierai | I will try |
tu essaieras | you will try (singular informal) |
il/elle/on essaiera | he/she/one will try |
nous essaierons | we will try |
vous essaierez | you will try (plural formal) |
ils/elles essaieront | they will try |
For the perfect tense, combining the auxiliary verb avoir with the past participle essayé forms a compound tense that expresses actions completed in the past.
j'ai essayé | I have tried |
tu as essayé | you have tried (singular informal) |
il/elle/on a essayé | he/she/one has tried |
nous avons essayé | we have tried |
vous avez essayé | you have tried (plural formal) |
ils/elles ont essayé | they have tried |
The verb essayer presents an interesting case of blending regular -er verb conjugation patterns with its own unique irregularities. Understanding these patterns is crucial to effectively using essayer in various contexts.
A regular verb follows a predictable pattern of conjugations across different tenses and moods. In contrast, an irregular verb does not follow these standard conjugation patterns, making memorization necessary.
With its unique 'y' to 'i' shift in certain forms and uses, essayer stands between the realms of regular and irregular verbs. In the present tense, for example, both 'j'essaie' and 'j'essaye' are acceptable, showcasing this flexibility. This mix of predictability and irregularity is what makes studying French both a challenge and a joy. Understanding when each form is appropriate comes with practice and exposure to the language in various scenarios.
The choice between using the 'y' or changing it to 'i' in essayer conjugation often depends on pronunciation ease rather than a hard rule, especially in informal settings.
In summary, mastering the conjugation of essayer requires understanding its regular patterns and the exceptions. Whether you’re expressing what you're trying or what you will try in the future, or what you have tried in the past, essayer is a verb that can add depth to your French repertoire.
Conjugating essayer , meaning 'to try' in French, can sometimes be tricky for learners. While it follows the general pattern of regular -er verbs, certain nuances can lead to common mistakes. Understanding these can significantly improve your grasp of French verb conjugation.
Conjugating essayer presents unique challenges that often lead to mistakes. Recognizing these can help you avoid them in the future.Here are some frequently encountered pitfalls:
Always double-check the spelling when conjugating essayer , especially for the 'y' to 'i' shift and the use of double 's' in the nous form.
To successfully memorise and apply the conjugation of essayer , consider implementing these strategies:Here are beneficial tips to enhance your learning process:
Understanding that the 'y' to 'i' change in essayer conjugation is to facilitate pronunciation can help remember when to apply it. This change occurs before a silent 'e', a common practice in French to make pronunciation smoother. Making such connections between language rules and their practical applications can significantly enhance your language learning.
What determines the conjugation of 'apprendre' in French?
The conjugation of 'apprendre' varies depending on the tense and the subject pronoun.
Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?
'Apprendre' is part of the first group of verbs, making it very regular in pattern.
In the past tense 'passé composé', how is 'apprendre' conjugated for 'je'?
'Je apprendre' is how it's conjugated; the passé composé isn't used with 'apprendre'.
What is the correct present tense conjugation of 'apprendre' for the pronoun 'nous'?
Nous apprennez
Which common mistake often occurs when conjugating 'apprendre' in the present tense?
Mixing up the conjugation with -er ending verbs
How does the conjugation of 'apprendre' change from singular to plural forms in the present tense?
By changing 'apprend' to 'appront' for plural forms
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What determines the conjugation of 'apprendre' in French?
Which group does the verb 'apprendre' belong to in French?
In the past tense 'passé composé', how is 'apprendre' conjugated for 'je'?
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Have "Hope" That You'll Learn These French Verb Conjugations
When you want to say "to hope" in French, use the verb espérer . In order to transform it to a specific tense, such as "hoped" or "hoping," you will need to conjugate it. This one is a bit of a challenge, but a quick lesson will run you through the simplest and most useful verb forms.
French verb conjugations are more complicated than they are in English. Where English uses just a few endings like -ing or -ed, French requires a new infinitive ending for every subject pronoun as well as every tense of the verb. This means that we have more words to commit to memory.
Espérer is a stem-changing verb and it follows the rules of most verbs that end with - e_er . In general, you should look out for the forms in which the acute é changes to the grave è. At the same time, in the future tense, either accented 'E' can be used.
Other than that minor (but important) spelling change, espérer uses the same endings as regular -ER verbs . Simply match the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense in this table to study these forms. For instance, "I hope" is " j'espère " while "we will hope" can be either " nous espérerons " or " nous espèrerons ."
Subject | |||
---|---|---|---|
j' | espère | espérerai espèrerai | espérais |
tu | espères | espéreras espèreras | espérais |
il | espère | espérera espèrera | espérait |
nous | espérons | espérerons espèrerons | espérions |
vous | espérez | espérerez espèrerez | espériez |
ils | espèrent | espéreront espèreront | espéraient |
To form the present participle of espérer, add - ant to the verb stem. This creates the word espérant , which can be useful beyond a verb. In some circumstances, it becomes an adjective, gerund, or noun.
Besides the imperfect, you can also use the passé composé to express the past tense "hoped" in French. When doing so, conjugate the auxiliary verb avoir , then add the past participle espéré . As an example, "I hoped" is " j'ai espéré " while "we hoped" is " nous avons espéré ."
While those are the most important conjugations of espérer to memorize, you may find a few more helpful as well. For instance, when the verb's action is questionable, either the subjunctive verb mood or the conditional form may be appropriate.
If you read a lot of French, it's likely that you will encounter either the passé simple or the imperfect subjunctive . These are common in literature and it's a good idea to be able to recognize them.
Subject | Subjunctive | Conditional | Passé Simple | Imperfect Subjunctive |
---|---|---|---|---|
j' | espère | espérerais espèrerais | espérai | espérasse |
tu | espères | espérerais espèrerais | espéras | espérasses |
il | espère | espérerait espèrerait | espéra | espérât |
nous | espérions | espérerions espèrerions | espérâmes | espérassions |
vous | espériez | espéreriez espèreriez | espérâtes | espérassiez |
ils | espèrent | espéreraient espèreraient | espérèrent | espérassent |
The imperative verb form is used to form quick and often assertive statements or exclamations. When using this one, skip the subject pronoun. Rather than saying " tu espère ," use " espère " alone.
Imperative | |
---|---|
(tu) | espère |
(nous) | espérons |
(vous) | espérez |
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Conjugate the French verb essayer in all tenses: future, participle, present, indicative, subjunctive. Irregular verbs, auxiliary verbs, conjugation rules and conjugation models in French verb conjugation. Translate essayer in context, with examples of use and definition.
Essayer french verb. Essayer belong to the 1 st group. Essayer is a very common french verb. Essayer is conjugated the same way that verbs that end in : -ayer. Essayer is conjugated with auxiliary avoir. Essayer verb is direct transitive. French verb essayer can be conjugated in the reflexive form: S'essayer.
French Verb Conjugation Using "Essayer" (to Try) The French verb essayer means "to try." It's a simple word that can easily be confused with essuyer (to wipe), so be sure to look and listen for that 'A' in essayer . In order to place essayer into the past, present, or future tense, the verb needs to be conjugated.
'essayer' conjugation table in French. Indicative Subjunctive Imperative. Infinitive essayer. Past Participle ... Present j'essaie tu essaies il/elle essaie nous essayons vous essayez ils/elles essaient. Present Perfect
Simple and compound conjugations for the French verb essayer. - Lawless French
Conjugate the verb essayer in all tenses: present, past, participle, present perfect, gerund, etc. English Deutsch български Ελληνικά ... Browse the conjugations (verb tables) French espionner esquinter esquisser esquiver essaimer essayer essorer essouffler ...
French: essayer French verb 'essayer' conjugated. Cite this page ...
Firefox and Chrome users: install a shortcut (Firefox or Chrome) then type "conj essayer" in your address bar for the fastest conjugations. essayer It is conjugated like: payer
Conjugate the French verb essayer in all forms and with usage examples. Essayer conjugation has never been easier! ... Present tense. j'essaye. I try. tu essayes. you try. il/elle/on essaye. he/she/it tries. nous essayons. we try. vous essayez. you all try. ils/elles essayent. they try.
The present tense conjugation of "essayer" is similar to that of other regular -er verbs, but with the optional 'y' to 'i' change in some forms. The full conjugation is 'j'essaie/essaye', 'tu essaies', 'il/elle/on essaie', 'nous essayons', 'vous essayez', 'ils/elles essaient/essayent'. This tense is used to describe actions or states occurring ...
A list of the common conjugations for the French verb essayer, along with their English translations. This is a literary tense, i.e. a tense used in writing, in everyday speech the Passé Composé is used to refer to past actions. The French Future Perfect or Futur antérieur is made with the future tense of avoir or être and the past ...
The essayer conjugation tables below show how to form the French verb essayer according to tense and person. To listen to the pronunciation of a given tense of essayer, click on the loudspeaker icon at the bottom of the table. See the notes on the conjugation of essayer at the end of this page. Present. Perfect.
Présent. (tu) essaye. (tu) essaie. (nous) essayons. (vous) essayez. Quiz. French verb ESSAYER conjugated in all forms, with full audio, irregular highlighting, negative forms, and the English translation for all forms.
Essayer Conjugation Present: A Closer Look. The present tense of essayer offers the first glimpse into its usage, showing how the verb adapts in current scenarios. The unique 'y' to 'i' switch in certain forms makes it slightly different from other regular -er verbs.Here is the conjugation of essayer in the present tense for quick reference:
Essayer - To try Word origin. The French verb essayer is related to the noun essai (try, attempt), which comes from the Latin verb exigere (to judge, examine, weigh) and noun exagium (weight, balance).. Present tense conjugation. Essayer is a regular ER verb.This means that its endings are the same as all other French regular ER verbs when conjugated in the present tense.
I've looked up conjugation of "essayer" and two different sources have given me two different suggestions: According to this source, one would pronounce "j'essaye" as "ʒ‿esɛj". According to the other source, one would pronounce it as "ʒ‿ese". I would like to ask which pronunciation is the correct one.
Essayer - Verb conjugation in French. Learn how to conjugate essayer in various tenses. Present: j
The conjugations for Essayer (to try ) in Présent are=====j'essaie, essayeTu essaies, essayesIl essaie, essayeNous essayonsVous essayezIls ess...
French has always supported different spellings in the conjugated forms of essayer. In fact at school I was taught "j'essaie" and was confused when I first came across the alternative form. Payer is similar. j'essa ie /essa ye. tu essa ies /essa yes. il essa ie /essa ye. nous essa yons. vous essa yez. ils essa ient /essa yent.
Here we are presenting the French verb ''Essayer'' conjugation in the Present Tense.Learn online French language in Chandigarh by our French language tutor M...
essayer compound avoir + past participle present participle or gerund 1 simple: essayant /e.sɛ.jɑ̃/ or /e.se.jɑ̃/ compound ayant + past participle past participle: essayé /e.sɛ.je/ or /e.se.je/ singular plural first second third first second third indicative je (j') tu il, elle, on nous vous ils, elles (simple tenses) present: essaye ...
Essayer Conjugation Present: A Closer Look. The present tense of essayer offers the first glimpse into its usage, showing how the verb adapts in current scenarios. The unique 'y' to 'i' switch in certain forms makes it slightly different from other regular -er verbs.Here is the conjugation of essayer in the present tense for quick reference:
The imperative verb form is used to form quick and often assertive statements or exclamations. When using this one, skip the subject pronoun. Rather than saying " tu espère ," use " espère " alone. In order to say "to hope" in French, use the verb "espérer." This is a stem-changing verb and we have the trick to remembering the conjugation.