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FRENCH VERB

détruire

to destroy

  • #499 most used
  • Irregular -re verb
  • Past participle: détruit
  • Present participle: détruisant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use détruire

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

  1. Present

    Les taupes détruisent toute la pelouse.

    The moles are destroying the whole lawn.

  2. Past

    La tempête a détruit le toit de la grange.

    The storm destroyed the barn roof.

  3. Imperfect

    Le chiot détruisait tout ce qu'il trouvait.

    The puppy used to destroy everything it found.

  4. Future

    Ils détruiront l'ancienne usine au printemps.

    They'll demolish the old factory in the spring.

  5. Conditional

    Un incendie détruirait tout en quelques minutes.

    A fire would destroy everything in a few minutes.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne veux pas que tu détruises cette lettre.

    I don't want you to destroy that letter.

  7. Imperative

    Détruis ces vieux papiers, ils ont ton numéro de compte.

    Destroy those old papers, they've got your account number on them.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -re verb.