All verbs

/lave/to washA1

Family
Group 1 — regular `-er`
Takes
a direct object — Takes a direct object; reflexive for washing yourself

Build map — what to memorise

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

The nous form
lavons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

lav-+-e -es -e

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

lav-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

lav-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

lav-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

lav-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
laver
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

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

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

laver-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

laver

Past participle
lavé

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

lavé

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

lavé

Conjugation

présent
Ije lave/ʒə lav/I wash
youtu laves/ty lav/you wash
he/sheil lave/il lav/he washes
wenous lavons/nu lavɔ̃/we wash
youvous lavez/vu lave/you wash
theyils lavent/il lav/they wash

Examples

  • Je me lave les mains.

    /ʒə mə lav le mɛ̃/

    I wash my hands.

  • Je lave la voiture.

    /ʒə lav la vwa.tyʁ/

    I wash the car.

  • Elle a lavé les vêtements.

    /ɛl a la.ve le vɛt.mɑ̃/

    She washed the clothes.

Set phrases

  • se laver les mains

    to wash one's hands

  • la machine à laver

    the washing machine

Notes

  • Reflexive plus the definite article: Je me lave les mains, not mes mains. The reflexive already says whose. See verbes-pronominaux.