Among the many verbs in French, “finir” stands out as a crucial verb, used frequently in everyday conversation and writing. Understanding how to properly conjugate “finir” is a fundamental step toward achieving fluency in French. In this article, we will look into the conjugation of “finir” in various tenses and moods, so you can use it confidently in different contexts.
The Infinitive Form: “Finir”
Before we look into the conjugation of “finir,” let's start with the infinitive form. The infinitive form of a verb is its base form, and for “finir,” it is simply “finir.” To conjugate this verb, you need to change it according to the subject and tense, which will give it different endings.
Conjugation in the Present Indicative
1. Je finis – I finish
2. Tu finis – You finish
3. Il/Elle/On finit – He/She/One finishes
4. Nous finissons – We finish
5. Vous finissez – You finish
6. Ils/Elles finissent – They finish
The present indicative tense is used to describe actions that are happening at the present moment or habitual actions. Conjugating “finir” in the present indicative is relatively straightforward, with regular endings added to the root of the verb.
Conjugation in the Past Indicative
1. J'ai fini – I finished
2. Tu as fini – You finished
3. Il/Elle/On a fini – He/She/One finished
4. Nous avons fini – We finished
5. Vous avez fini – You finished
6. Ils/Elles ont fini – They finished
The past indicative tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. To conjugate “finir” in the past indicative, you use the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) followed by the past participle “fini.”
Conjugation in the Future Indicative
1. Je finirai – I will finish
2. Tu finiras – You will finish
3. Il/Elle/On finira – He/She/One will finish
4. Nous finirons – We will finish
5. Vous finirez – You will finish
6. Ils/Elles finiront – They will finish
The future indicative tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the future. To conjugate “finir” in the future indicative, you add the appropriate endings to the infinitive form.
Conjugation in the Conditional
1. Je finirais – I would finish
2. Tu finirais – You would finish
3. Il/Elle/On finirait – He/She/One would finish
4. Nous finirions – We would finish
5. Vous finiriez – You would finish
6. Ils/Elles finiraient – They would finish
The conditional mood is used to express hypothetical situations or polite requests. To conjugate “finir” in the conditional, you add the appropriate endings to the infinitive form.
Conjugation in the Imperative
1. (Tu) Finis ! – (You) Finish!
2. (Nous) Finissons ! – (Let's) Finish!
3. (Vous) Finissez ! – (You) Finish!
The imperative mood is used to give commands or make suggestions. The imperative forms of “finir” are relatively straightforward and are often used in everyday communication.
10 example sentences with the word “finir”
Here are 10 example sentences with the word “finir” in different grammatical tenses:
- Je finis mon travail chaque jour. (I finish my work every day.) – Present Indicative
- Tu as fini ton livre hier soir. (You finished your book last night.) – Past Indicative
- Il finira ses devoirs demain matin. (He will finish his homework tomorrow morning.) – Future Indicative
- Nous finissions le repas quand elle est arrivée. (We were finishing the meal when she arrived.) – Past Imperfect
- Vous finirez cette tâche avant midi. (You will finish this task before noon.) – Future Indicative
- Ils finiraient le projet s'ils avaient plus de temps. (They would finish the project if they had more time.) – Conditional
- Finissez votre dessert avant de partir. (Finish your dessert before leaving.) – Imperative
- Elle avait fini de parler quand je suis entré. (She had finished speaking when I entered.) – Past Perfect
- Nous finirons nos études l'année prochaine. (We will finish our studies next year.) – Future Indicative
- Si tu finis ton travail, tu pourras sortir. (If you finish your work, you can go out.) – Present Conditional