être

to beIrregular

ਇਹ ਕਿਰਿਆ ਨਿਯਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਮੰਨਦੀ — ਹਰ ਰੂਪ ਵੱਖਰਾ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Auxiliaryavoirpassé composé helper

Past participleétéinvariable with avoir

Futur stemser-not the infinitive

ClassIrregularlearn form by form

Look up another verb

Type an infinitive, or any conjugated form you don't recognise — accents optional.

aller appartenir apprendre atteindre avoir battre

Tense

Reading mode

Person	Presentnow, habits	Passé composécompleted past	Imparfaitongoing past	Futur procheabout to	Futur simplewill
je	suis	ai été	étaissounds the same as another form in this tense	vais être	seraisounds the same as another form in this tense
tu	essounds the same as another form in this tense	as étésounds the same as another form in this tense	étaissounds the same as another form in this tense	vas êtresounds the same as another form in this tense	serassounds the same as another form in this tense
il/elle	estsounds the same as another form in this tense	a étésounds the same as another form in this tense	étaitsounds the same as another form in this tense	va êtresounds the same as another form in this tense	serasounds the same as another form in this tense
nous	sommes	avons été	étions	allons être	seronssounds the same as another form in this tense
vous	êtes	avez été	étiez	allez être	serezsounds the same as another form in this tense
ils/elles	sont	ont été	étaientsounds the same as another form in this tense	vont être	serontsounds the same as another form in this tense

≈ Sounds identical to another form in its columnSelected tense

What this table tells you about être

Aux

The past participle is été, and it takes avoir in the passé composé — so it never changes shape, whoever the subject is. No agreement to remember here.

Stem

The futur simple is built on ser-, which is not the infinitive être. This stem has to be learned, and it is the same one the conditional uses later.

Sound

In the present, passé composé, futur proche and futur simple, tu and il/elle are one sound: es, est — indistinguishable spoken. Only je, nous, vous and ils/elles carry an audible ending.

Easy win

The imparfait is built on the nous-present stem, so once you know sommes you already know étais, était and étaient. Futur proche keeps être untouched.

A table won't make it automatic

A1Present tense conjugationThat one tense, as gaps in real sentences A2Verb conjugationAll five tenses mixed, weakest form first A2A2 pathwayThis verb in teaching order with the grammar lessons

Where the rules are taught

Mistakes Punjabi speakers make with être

Suis fatigué.Je suis fatigué.I am tired.ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਰਤਾ ਛੱਡਿਆ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਕਿਰਿਆ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ ਹੀ ਦੱਸ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ ("ਥੱਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹਾਂ")। ਫ਼ਰਾਂਸੀਸੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਰਵਨਾਂ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਹੈ।Pronouns