French Verb Tenses Explained: The 6 Core Tenses With English Equivalents
Quick answer: A verb tense is the form a verb takes to show when something happens, and sometimes how (finished, ongoing, or hypothetical). Using être (to be), the six core French tenses map cleanly onto English: je suis (I am), j'ai été (I have been), j'étais (I was), je serais (I would be), je serai (I will be), and je vais être (I am going to be).
What is a verb tense?
If conjugation tells you who is doing something, tense tells you when. The same verb takes different shapes to place the action in time: now, earlier, later, or in an imagined situation. English does exactly this. "I am," "I was," "I will be," and "I would be" are all the verb "to be," each pointing to a different time or mood.
French works the same way. Below is a single verb, être (to be), shown across the six tenses you will meet first. Watch how each French tense lines up with a specific English expression. Once you can name what each tense does, choosing the right one stops being guesswork.
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The six core tenses at a glance
| Tense | French (je) | English | What it expresses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Présent | je suis | I am | A state or fact happening right now |
| Passé composé | j'ai été | I have been / I was | A completed action or state in the past |
| Imparfait | j'étais | I was / I used to be | An ongoing or repeated past state |
| Conditionnel | je serais | I would be | A hypothetical or "if" situation |
| Futur simple | je serai | I will be | Something that will happen later |
| Futur proche | je vais être | I am going to be | A near or planned future ("going to") |
That single table is the whole idea: each tense yields a different kind of English expression. Now here is each one in full, for every subject.
1. Présent (the present)
Use it for: states and facts happening now. English: "I am."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | suis | I am |
| tu | es | you are |
| il / elle | est | he / she is |
| nous | sommes | we are |
| vous | êtes | you are |
| ils / elles | sont | they are |
2. Passé composé (the completed past)
Use it for: a finished past action or state. English: "I have been" or "I was."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | j'ai été | I have been |
| tu | tu as été | you have been |
| il / elle | il / elle a été | he / she has been |
| nous | nous avons été | we have been |
| vous | vous avez été | you have been |
| ils / elles | ils / elles ont été | they have been |
Notice this tense is built from two words, avoir plus the past participle été, exactly like the English "have been." We break this tense down fully in our passé composé guide.
3. Imparfait (the ongoing past)
Use it for: how things used to be, or a past state with no clear end. English: "I was" or "I used to be."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | j'étais | I was / I used to be |
| tu | tu étais | you were |
| il / elle | il / elle était | he / she was |
| nous | nous étions | we were |
| vous | vous étiez | you were |
| ils / elles | ils / elles étaient | they were |
Both the passé composé and the imparfait become "was" in English, but they are not interchangeable: the passé composé is a finished event, the imparfait is a background or habit. "I was happy that day" (finished) versus "I was always happy as a kid" (ongoing).
Six tenses is a lot to hold at once. A free class makes it manageable.
4. Conditionnel (the hypothetical)
Use it for: what would happen, often after "if." English: "I would be."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | je serais | I would be |
| tu | tu serais | you would be |
| il / elle | il / elle serait | he / she would be |
| nous | nous serions | we would be |
| vous | vous seriez | you would be |
| ils / elles | ils / elles seraient | they would be |
5. Futur simple (the future)
Use it for: something that will happen later. English: "I will be."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | je serai | I will be |
| tu | tu seras | you will be |
| il / elle | il / elle sera | he / she will be |
| nous | nous serons | we will be |
| vous | vous serez | you will be |
| ils / elles | ils / elles seront | they will be |
Watch the spelling: je serai (futur simple, "I will be") has no final "s," while je serais (conditionnel, "I would be") does. One letter changes "will" into "would."
6. Futur proche (the near future)
Use it for: a near or planned future. English: "I am going to be."
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | je vais être | I am going to be |
| tu | tu vas être | you are going to be |
| il / elle | il / elle va être | he / she is going to be |
| nous | nous allons être | we are going to be |
| vous | vous allez être | you are going to be |
| ils / elles | ils / elles vont être | they are going to be |
French builds this just like English: take "to go" (aller) in the present, then add the infinitive. Je vais être is word-for-word "I am going to be."
The big picture: it is one verb the whole way down. Présent, passé composé, imparfait, conditionnel, futur simple, futur proche are not six different verbs to memorize; they are six time-stamps on the same verb être. English does the identical thing: am, have been, was, would be, will be, going to be. Learn what each tense expresses and you can read the time in any French sentence.
One note: être is irregular, so its forms do not follow the regular endings. If you want to see how the predictable verbs work first, start with our guide to -ER, -IR, and -RE conjugation.
Confused between the two past tenses above? See passé composé vs imparfait.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a verb tense?
A tense is the form a verb takes to show when something happens, and sometimes how, such as whether it is finished, ongoing, or only hypothetical. English does this too: I am, I was, I will be, I would be.
What are the main French verb tenses?
Six core tenses cover most everyday French: présent (I am), passé composé (I have been / I was), imparfait (I was / I used to be), conditionnel (I would be), futur simple (I will be), and futur proche (I am going to be).
What is the difference between futur simple and futur proche?
Futur simple (je serai, "I will be") simply states that something will happen. Futur proche (je vais être, "I am going to be") describes a near or planned future and is built from aller plus an infinitive, just like the English "going to" future.
Why is être irregular in every tense?
Être (to be) is one of the most-used verbs in French, and like "to be" in English (I am, I was, I will be) it does not follow the regular -ER, -IR, or -RE patterns. Its forms are worth memorizing because you will use them constantly.
How many tenses are there in French?
French has around 21 tenses and moods in total, but everyday French runs on about six core ones: présent, passé composé, imparfait, conditionnel, futur simple, and futur proche. Master these first.