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FRENCH VERB

avaler

to swallow

  • #382 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: avalé
  • Present participle: avalant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I swallow
  2. tu you swallow
  3. il, elle, on he/she swallows
  4. nous we swallow
  5. vous you swallow
  6. ils, elles they swallow

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I swallowed
  2. tu you swallowed
  3. il, elle, on he/she swallowed
  4. nous we swallowed
  5. vous you swallowed
  6. ils, elles they swallowed

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to swallow
  2. tu you used to swallow
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to swallow
  4. nous we used to swallow
  5. vous you used to swallow
  6. ils, elles they used to swallow

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will swallow
  2. tu you will swallow
  3. il, elle, on he/she will swallow
  4. nous we will swallow
  5. vous you will swallow
  6. ils, elles they will swallow

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would swallow
  2. tu you would swallow
  3. il, elle, on he/she would swallow
  4. nous we would swallow
  5. vous you would swallow
  6. ils, elles they would swallow

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I swallow
  2. tu (that) you swallow
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she swallow
  4. nous (that) we swallow
  5. vous (that) you swallow
  6. ils, elles (that) they swallow

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu swallow!
  2. nous swallow! (let’s)
  3. vous swallow! (plural, or formal)

How to use avaler

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    J'avale ce comprimé avec un grand verre d'eau.

    I swallow this tablet with a big glass of water.

  2. Past

    Le chien a avalé une chaussette, on va chez le vétérinaire.

    The dog swallowed a sock, we're going to the vet.

  3. Imperfect

    Il avalait son déjeuner en cinq minutes.

    He used to wolf down his lunch in five minutes.

  4. Future

    Tu avaleras mieux avec un peu de pain.

    You'll swallow more easily with a bit of bread.

  5. Conditional

    J'avalerais bien quelque chose de chaud.

    I could do with something hot to eat.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que vous avaliez le sirop sans mâcher.

    You need to swallow the syrup without chewing.

  7. Imperative

    N'avale pas si vite, tu vas t'étouffer !

    Don't swallow so fast, you'll choke!

Good to know

  • Avaler de travers is when something goes down the wrong way.

Where you hear avaler

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Le distributeur avale ma carte ! The cash machine is swallowing my card!
  • Le distributeur a avalé ma carte. The cash machine swallowed my card.
  • Attention, la machine va avaler votre carte. Careful, the machine is going to swallow your card.
4
The Machine Ate My Card

Beginner Level 3 · avalé

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.