All verbs

/dɛsɑ̃dʁ/to go downA1

Family
Family 3 — two-stem `-re`
Takes
no object — No object normally — but with one it takes avoir and means to bring something down

Build map — what to memorise

These three pieces are learnt; every other tense is built from them.

The nous form
descendons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

descend-+-s -s -t

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

descend-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

descend-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

descend-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

descend-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
descendre
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

descendr-+-ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

descendr-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

descendre

Past participle
descendu

Takes être

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

être (present) + past participle, with agreement

descendu

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

descendu

Conjugation

présent
Ije descends/ʒə dɛsɑ̃/I go down
youtu descends/ty dɛsɑ̃/you go down
he/sheil descend/il dɛsɑ̃/he goes down
wenous descendons/nu dɛsɑ̃dɔ̃/we go down
youvous descendez/vu dɛsɑ̃de/you go down
theyils descendent/il dɛsɑ̃d/they go down

Examples

  • Je descends.

    /ʒə dɛ.sɑ̃/

    I'm going down.

  • Nous descendons du train.

    /nu dɛ.sɑ̃.dɔ̃ dy tʁɛ̃/

    We're getting off the train.

  • Descends !

    /dɛ.sɑ̃/

    Come down!

Notes

  • Auxiliary depends on whether it has an object: Je suis descendu (I went down) but J'ai descendu la valise (I brought the case down). See passe-compose-etre.

  • descendre de is how you get off a bus or train, and descendre à is where you get off.