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FRENCH VERB

sauver

to save

  • #218 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: sauvé
  • Present participle: sauvant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use sauver

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

  1. Present

    Tu me sauves la vie avec ce café !

    You're saving my life with this coffee!

  2. Past

    Les pompiers ont sauvé le chat du voisin.

    The firefighters saved the neighbour's cat.

  3. Imperfect

    Dans ce film, le héros sauvait toujours la ville.

    In that film, the hero always saved the city.

  4. Future

    Ce parapluie te sauvera cet après-midi.

    This umbrella will save you this afternoon.

  5. Conditional

    Un peu de sommeil me sauverait, là.

    A bit of sleep would save me right now.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que je sauve mes photos avant de changer de téléphone.

    I need to save my photos before changing phones.

  7. Imperative

    Sauve-toi vite, tu vas rater ton bus !

    Run along quickly, you'll miss your bus!

Good to know

  • "Tu me sauves la vie" is said for small favours too.
  • "Sauve-toi !" is "off you go!", not a warning of danger.

Where you hear sauver

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

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Vous me sauvez, monsieur ! You're saving me, sir!
  • Tu m'as sauvée ! You saved me!
  • Ton aide va me sauver. Your help is going to save me.

French · Beginner Level 3

  • Vous me sauvez la vie. You're saving my life.
  • Tu m'as sauvé la vie. You saved my life.
  • Ce plan va sauver notre soirée. This plan is going to save our evening.
8
No Hot Water

Beginner Level 2 · Vous me sauvez !

Needs a subscription 3
At the Prefecture

Beginner Level 3 · Tu me sauves !

Needs a subscription 4
The Machine Ate My Card

Beginner Level 3 · tu m'as sauvé la vie

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Verbs like this one

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