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FRENCH VERB

espérer

to hope

  • #92 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: espéré
  • Present participle: espérant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use espérer

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

  1. Present

    J'espère que tu as bien dormi.

    I hope you slept well.

  2. Past

    On a espéré jusqu'au bout, mais ils ont perdu.

    We hoped till the end, but they lost.

  3. Imperfect

    J'espérais te voir avant ton départ.

    I was hoping to see you before you left.

  4. Future

    On espérera un peu de soleil pour le pique-nique.

    We'll hope for a bit of sun for the picnic.

  5. Conditional

    J'espérerais une réponse plus rapide, à votre place.

    I'd hope for a quicker answer, in your place.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il est normal que tu espères un bon résultat.

    It's normal for you to hope for a good result.

  7. Imperative

    Espérons qu'il ne pleuve pas samedi !

    Let's hope it doesn't rain on Saturday!

Good to know

  • J'espère que + indicative : j'espère que tu vas bien. Before a noun, no preposition : j'espère une réponse.

Where you hear espérer

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

French · Beginner Level 3

  • J'espère que vous n'êtes pas fâchée. I hope you're not angry.
  • J'espérais une réponse. I was hoping for an answer.
  • On va espérer qu'il fera beau. Let's hope it will be nice.
26
A Talk with Nathalie

Beginner Level 3 · j'espère que

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Verbs like this one

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