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FRENCH VERB

laver

to wash

  • #163 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: lavé
  • Present participle: lavant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use laver

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

  1. Present

    Je lave toujours les fruits avant de les manger.

    I always wash fruit before eating it.

  2. Past

    Tu as lavé mon pull à soixante degrés ?

    Did you wash my jumper at sixty degrees?

  3. Imperfect

    Ma grand-mère lavait tout à la main.

    My grandmother washed everything by hand.

  4. Future

    Je laverai la voiture quand il fera moins chaud.

    I'll wash the car when it's less hot.

  5. Conditional

    On laverait les draps aujourd'hui, il fait beau.

    We could wash the sheets today, the weather's nice.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu laves ce pantalon avant demain.

    You need to wash those trousers before tomorrow.

  7. Imperative

    Lave la salade, je prépare la vinaigrette.

    Wash the salad, I'll make the dressing.

Good to know

  • Laver le linge, la voiture, les légumes; for the dishes it's faire la vaisselle.

Verbs like this one

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