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FRENCH VERB

demander

to ask

  • #21 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: demandé
  • Present participle: demandant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use demander

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

  1. Present

    Je demande l'addition, on y va ?

    I'll ask for the bill, shall we go?

  2. Past

    J'ai demandé mon chemin à une passante.

    I asked a passer-by for directions.

  3. Imperfect

    Elle me demandait toujours des nouvelles de toi.

    She always asked me how you were.

  4. Future

    Je demanderai au propriétaire pour le chauffage.

    I'll ask the landlord about the heating.

  5. Conditional

    Je te demanderais un petit service.

    I'd like to ask you a small favour.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu demandes la permission à ta mère.

    You need to ask your mother for permission.

  7. Imperative

    Demandez à l'accueil, ils sauront vous répondre.

    Ask at reception, they'll be able to help you.

Good to know

  • Demander quelque chose à quelqu'un: no word for "for" before the thing.
  • Se demander is to wonder: je me demande où il est.

Where you hear demander

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

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je demande l'heure à un homme. I ask a man the time.
  • Un homme m'a demandé l'heure. A man asked me the time.
  • Je vais demander à Nathalie. I'm going to ask Nathalie.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Je demande l'heure à un homme. I ask a man the time.
  • Un homme m'a demandé l'heure. A man asked me the time.
  • Je vais demander à Nathalie. I'm going to ask Nathalie.
23
A Stolen Phone

Beginner Level 2 · il m'a demandé

Needs a subscription 5
English for Leo

Beginner Level 3 · à te demander

Needs a subscription 13
Lost in Brittany

Beginner Level 3 · demande

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

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