The French verb "craindre" means "to fear/be afraid" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "craindre" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "craindre" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | crains |
| tu | you (informal) | crains |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | craint |
| nous | we | craignons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | craignez |
| ils/elles | they | craignent |
Il craint les chiens.
say it EEL KRAN lay SHYAN
He is afraid of dogs.
In other languages
- German Er hat Angst vor Hunden.
- Spanish Él tiene miedo de los perros.
- Dutch Hij is bang voor honden.
Je crains le froid.
say it ZHUH KRAN luh FRWAH
I fear the cold.
In other languages
- German Ich fürchte die Kälte.
- Spanish Temo el frío.
- Dutch Ik vrees de kou.
How to Conjugate "craindre" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai craint |
| tu | you (informal) | as craint |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a craint |
| nous | we | avons craint |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez craint |
| ils/elles | they | ont craint |
Il a craint un accident.
say it EEL ah KRAHN uhn ahk-see-DAHN
He feared an accident.
In other languages
- German Er fürchtete einen Unfall.
- Spanish Temía un accidente.
- Dutch Hij vreesde een ongeluk.
J'ai craint le bruit.
say it ZHAY KRAHN luh BRWEE
I feared the noise.
In other languages
- German Ich fürchtete den Lärm.
- Spanish Temí el ruido.
- Dutch Ik vreesde het lawaai.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "craindre" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | craignais |
| tu | you (informal) | craignais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | craignait |
| nous | we | craignions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | craigniez |
| ils/elles | they | craignaient |
Il craignait la tempête.
say it EEL KREH-nyay lah tahm-PEHT
He was afraid of the storm.
In other languages
- German Er hatte Angst vor dem Sturm.
- Spanish Tenía miedo de la tormenta.
- Dutch Hij was bang voor de storm.
Je craignais le noir.
say it ZHUH KREH-nyay luh NWAHR
I was afraid of the dark.
In other languages
- German Ich hatte Angst vor der Dunkelheit.
- Spanish Tenía miedo de la oscuridad.
- Dutch Ik was bang voor het donker.
How to Conjugate "craindre" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | craindrai |
| tu | you (informal) | craindras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | craindra |
| nous | we | craindrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | craindrez |
| ils/elles | they | craindront |
Il craindra le chien.
say it EEL KRAN-drah luh SHYAN
He will fear the dog.
In other languages
- German Er wird den Hund fürchten.
- Spanish Temerá al perro.
- Dutch Hij zal de hond vrezen.
Je craindrai le noir.
say it ZHUH KRAN-drai luh NWAHR
I will fear the dark.
In other languages
- German Ich werde die Dunkelheit fürchten.
- Spanish Temeré la oscuridad.
- Dutch Ik zal bang zijn voor het donker.
How to Conjugate "craindre" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | craindrais |
| tu | you (informal) | craindrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | craindrait |
| nous | we | craindrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | craindriez |
| ils/elles | they | craindraient |
Il craindrait l'orage.
say it EEL kran-DREH loh-RAHZH
He would fear the storm.
In other languages
- German Er würde den Sturm fürchten.
- Spanish Temería la tormenta.
- Dutch Hij zou de storm vrezen.
Je craindrais le froid.
say it ZHE kran-DREH luh FROI
I would fear the cold.
In other languages
- German Ich würde die Kälte fürchten.
- Spanish Temería el frío.
- Dutch Ik zou de kou vrezen.
Frequently Asked Questions About "craindre"
Is "craindre" regular or irregular in French?
"Craindre" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "craindre" mean in English?
The French verb "craindre" means "to fear/be afraid" in English.
How do you conjugate "craindre" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → crains, tu → crains, il/elle/on → craint, nous → craignons, vous → craignez, ils/elles → craignent.
How many tenses does "craindre" have in French?
"Craindre" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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