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FRENCH VERB

empêcher

to prevent

  • #402 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: empêché
  • Present participle: empêchant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use empêcher

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

  1. Present

    Le bruit m'empêche de dormir depuis une semaine.

    The noise has been keeping me from sleeping for a week.

  2. Past

    La grève nous a empêchés de prendre l'avion.

    The strike prevented us from taking the plane.

  3. Imperfect

    Rien ne l'empêchait de réussir, à part lui-même.

    Nothing stopped him succeeding, except himself.

  4. Future

    Cette clôture empêchera le chien de sortir.

    This fence will keep the dog from getting out.

  5. Conditional

    Un bon manteau t'empêcherait d'avoir froid.

    A good coat would keep you from being cold.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne veux pas que ça t'empêche de venir.

    I don't want that to stop you coming.

  7. Imperative

    Empêche-le de monter sur la table !

    Stop him climbing onto the table!

Good to know

  • Empêcher quelqu'un de faire; n'empêche que is "all the same".
  • Je ne peux pas m'empêcher de rire is I can't help laughing.

Verbs like this one

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