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FRENCH VERB

se séparer

to split up

  • #388 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: séparé
  • Present participle: se séparant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use se séparer

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

  1. Present

    Mes voisins se séparent après dix ans de mariage.

    My neighbours are splitting up after ten years of marriage.

  2. Past

    On s'est séparés à la gare, chacun son train.

    We went our separate ways at the station, each to our train.

  3. Imperfect

    Petits, mon frère et moi, on ne se séparait jamais.

    As kids, my brother and I were never apart.

  4. Future

    On se séparera à Lyon, lui continue vers Marseille.

    We'll part ways in Lyon, he goes on to Marseille.

  5. Conditional

    Je ne me séparerais jamais de ce vieux vélo.

    I'd never part with this old bike.

  6. Present subjunctive

    J'ai peur qu'ils se séparent avant Noël.

    I'm afraid they'll split up before Christmas.

  7. Imperative

    Ne vous séparez pas dans la foule, restez ensemble.

    Don't split up in the crowd, stay together.

Good to know

  • Se séparer de quelqu'un is to split up with someone; it works for things too : se séparer de sa voiture.

Verbs like this one

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