The French verb "boire" means "to drink" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "boire" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "boire" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | bois |
| tu | you (informal) | bois |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | boit |
| nous | we | buvons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | buvez |
| ils/elles | they | boivent |
Il boit du thé avec du miel.
He drinks tea with honey.
How to Conjugate "boire" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai bu |
| tu | you (informal) | as bu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a bu |
| nous | we | avons bu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez bu |
| ils/elles | they | ont bu |
Elle a bu un jus.
She drank a juice.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | buvais |
| tu | you (informal) | buvais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | buvait |
| nous | we | buvions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | buviez |
| ils/elles | they | buvaient |
Il buvait un jus d'orange.
He was drinking an orange juice.
How to Conjugate "boire" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | boirai |
| tu | you (informal) | boiras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | boira |
| nous | we | boirons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | boirez |
| ils/elles | they | boiront |
Il boira du vin ce soir.
He will drink wine tonight.
How to Conjugate "boire" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | boirais |
| tu | you (informal) | boirais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | boirait |
| nous | we | boirions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | boiriez |
| ils/elles | they | boiraient |
Il boirait de l'eau fraîche.
He would drink fresh water.
Frequently Asked Questions About "boire"
Is "boire" regular or irregular in French?
"Boire" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "boire" mean in English?
The French verb "boire" means "to drink" in English.
How do you conjugate "boire" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → bois, tu → bois, il/elle/on → boit, nous → buvons, vous → buvez, ils/elles → boivent.
How many tenses does "boire" have in French?
"Boire" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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