All verbs

/liʁ/to readA1

Family
Family 3 — two-stem `-re`
Takes
a direct object — Takes a direct object

Build map — what to memorise

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

The nous form
lisons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

li-+-s -s -t

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

lis-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

lis-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

lis-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

lis-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
lire
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

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

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

lir-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

lire

Past participle
lu

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

lu

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

lu

Conjugation

présent
Ije lis/ʒə li/I read
youtu lis/ty li/you read
he/sheil lit/il li/he reads
wenous lisons/nu lizɔ̃/we read
youvous lisez/vu lize/you read
theyils lisent/il liz/they read

Examples

  • Je lis un bon livre.

    /ʒə li œ̃ bɔ̃ livʁ/

    I'm reading a good book.

  • Elle lit le soir.

    /ɛl li lə swaʁ/

    She reads in the evening.

  • Quel livre lis-tu ?

    /kɛl livʁ li.ty/

    Which book are you reading?

Notes

  • Two stems: je lis but nous lisons, and the participle is lu.

  • la lecture is reading, not a lecture. See musique-films-livres.