---
title: "Lire conjugation: all tenses with examples"
description: "Lire in every French tense: je lis, j'ai lu, je lirai, que je lise. Full tables, examples and TCF/TEF Canada tips."
canonical: https://francaisprep.com/french-conjugation/lire
---

French conjugation

# Lire conjugation

Lire (“to read”) 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

Lire (“to read”) is an irregular verb of the third group. In the présent: je lis, tu lis, il/elle lit, nous lisons, vous lisez, ils/elles lisent. Its passé composé is formed with avoir and the past participle lu, and its futur simple is built on the stem lir-.

## Lire at a glance

Meaning

to read

Type

Irregular verb (third group)

Auxiliary

avoir

Past participle

lu

Present participle

lisant

Future stem

lir-

## Lire in every tense

### Présent

Present

-   je lis
-   tu lis
-   il/elle lit
-   nous lisons
-   vous lisez
-   ils/elles lisent

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

### Passé composé

Compound past

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

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

### Imparfait

Imperfect

-   je lisais
-   tu lisais
-   il/elle lisait
-   nous lisions
-   vous lisiez
-   ils/elles lisaient

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

### Futur simple

Simple future

-   je lirai
-   tu liras
-   il/elle lira
-   nous lirons
-   vous lirez
-   ils/elles liront

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

### Conditionnel présent

Present conditional

-   je lirais
-   tu lirais
-   il/elle lirait
-   nous lirions
-   vous liriez
-   ils/elles liraient

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

### Subjonctif présent

Present subjunctive

-   que je lise
-   que tu lises
-   qu'il/elle lise
-   que nous lisions
-   que vous lisiez
-   qu'ils/elles lisent

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

### Impératif

Imperative

-   lis
-   lisons
-   lisez

### Passé simple (literary)

Simple past, used in written narrative

-   je lus
-   tu lus
-   il/elle lut
-   nous lûmes
-   vous lûtes
-   ils/elles lurent

### Participles

Present and past participles

-   Present participle: lisant
-   Past participle: lu, lue, lus, lues

TCF and TEF Canada

## How lire shows up in the TCF and TEF

Lire has the past participle lu and the plural stem lis- (nous lisons). The reading section often asks what the author « a lu » or recommends reading.

-   Je lis le journal tous les matins. _I read the newspaper every morning._
-   Avez-vous lu le règlement ? _Have you read the rules?_

## From conjugation tables to an exam score

Knowing the forms of lire 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
    
    The [free French level test](/tools/french-level-test) tells you where you stand before you plan your preparation.
    
-   Prepare the exam
    
    The [TCF Canada course](/tcf-canada-course) works on grammar inside real writing and speaking tasks, with marked feedback.
    
-   Talk to a teacher
    
    [Book a free 15-minute call](/book) with Adèle to find out what to work on first.
    

Questions

## Lire conjugation: questions

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

In the présent, lire is: je lis, tu lis, il/elle lit, nous lisons, vous lisez, ils/elles lisent.

### What is the passé composé of lire?

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

### Is lire conjugated with être or avoir?

Lire takes avoir in the passé composé and the other compound tenses: j'ai lu.

### What is lire in the futur simple?

The futur simple of lire is built on the stem lir-: je lirai, tu liras, il/elle lira, nous lirons, vous lirez, ils/elles liront.

### What is the imperfect of lire?

The imparfait of lire is: je lisais, tu lisais, il/elle lisait, nous lisions, vous lisiez, ils/elles lisaient.

### What is the subjunctive of lire?

The subjonctif présent of lire is: que je lise, que tu lises, qu'il/elle lise, que nous lisions, que vous lisiez, qu'ils/elles lisent.

### What is lire in the passé simple?

The passé simple is a literary tense you will read in narratives and biographies but rarely need to write. For lire: je lus, tu lus, il/elle lut, nous lûmes, vous lûtes, ils/elles lurent.

### What is the imperative of lire?

The impératif of lire has three forms: lis, lisons, lisez (tu, nous and vous).

### What is the past participle of lire?

The past participle of lire is lu (feminine lue, plural lus, lues). Its present participle is lisant.

## 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?

Tell Adèle your exam date and where your French is today. She will tell you honestly what to work on first.

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

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