French Verb Conjugations
| Present | Imperfect | Future | Conditional | Subjunctive | Imperfect subj. | |||
| je | teins | teignais | teindrai | teindrais | teigne | teignisse | ||
| tu | teins | teignais | teindras | teindrais | teignes | teignisses | ||
| il | teint | teingait | teindra | teindrait | teigne | teignît | ||
| nous | teignons | teignions | teindrons | teindrions | teignions | teignissions | ||
| vous | teignez | teigniez | teindrez | teindriez | teigniez | teignissiez | ||
| ils | teignent | teignaient | teindront | teindraient | teignent | teignissent | ||
| Passé composé | Past perfect | Future perfect | Past conditional | Past subjunctive | Pluperfect subj. | |||
| j’ | ai teint | avais teint | aurai teint | aurais teint | aie teint | eusse teint | ||
| tu | as teint | avais teint | auras teint | aurais teint | aies teint | eusses teint | ||
| il | a teint | avait teint | aura teint | aurait teint | ait teint | eût teint | ||
| nous | avons teint | avions teint | aurons teint | aurions teint | ayons teint | eussions teint | ||
| vous | avez teint | aviez teint | aurez teint | auriez teint | ayez teint | eussiez teint | ||
| ils | ont teint | avaient teint | auront teint | auraient teint | aient teint | eussent teint | ||
| Passé simple | Past anterior | Imperative | Participles | |||||
| je / j’ | teignis | eus teint | (tu) | teins | Present | teignant | ||
| tu | teignis | eus teint | (nous) | teignons | Past | teint | ||
| il | teignit | eut teint | (vous) | teignez | Perfect | ayant teint | ||
| nous | teignîmes | eûmes teint | Past imperative | |||||
| vous | teignîtes | eûtes teint | (tu) | aie teint | Past infinitive | |||
| ils | teignirent | eurent teint | (nous) | ayons teint | avoir teint | |||
| (vous) | ayez teint | |||||||
Teindre is an irregular -re verb.

The passé composé is the most important French past tense, and just to make things interesting, it has three possible English equivalents.


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.