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FRENCH VERB

calculer

to calculate

  • #346 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: calculé
  • Present participle: calculant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use calculer

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

  1. Present

    Je calcule vite, c'est mon seul talent.

    I'm quick at sums, it's my only talent.

  2. Past

    J'ai calculé le trajet, ça fait trois heures.

    I worked out the journey, it's three hours.

  3. Imperfect

    Ma mère calculait tout au centime près.

    My mother worked everything out to the nearest cent.

  4. Future

    On calculera le budget ce week-end, tranquillement.

    We'll work out the budget this weekend, no rush.

  5. Conditional

    Tu calculerais le pourboire pour moi ?

    Would you work out the tip for me?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut qu'on calcule combien ça coûte par personne.

    We need to work out how much it costs per person.

  7. Imperative

    Calcule bien avant de signer quoi que ce soit.

    Do your sums carefully before signing anything.

Good to know

  • In slang, calculer quelqu'un is to pay attention to them : il ne m'a même pas calculé.

Verbs like this one

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