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FRENCH VERB

essuyer

to wipe

  • #411 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: essuyé
  • Present participle: essuyant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use essuyer

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

  1. Present

    J'essuie la table, tu débarrasses ?

    I'll wipe the table, you clear away?

  2. Past

    Tu as essuyé tes mains sur le rideau ?

    Did you wipe your hands on the curtain?

  3. Imperfect

    Mon père lavait et moi, j'essuyais.

    My dad washed up and I dried.

  4. Future

    J'essuierai le sol après le départ des invités.

    I'll wipe the floor after the guests leave.

  5. Conditional

    Tu essuierais les verres pendant que je range ?

    Would you dry the glasses while I tidy up?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut qu'on essuie le banc avant de s'asseoir.

    We need to wipe the bench before sitting down.

  7. Imperative

    Essuie-toi les pieds avant d'entrer, il pleut.

    Wipe your feet before coming in, it's raining.

Good to know

  • Essuyer la vaisselle is to dry the dishes; s'essuyer les mains, to wipe your hands.

Verbs like this one

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