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FRENCH VERB

garder

to keep, to look after

  • #86 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: gardé
  • Present participle: gardant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use garder

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

  1. Present

    Je garde ma nièce ce samedi soir.

    I'm looking after my niece this Saturday night.

  2. Past

    J'ai gardé toutes tes lettres dans une boîte.

    I've kept all your letters in a box.

  3. Imperfect

    Ma voisine gardait les enfants quand je travaillais tard.

    My neighbour looked after the kids when I worked late.

  4. Future

    On gardera une part de gâteau pour ton père.

    We'll keep a slice of cake for your father.

  5. Conditional

    Tu garderais le chien une semaine en août ?

    Would you look after the dog for a week in August?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je veux que tu gardes ce secret pour toi.

    I want you to keep this secret to yourself.

  7. Imperative

    Gardez la monnaie, c'est pour vous.

    Keep the change, it's for you.

Good to know

  • Garder les enfants is to babysit; gardez la monnaie is keep the change.

Where you hear garder

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

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Je garde ma couleur. I'm keeping my colour.
  • J'ai gardé toutes tes cartes postales. I've kept all your postcards.
  • Je vais garder les cheveux longs. I'm going to keep my hair long.
8
At the Hairdresser's

Beginner Level 3 · gardez · garder

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The Tide

Beginner Level 3 · je garderai

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Verbs like this one

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