French Verb Conjugations
| Present | Imperfect | Future | Conditional | Subjunctive | Imperfect subj. | |||
| je | paie paye |
payais | paierai payerai |
paierais payerais |
paie paye |
payasse | ||
| tu | paies payes |
payais | paieras payeras |
paierais payerais |
paies payes |
payasses | ||
| il | paie paye |
payait | paiera payera |
paierait payerait |
paie paye |
payât | ||
| nous | payons | payions | paierons payerons |
paierions payerions |
payions | payassions | ||
| vous | payez | payiez | paierez payerez |
paieriez payeriez |
payiez | payassiez | ||
| ils | paient payent |
payaient | paieront payeront |
paieraient payeraient |
paient payent |
payassent | ||
| Passé composé | Past perfect | Future perfect | Past conditional | Past subjunctive | Pluperfect subj. | |||
| j’ | ai payé | avais payé | aurai payé | aurais payé | aie payé | eusse payé | ||
| tu | as payé | avais payé | auras payé | aurais payé | aies payé | eusses payé | ||
| il | a payé | avait payé | aura payé | aurait payé | ait payé | eût payé | ||
| nous | avons payé | avions payé | aurons payé | aurions payé | ayons payé | eussions payé | ||
| vous | avez payé | aviez payé | aurez payé | auriez payé | ayez payé | eussiez payé | ||
| ils | ont payé | avaient payé | auront payé | auraient payé | aient payé | eussent payé | ||
| Passé simple | Past anterior | Imperative | Participles | |||||
| je / j’ | payai | eus payé | (tu) | paie / paye | Present | payant | ||
| tu | payas | eus payé | (nous) | payons | Past | payé | ||
| il | paya | eut payé | (vous) | payez | Perfect | ayant payé | ||
| nous | payâmes | eûmes payé | Past imperative | |||||
| vous | payâtes | eûtes payé | (tu) | aie payé | Past infinitive | |||
| ils | payèrent | eurent payé | (nous) | ayons payé | avoir payé | |||
| (vous) | ayez payé | |||||||
Payer is a stem-changing verb (y to i).
Listening



The mountain of French verb conjugations you have to learn can be overwhelming – even just in the classroom where you have plenty of time to think about the correct response. Once you start talking to people in the real world, trying to figure out the appropriate verb conjugation can leave you speechless – literally. So what’s the solution? Learn, then practice, practice, practice!
Inverting subjects and verbs is easy enough – vous voyez => voyez-vous, but where do object, adverbial, and reflexive pronouns go? And what about negation? Take a look at this lesson to learn about all the possibilities.
Magnetic poetry is a fun little tool you can use to learn and practice French. 500 magnets with words and parts of words help you to express yourself in a unique and creative way.