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FRENCH VERB

soutenir

to support

  • #312 most used
  • Irregular -ir verb
  • Past participle: soutenu
  • Present participle: soutenant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use soutenir

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

  1. Present

    Je soutiens cette équipe depuis que je suis petit.

    I've supported this team since I was little.

  2. Past

    Mes amis m'ont beaucoup soutenue après le divorce.

    My friends supported me a lot after the divorce.

  3. Imperfect

    Il soutenait toujours sa sœur devant les parents.

    He always stood up for his sister in front of their parents.

  4. Future

    Je te soutiendrai, quoi que tu décides.

    I'll support you, whatever you decide.

  5. Conditional

    Le maire soutiendrait le projet, paraît-il.

    The mayor would back the project, apparently.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Elle a besoin qu'on la soutienne en ce moment.

    She needs us to support her at the moment.

  7. Imperative

    Soutiens-moi, j'ai la tête qui tourne.

    Hold me up, I feel dizzy.

Good to know

  • Soutenir goes like tenir. Soutenir une équipe is to support it; supporter is to put up with.

Verbs like this one

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