All verbs

/mɑ̃tiʁ/to lieB1

Family
Family 2 — two-stem `-ir`
Takes
no object — No object; à for who is lied to

Build map — what to memorise

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

The nous form
mentons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

men-+-s -s -t

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

ment-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

ment-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

ment-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

ment-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
mentir
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

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

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

mentir-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

mentir

Past participle
menti

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

menti

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

menti

Conjugation

présent
Ije mens/ʒə mɑ̃/I lie
youtu mens/ty mɑ̃/you lie
he/sheil ment/il mɑ̃/he lies
wenous mentons/nu mɑ̃tɔ̃/we lie
youvous mentez/vu mɑ̃te/you lie
theyils mentent/il mɑ̃t/they lie

Examples

  • Je ne mens pas.

    /ʒə nə mɑ̃ pa/

    I'm not lying.

  • Il ment.

    /il mɑ̃/

    He's lying.

  • Pourquoi mens-tu ?

    /puʁ.kwa mɑ̃.ty/

    Why are you lying?

Notes

  • Two stems: je mens but nous mentons — the t disappears in the singular. Same family as dormir, partir, sortir.

  • The person is indirect: Je te mens — I'm lying to you.