Skip to content
fluentbyear

FRENCH VERB

laisser

to leave

  • #27 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: laissé
  • Present participle: laissant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use laisser

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

  1. Present

    Je laisse les clés sous le paillasson.

    I'm leaving the keys under the doormat.

  2. Past

    J'ai laissé mon parapluie dans le bus.

    I left my umbrella on the bus.

  3. Imperfect

    Il laissait toujours la lumière allumée.

    He always left the light on.

  4. Future

    Je te laisserai un mot sur la table.

    I'll leave you a note on the table.

  5. Conditional

    Tu me laisserais conduire un peu ?

    Would you let me drive for a bit?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu laisses un pourboire au serveur.

    You should leave the waiter a tip.

  7. Imperative

    Laisse tomber, ce n'est pas grave.

    Forget it, it doesn't matter.

Good to know

  • Laisser is to leave something behind; "laisse-moi" is "let me".
  • "Laisse tomber" is "forget it".

Where you hear laisser

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

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je te laisse un message. I'm leaving you a message.
  • J'ai laissé mes clés à l'école. I left my keys at the school.
  • Je vais laisser un message. I'm going to leave a message.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Je te laisse un message. I'm leaving you a message.
  • J'ai laissé mes clés à l'école. I left my keys at the school.
  • Je vais laisser un message. I'm going to leave a message.
14
On the Phone

Beginner Level 2 · laisser · j'ai laissé

Needs a subscription 28
The Loan

Beginner Level 3 · laissez-moi

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

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