The French verb "reconnaître" means "to recognize" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "reconnaître" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "reconnaître" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | reconnais |
| tu | you (informal) | reconnais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | reconnaît |
| nous | we | reconnaissons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | reconnaissez |
| ils/elles | they | reconnaissent |
Il reconnaît ses amis dans la foule.
He recognizes his friends in the crowd.
How to Conjugate "reconnaître" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai reconnu |
| tu | you (informal) | as reconnu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a reconnu |
| nous | we | avons reconnu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez reconnu |
| ils/elles | they | ont reconnu |
Elle a reconnu son ami.
She recognized her friend.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | reconnaissais |
| tu | you (informal) | reconnaissais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | reconnaissait |
| nous | we | reconnaissions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | reconnaissiez |
| ils/elles | they | reconnaissaient |
Elle reconnaissait son père dans la foule.
She used to recognize her father in the crowd.
How to Conjugate "reconnaître" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | reconnaîtrai |
| tu | you (informal) | reconnaîtras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | reconnaîtra |
| nous | we | reconnaîtrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | reconnaîtrez |
| ils/elles | they | reconnaîtront |
Il reconnaîtra son fils demain.
He will recognize his son tomorrow.
How to Conjugate "reconnaître" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | reconnaîtrais |
| tu | you (informal) | reconnaîtrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | reconnaîtrait |
| nous | we | reconnaîtrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | reconnaîtriez |
| ils/elles | they | reconnaîtraient |
Il reconnaîtrait son erreur grave.
He would recognize his serious mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions About "reconnaître"
Is "reconnaître" regular or irregular in French?
"Reconnaître" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "reconnaître" mean in English?
The French verb "reconnaître" means "to recognize" in English.
How do you conjugate "reconnaître" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → reconnais, tu → reconnais, il/elle/on → reconnaît, nous → reconnaissons, vous → reconnaissez, ils/elles → reconnaissent.
How many tenses does "reconnaître" have in French?
"Reconnaître" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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