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FRENCH VERB

inventer

to invent

  • #370 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: inventé
  • Present participle: inventant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use inventer

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

  1. Present

    Mon fils invente des histoires incroyables le soir.

    My son makes up incredible stories in the evening.

  2. Past

    Qui a inventé le téléphone, tu te souviens ?

    Who invented the telephone, do you remember?

  3. Imperfect

    Petit, j'inventais des jeux avec trois cailloux.

    As a kid, I made up games with three pebbles.

  4. Future

    On inventera une excuse pour partir plus tôt.

    We'll make up an excuse to leave earlier.

  5. Conditional

    J'inventerais une machine à plier le linge.

    I'd invent a machine for folding laundry.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne veux pas que tu inventes des mensonges.

    I don't want you to make up lies.

  7. Imperative

    N'invente rien, dis-moi juste ce qui s'est passé.

    Don't make anything up, just tell me what happened.

Good to know

  • Inventer is also to make up : il invente des excuses.

Verbs like this one

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