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FRENCH VERB

traverser

to cross

  • #265 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: traversé
  • Present participle: traversant

Conjugation

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

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

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

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

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

How to use traverser

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

  1. Present

    On traverse au feu, c'est plus sûr.

    We cross at the lights, it's safer.

  2. Past

    Elle a traversé la France à vélo l'été dernier.

    She crossed France by bike last summer.

  3. Imperfect

    Il traversait sans regarder, comme un gamin.

    He crossed without looking, like a kid.

  4. Future

    Vous traverserez la place et la gare est à gauche.

    You'll cross the square and the station is on the left.

  5. Conditional

    Je traverserais l'océan pour la revoir.

    I'd cross the ocean to see her again.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut qu'on traverse avant que le feu passe au rouge.

    We need to cross before the light turns red.

  7. Imperative

    Traversez ici, il y a un passage piéton.

    Cross here, there's a pedestrian crossing.

Good to know

  • Traverser la rue, la ville, une période difficile; no preposition : on traverse le pont.

Verbs like this one

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