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FRENCH VERB

s'appeler

to be called

  • #68 most used
  • Irregular -er verb
  • Past participle: appelé
  • Present participle: s’appelant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use s'appeler

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

  1. Present

    Bonjour, je m'appelle Chloé, et vous ?

    Hello, my name is Chloé, and you?

  2. Past

    Le restaurant s'est appelé Chez Paul pendant trente ans.

    The restaurant was called Chez Paul for thirty years.

  3. Imperfect

    Avant, cette rue s'appelait autrement.

    This street used to have another name.

  4. Future

    Le bébé s'appellera Louis, comme son grand-père.

    The baby will be called Louis, like his grandfather.

  5. Conditional

    Si c'était une fille, elle s'appellerait Léa.

    If it were a girl, she'd be called Léa.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne crois pas qu'il s'appelle Thomas.

    I don't think his name is Thomas.

  7. Imperative

    Appelle-toi comme tu veux sur Internet !

    Call yourself whatever you want online!

Good to know

  • Je m'appelle is how you give your name; comment tu t'appelles ? asks for it.

Where you hear s'appeler

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

French · Beginner Level 1

  • Je m'appelle Julien. My name is Julien.
  • Mon grand-père s'appelait Julien aussi. My grandfather was called Julien too.
  • Le nouvel hôtel va s'appeler l'Hôtel du Pont. The new hotel is going to be called the Hotel du Pont.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • L'école s'appelle « À voix haute ». The school is called "Out Loud".
  • Il s'appelait Yann. He was called Yann.
  • Elle s'appellera « À voix haute ». It'll be called "Out Loud".
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Welcome to Paris

Beginner Level 1 · m'appelle · je m'appelle · Je m'appelle

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Painting the Walls

Beginner Level 3 · Elle s'appellera

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Verbs like this one

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