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FRENCH VERB

serrer

to squeeze, to tighten

  • #410 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: serré
  • Present participle: serrant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use serrer

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

  1. Present

    Ces chaussures me serrent un peu aux orteils.

    These shoes pinch my toes a bit.

  2. Past

    Il m'a serré la main très fort.

    He shook my hand very hard.

  3. Imperfect

    Ma grand-mère nous serrait toujours dans ses bras.

    My grandmother always hugged us tight.

  4. Future

    On serrera les vis une fois le meuble monté.

    We'll tighten the screws once the unit is assembled.

  5. Conditional

    Avec une clé, tu serrerais ce robinet en une minute.

    With a spanner, you'd tighten this tap in a minute.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu serres bien le bouchon, ça va couler.

    You need to screw the cap on tight, it'll leak.

  7. Imperative

    Serre-moi fort, tu m'as manqué.

    Hold me tight, I missed you.

Good to know

  • Serrer la main à quelqu'un is to shake hands; serrer quelqu'un dans ses bras, to hug them.
  • Ces chaussures me serrent : they're too tight.

Verbs like this one

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