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FRENCH VERB

refuser

to refuse

  • #154 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: refusé
  • Present participle: refusant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use refuser

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

  1. Present

    Le chat refuse de manger ses nouvelles croquettes.

    The cat refuses to eat his new kibble.

  2. Past

    La banque a refusé mon dossier de prêt.

    The bank turned down my loan application.

  3. Imperfect

    Il refusait toujours qu'on paie pour lui.

    He always refused to let us pay for him.

  4. Future

    Elle ne refusera jamais un bon dessert.

    She'll never turn down a good dessert.

  5. Conditional

    Je refuserais poliment, c'est trop loin.

    I'd politely decline, it's too far.

  6. Present subjunctive

    J'ai peur que le propriétaire refuse les animaux.

    I'm afraid the landlord won't allow pets.

  7. Imperative

    Refuse si tu n'as pas envie, c'est ton droit.

    Say no if you don't feel like it, it's your right.

Good to know

  • Refuser de + infinitive : il refuse de manger. Ça ne se refuse pas is you can't say no to that.

Verbs like this one

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