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FRENCH VERB

frapper

to knock

  • #221 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: frappé
  • Present participle: frappant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use frapper

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

  1. Present

    Quelqu'un frappe à la porte, tu attends quelqu'un ?

    Someone's knocking at the door, are you expecting anyone?

  2. Past

    J'ai frappé trois fois, personne n'a répondu.

    I knocked three times, nobody answered.

  3. Imperfect

    Le vent frappait contre les volets toute la nuit.

    The wind was banging against the shutters all night.

  4. Future

    Je frapperai doucement pour ne pas réveiller le bébé.

    I'll knock softly so I don't wake the baby.

  5. Conditional

    Je frapperais avant d'entrer, à ta place.

    I'd knock before going in, if I were you.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je préfère que tu frappes avant d'ouvrir.

    I'd rather you knocked before opening.

  7. Imperative

    Frappez fort, la sonnette ne marche pas.

    Knock loudly, the doorbell doesn't work.

Good to know

  • Frapper à la porte is to knock; "on frappe" is "someone's knocking".

Where you hear frapper

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

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je frappe à la porte. I knock on the door.
  • J'ai frappé chez monsieur Petit. I knocked at Monsieur Petit's.
  • Je vais frapper fort ! I'm going to knock loudly!
9
How the Building Works

Beginner Level 2 · Frappez !

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Verbs like this one

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