The French verb "essayer" means "to try" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "essayer" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "essayer" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | essaye |
| tu | you (informal) | essayes |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | essaye |
| nous | we | essayons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | essayez |
| ils/elles | they | essayent |
Il essaie ce gâteau.
He is trying this cake.
How to Conjugate "essayer" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai essayé |
| tu | you (informal) | as essayé |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a essayé |
| nous | we | avons essayé |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez essayé |
| ils/elles | they | ont essayé |
Il a essayé une nouvelle méthode.
He tried a new method.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | essayais |
| tu | you (informal) | essayais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | essayait |
| nous | we | essayions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | essayiez |
| ils/elles | they | essayaient |
Il essayait de réparer le vélo.
He was trying to fix the bike.
How to Conjugate "essayer" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | essayerai |
| tu | you (informal) | essayeras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | essayera |
| nous | we | essayerons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | essayerez |
| ils/elles | they | essayeront |
Elle essaiera le nouveau plat.
She will try the new dish.
How to Conjugate "essayer" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | essayerais |
| tu | you (informal) | essayerais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | essayerait |
| nous | we | essayerions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | essayeriez |
| ils/elles | they | essayeraient |
Il essaierait une nouvelle méthode.
He would try a new method.
Frequently Asked Questions About "essayer"
Is "essayer" regular or irregular in French?
"Essayer" is a regular French verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "essayer" mean in English?
The French verb "essayer" means "to try" in English.
How do you conjugate "essayer" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → essaye, tu → essayes, il/elle/on → essaye, nous → essayons, vous → essayez, ils/elles → essayent.
How many tenses does "essayer" have in French?
"Essayer" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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