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FRENCH VERB

freiner

to brake

  • #261 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: freiné
  • Present participle: freinant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use freiner

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

  1. Present

    Je freine toujours un peu avant le virage.

    I always brake a little before the bend.

  2. Past

    Elle a freiné d'un coup, j'ai eu peur.

    She braked suddenly, I got scared.

  3. Imperfect

    Le camion freinait fort dans la descente.

    The lorry was braking hard on the way down.

  4. Future

    Tu freineras doucement, le sol est glissant.

    You'll brake gently, the ground is slippery.

  5. Conditional

    Sur la glace, la voiture freinerait beaucoup moins bien.

    On ice, the car would brake much less well.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je veux que tu freines avant le passage piéton.

    I want you to brake before the pedestrian crossing.

  7. Imperative

    Freine, il y a un chat sur la route !

    Brake, there's a cat on the road!

Where you hear freiner

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

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Je freine au feu rouge. I brake at the red light.
  • J'ai freiné trop tard ! I braked too late!
  • Vous allez freiner doucement. You're going to brake gently.
6
The Driving Lesson

Beginner Level 3 · Freinez ! · freine

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Verbs like this one

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