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FRENCH VERB

recevoir

to receive

  • #78 most used
  • Irregular -ir verb
  • Past participle: reçu
  • Present participle: recevant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use recevoir

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

  1. Present

    Je reçois trop de mails au travail.

    I get too many emails at work.

  2. Past

    Tu as reçu ma carte postale de Nice ?

    Did you get my postcard from Nice?

  3. Imperfect

    On recevait souvent la famille le dimanche midi.

    We often had family over for Sunday lunch.

  4. Future

    Vous recevrez une confirmation par mail.

    You'll receive a confirmation by email.

  5. Conditional

    Je recevrais le colis quand, à peu près ?

    Roughly when would I get the parcel?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que vous receviez le code avant de payer.

    You need to receive the code before paying.

  7. Imperative

    Recevez toutes mes félicitations pour votre mariage !

    Please accept my congratulations on your wedding!

Good to know

  • Recevoir is also to have people over: on reçoit des amis ce soir.

Where you hear recevoir

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

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je reçois beaucoup d'e-mails. I get a lot of emails.
  • J'ai reçu l'e-mail. I've received the email.
  • Tu vas recevoir une lettre. You're going to receive a letter.
19
A Weekend Away

Beginner Level 2 · j'ai reçu

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Verbs like this one

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