Learning a new language involves mastering its grammar and verb conjugations, and French is no exception. In this article, we will focus on the conjugation of the verb “apprendre” in French. “Apprendre” means “to learn” in English, and it's an essential verb to know when discussing the process of acquiring knowledge or skills. Let's dive into the various forms and tenses of “apprendre.”
Present Tense (Présent)
In the present tense, “apprendre” is conjugated as follows:
– Je apprends (I learn)
– Tu apprends (You learn)
– Il/elle/on apprend (He/she/one learns)
– Nous apprenons (We learn)
– Vous apprenez (You learn)
– Ils/elles apprennent (They learn)
Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)
The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. To conjugate “apprendre” in the imperfect tense, you add the appropriate endings to the verb's root, which is “appren-“:
– J'apprenais (I was learning)
– Tu apprenais (You were learning)
– Il/elle/on apprenait (He/she/one was learning)
– Nous apprenions (We were learning)
– Vous appreniez (You were learning)
– Ils/elles apprenaient (They were learning)
Simple Past (Passé Simple)
The passé simple is primarily used in written French to describe actions in the past. The conjugation of “apprendre” in this tense is as follows:
– J'appris (I learned)
– Tu appris (You learned)
– Il/elle/on apprit (He/she/one learned)
– Nous apprîmes (We learned)
– Vous apprîtes (You learned)
– Ils/elles apprirent (They learned)
Future Tense (Futur Simple)
To express actions that will happen in the future, use the future tense. Conjugate “apprendre” in the future tense as follows:
– J'apprendrai (I will learn)
– Tu apprendras (You will learn)
– Il/elle/on apprendra (He/she/one will learn)
– Nous apprendrons (We will learn)
– Vous apprendrez (You will learn)
– Ils/elles apprendront (They will learn)
Conditional Mood (Conditionnel Présent)
The conditional mood is used to express hypothetical situations or polite requests. Conjugate “apprendre” in the conditional mood as follows:
– J'apprendrais (I would learn)
– Tu apprendrais (You would learn)
– Il/elle/on apprendrait (He/she/one would learn)
– Nous apprendrions (We would learn)
– Vous apprendriez (You would learn)
– Ils/elles apprendraient (They would learn)
Subjunctive Mood (Subjonctif Présent)
The subjunctive mood is used in subordinate clauses to express doubt, possibility, or necessity. Conjugate “apprendre” in the subjunctive mood as follows:
– Que j'apprenne (That I learn)
– Que tu apprennes (That you learn)
– Qu'il/elle/on apprenne (That he/she/one learns)
– Que nous apprenions (That we learn)
– Que vous appreniez (That you learn)
– Qu'ils/elles apprennent (That they learn)
10 example sentences with the word “apprendre”
Here are 10 example sentences with the word “apprendre” in different grammatical tenses:
- Je veux apprendre le français. (I want to learn French.) – Infinitive
- Tu apprends rapidement. (You learn quickly.) – Present tense
- Il a appris la nouvelle hier. (He learned the news yesterday.) – Past tense
- Nous apprendrons une nouvelle langue demain. (We will learn a new language tomorrow.) – Future tense
- Elle apprendrait si elle avait le temps. (She would learn if she had the time.) – Conditional mood
- Il est essentiel que vous appreniez cette règle. (It is essential that you learn this rule.) – Subjunctive mood
- Nous apprenions la chanson lorsque le professeur est entré. (We were learning the song when the teacher entered.) – Imperfect tense
- Vous apprenez depuis combien de temps ? (How long have you been learning?) – Present continuous tense
- Ils apprendront à danser l'année prochaine. (They will learn to dance next year.) – Future tense
- Elles auraient appris si elles avaient écouté. (They would have learned if they had listened.) – Conditional perfect tense
These sentences demonstrate the versatility of the verb “apprendre” in various grammatical tenses and moods, showcasing its use in different contexts and time frames.