The French verb "prendre" means "to take" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "prendre" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "prendre" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | prends |
| tu | you (informal) | prends |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | prend |
| nous | we | prenons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | prenez |
| ils/elles | they | prennent |
Elle prend ses clés sur la table.
She takes her keys on the table.
How to Conjugate "prendre" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai pris |
| tu | you (informal) | as pris |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a pris |
| nous | we | avons pris |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez pris |
| ils/elles | they | ont pris |
Elle a pris son sac.
She took her bag.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | prenais |
| tu | you (informal) | prenais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | prenait |
| nous | we | prenions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | preniez |
| ils/elles | they | prenaient |
Elle prenait des photos magnifiques.
She used to take magnificent photos.
How to Conjugate "prendre" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | prendrai |
| tu | you (informal) | prendras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | prendra |
| nous | we | prendrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | prendrez |
| ils/elles | they | prendront |
Elle prendra des photos ici.
She will take photos here.
How to Conjugate "prendre" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | prendrais |
| tu | you (informal) | prendrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | prendrait |
| nous | we | prendrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | prendriez |
| ils/elles | they | prendraient |
Elle prendrait des photos ici.
She would take photos here.
Frequently Asked Questions About "prendre"
Is "prendre" regular or irregular in French?
"Prendre" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "prendre" mean in English?
The French verb "prendre" means "to take" in English.
How do you conjugate "prendre" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → prends, tu → prends, il/elle/on → prend, nous → prenons, vous → prenez, ils/elles → prennent.
How many tenses does "prendre" have in French?
"Prendre" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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