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FRENCH VERB

plaire

to please

  • #102 most used
  • Irregular -re verb
  • Past participle: plu
  • Present participle: plaisant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use plaire

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

  1. Present

    Ça te plaît, ton nouvel appartement ?

    Do you like your new flat?

  2. Past

    Le film m'a beaucoup plu.

    I really liked the film.

  3. Imperfect

    Cette ville me plaisait dès le premier jour.

    I liked this town from the first day.

  4. Future

    Ce cadeau lui plaira, j'en suis sûr.

    He'll like this present, I'm sure.

  5. Conditional

    Ça vous plairait de venir dîner samedi ?

    Would you like to come for dinner on Saturday?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je suis contente que ça te plaise.

    I'm glad you like it.

  7. Imperative

    Allez, plaisez-vous bien à Lyon et écrivez-nous !

    Go on, enjoy Lyon and write to us!

Good to know

  • Ça me plaît is I like it : the thing you like is the subject. S'il vous plaît is please.
  • Se plaire quelque part is to enjoy being there : tu te plais à Paris ?

Where you hear plaire

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

French · Beginner Level 1

  • La France me plaît. I like France.
  • Cette ville m'a plu. I liked this city.
  • Ce quartier va vous plaire. You're going to like this neighborhood.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Il me plaît beaucoup. I like him a lot.
  • Le film t'a plu ? Did you like the film?
  • Ça va lui plaire. He'll love it.
2
Where Are You From?

Beginner Level 1 · vous plaît

Free 23
We Kissed

Beginner Level 3 · Il te plaît ? · tu lui plais

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -re verb.