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FRENCH VERB

encourager

to encourage

  • #311 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: encouragé
  • Present participle: encourageant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use encourager

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

  1. Present

    Mes parents m'encouragent à continuer la musique.

    My parents encourage me to carry on with music.

  2. Past

    On a encouragé l'équipe jusqu'à la dernière minute.

    We cheered the team on until the last minute.

  3. Imperfect

    Elle encourageait tous ses élèves, même les plus faibles.

    She encouraged all her pupils, even the weakest.

  4. Future

    Je t'encouragerai depuis les tribunes dimanche.

    I'll cheer you on from the stands on Sunday.

  5. Conditional

    Je l'encouragerais plus si elle m'écoutait.

    I'd encourage her more if she listened to me.

  6. Present subjunctive

    C'est bien que tu encourages ta fille comme ça.

    It's good that you encourage your daughter like that.

  7. Imperative

    Encouragez-le, il a besoin de vous entendre !

    Cheer him on, he needs to hear you!

Good to know

  • Encourager quelqu'un à faire quelque chose; les encouragements is the cheering.

Verbs like this one

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