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FRENCH VERB

protéger

to protect

  • #219 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: protégé
  • Present participle: protégeant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use protéger

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

  1. Present

    Cette crème protège bien du soleil.

    This cream protects well against the sun.

  2. Past

    Le chien a protégé les enfants toute la nuit.

    The dog protected the children all night.

  3. Imperfect

    Mon grand frère me protégeait à l'école.

    My big brother protected me at school.

  4. Future

    Ce manteau te protégera du vent.

    This coat will protect you from the wind.

  5. Conditional

    Une bonne assurance vous protégerait en cas d'accident.

    Good insurance would protect you in case of an accident.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut qu'on protège mieux les forêts.

    We need to protect the forests better.

  7. Imperative

    Protège tes yeux, le soleil est fort.

    Protect your eyes, the sun is strong.

Good to know

  • Protéger quelqu'un de or contre quelque chose : une crème qui protège du soleil.

Verbs like this one

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