All verbs

tomber

/tɔ̃be/to fallA1

Family
Group 1 — regular `-er`
Takes
no object — No object

Build map — what to memorise

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

The nous form
tombons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

tomb-+-e -es -e

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

tomb-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

tomb-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

tomb-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

tomb-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
tomber
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

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

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

tomber-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

tomber

Past participle
tombé

Takes être

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

être (present) + past participle, with agreement

tombé

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

tombé

Conjugation

présent
Ije tombe/ʒə tɔ̃b/I fall
youtu tombes/ty tɔ̃b/you fall
he/sheil tombe/il tɔ̃b/he falls
wenous tombons/nu tɔ̃bɔ̃/we fall
youvous tombez/vu tɔ̃be/you fall
theyils tombent/il tɔ̃b/they fall

Examples

  • Je tombe.

    /ʒə tɔ̃b/

    I'm falling.

  • Les feuilles tombent.

    /le fœj tɔ̃b/

    The leaves are falling.

  • La pluie tombe.

    /la plɥi tɔ̃b/

    The rain is falling.

Notes

  • tomber malade is to fall ill, and tomber amoureux to fall in love — both the same image as English.

  • Takes être: Je suis tombé. See passe-compose-etre.