---
title: "Attendre conjugation: all tenses with examples"
description: "Attendre in every French tense: j'attends, j'ai attendu, j'attendrai, que j'attende. Full tables, examples and TCF/TEF Canada tips."
canonical: https://francaisprep.com/french-conjugation/attendre
---

French conjugation

# Attendre conjugation

Attendre (“to wait (for)”) in every tense you need, from the présent to the subjonctif, with example sentences and how it shows up in the TCF and TEF Canada.

[Take the free level test](/tools/french-level-test)[See the tables](#tables)

-   Every tense on one page
-   Tables generated from an open French lexicon
-   Notes for TCF and TEF candidates

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In short

Attendre (“to wait (for)”) is an irregular verb of the third group. In the présent: j'attends, tu attends, il/elle attend, nous attendons, vous attendez, ils/elles attendent. Its passé composé is formed with avoir and the past participle attendu, and its futur simple is built on the stem attendr-.

## Attendre at a glance

Meaning

to wait (for)

Type

Irregular verb (third group)

Auxiliary

avoir

Past participle

attendu

Present participle

attendant

Future stem

attendr-

## Attendre in every tense

### Présent

Present

-   j'attends
-   tu attends
-   il/elle attend
-   nous attendons
-   vous attendez
-   ils/elles attendent

[When to use the présent](/blog/french-verb-tenses-for-tcf-tef)

### Passé composé

Compound past

-   j'ai attendu
-   tu as attendu
-   il/elle a attendu
-   nous avons attendu
-   vous avez attendu
-   ils/elles ont attendu

[When to use the passé composé](/blog/passe-compose-vs-imparfait)

### Imparfait

Imperfect

-   j'attendais
-   tu attendais
-   il/elle attendait
-   nous attendions
-   vous attendiez
-   ils/elles attendaient

[When to use the imparfait](/blog/passe-compose-vs-imparfait)

### Futur simple

Simple future

-   j'attendrai
-   tu attendras
-   il/elle attendra
-   nous attendrons
-   vous attendrez
-   ils/elles attendront

[When to use the futur simple](/blog/french-verb-tenses-for-tcf-tef)

### Conditionnel présent

Present conditional

-   j'attendrais
-   tu attendrais
-   il/elle attendrait
-   nous attendrions
-   vous attendriez
-   ils/elles attendraient

[When to use the conditionnel présent](/blog/french-verb-tenses-for-tcf-tef)

### Subjonctif présent

Present subjunctive

-   que j'attende
-   que tu attendes
-   qu'il/elle attende
-   que nous attendions
-   que vous attendiez
-   qu'ils/elles attendent

[When to use the subjonctif présent](/blog/le-subjonctif)

### Impératif

Imperative

-   attends
-   attendons
-   attendez

### Passé simple (literary)

Simple past, used in written narrative

-   j'attendis
-   tu attendis
-   il/elle attendit
-   nous attendîmes
-   vous attendîtes
-   ils/elles attendirent

### Participles

Present and past participles

-   Present participle: attendant
-   Past participle: attendu, attendue, attendus, attendues

TCF and TEF Canada

## How attendre shows up in the TCF and TEF

Attendre takes a direct object: « j'attends le bus », with no « pour ». « S'attendre à » (to expect) is a frequent false friend in reading texts.

-   J'attends ma convocation depuis deux semaines. _I have been waiting for my notice for two weeks._
-   Attendez quelques minutes, s'il vous plaît. _Please wait a few minutes._

## From conjugation tables to an exam score

Knowing the forms of attendre is the easy part. The TCF and TEF Canada mark whether you use the right tense, under time pressure, in your own sentences.

-   Check your level
    
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-   Talk to a teacher
    
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Questions

## Attendre conjugation: questions

### How do you conjugate attendre in the present tense?

In the présent, attendre is: j'attends, tu attends, il/elle attend, nous attendons, vous attendez, ils/elles attendent.

### What is the passé composé of attendre?

Attendre forms the passé composé with avoir and the past participle attendu: j'ai attendu, tu as attendu, il/elle a attendu, nous avons attendu, vous avez attendu, ils/elles ont attendu.

### Is attendre conjugated with être or avoir?

Attendre takes avoir in the passé composé and the other compound tenses: j'ai attendu.

### What is attendre in the futur simple?

The futur simple of attendre is built on the stem attendr-: j'attendrai, tu attendras, il/elle attendra, nous attendrons, vous attendrez, ils/elles attendront.

### What is the imperfect of attendre?

The imparfait of attendre is: j'attendais, tu attendais, il/elle attendait, nous attendions, vous attendiez, ils/elles attendaient.

### What is the subjunctive of attendre?

The subjonctif présent of attendre is: que j'attende, que tu attendes, qu'il/elle attende, que nous attendions, que vous attendiez, qu'ils/elles attendent.

### What is attendre in the passé simple?

The passé simple is a literary tense you will read in narratives and biographies but rarely need to write. For attendre: j'attendis, tu attendis, il/elle attendit, nous attendîmes, vous attendîtes, ils/elles attendirent.

### What is the imperative of attendre?

The impératif of attendre has three forms: attends, attendons, attendez (tu, nous and vous).

### What is the past participle of attendre?

The past participle of attendre is attendu (feminine attendue, plural attendus, attendues). Its present participle is attendant.

## More French verbs

-   [être](/french-conjugation/etre)
-   [avoir](/french-conjugation/avoir)
-   [aller](/french-conjugation/aller)
-   [faire](/french-conjugation/faire)
-   [dire](/french-conjugation/dire)
-   [pouvoir](/french-conjugation/pouvoir)
-   [vouloir](/french-conjugation/vouloir)
-   [devoir](/french-conjugation/devoir)

[All 64 verbs](/french-conjugation)

Conjugation tables are generated from the Lefff (Lexique des formes fléchies du français, Benoît Sagot, Inria), packaged as french-verbs-lefff@3.4.0 and distributed under the [LGPL-LR licence](https://www.labri.fr/perso/clement/lefff/licence-LGPLLR.html). Compound forms are built from its auxiliary and participle forms.

Next step

## Preparing for the TCF or TEF Canada?

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[Book a free call](/book)[See the course](/tcf-canada-course)

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