All verbs

/ɛɡziste/to existA2

Family
Group 1 — regular `-er`
Takes
no object — No object; impersonal il existe for "there is"

Build map — what to memorise

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

The nous form
existons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

exist-+-e -es -e

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

exist-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

exist-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

exist-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

exist-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
exister
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

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

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

exister-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

exister

Past participle
existé

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

existé

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

existé

Conjugation

présent
Ij'existe/ʒɛɡzist/I exist
youtu existes/ty ɛɡzist/you exist
he/sheil existe/il ɛɡzist/he exists
wenous existons/nuz ɛɡzistɔ̃/we exist
youvous existez/vuz ɛɡziste/you exist
theyils existent/ilz ɛɡzist/they exist

Examples

  • Ce mot n'existe pas.

    /sə mo nɛɡ.zist pa/

    That word doesn't exist.

  • Est-ce que ça existe ?

    /ɛs kə sa ɛɡ.zist/

    Does that exist?

  • Cette entreprise n'existe plus.

    /sɛt ɑ̃.tʁə.pʁiz nɛɡ.zist ply/

    That company no longer exists.

Set phrases

  • il existe

    there is, there are

Notes

  • il existe is a more formal il y a: Il existe plusieurs solutions — there are several solutions. Useful in written argument. See argumenter.