---
title: "Prendre conjugation: all tenses with examples"
description: "Prendre in every French tense: je prends, j'ai pris, je prendrai, que je prenne. Full tables, examples and TCF/TEF Canada tips."
canonical: https://francaisprep.com/french-conjugation/prendre
---

French conjugation

# Prendre conjugation

Prendre (“to take”) 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

Prendre (“to take”) is an irregular verb of the third group. In the présent: je prends, tu prends, il/elle prend, nous prenons, vous prenez, ils/elles prennent. Its passé composé is formed with avoir and the past participle pris, and its futur simple is built on the stem prendr-.

## Prendre at a glance

Meaning

to take

Type

Irregular verb (third group)

Auxiliary

avoir

Past participle

pris

Present participle

prenant

Future stem

prendr-

## Prendre in every tense

### Présent

Present

-   je prends
-   tu prends
-   il/elle prend
-   nous prenons
-   vous prenez
-   ils/elles prennent

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

### Passé composé

Compound past

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

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

### Imparfait

Imperfect

-   je prenais
-   tu prenais
-   il/elle prenait
-   nous prenions
-   vous preniez
-   ils/elles prenaient

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

### Futur simple

Simple future

-   je prendrai
-   tu prendras
-   il/elle prendra
-   nous prendrons
-   vous prendrez
-   ils/elles prendront

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

### Conditionnel présent

Present conditional

-   je prendrais
-   tu prendrais
-   il/elle prendrait
-   nous prendrions
-   vous prendriez
-   ils/elles prendraient

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

### Subjonctif présent

Present subjunctive

-   que je prenne
-   que tu prennes
-   qu'il/elle prenne
-   que nous prenions
-   que vous preniez
-   qu'ils/elles prennent

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

### Impératif

Imperative

-   prends
-   prenons
-   prenez

### Passé simple (literary)

Simple past, used in written narrative

-   je pris
-   tu pris
-   il/elle prit
-   nous prîmes
-   vous prîtes
-   ils/elles prirent

### Participles

Present and past participles

-   Present participle: prenant
-   Past participle: pris, prise, pris, prises

TCF and TEF Canada

## How prendre shows up in the TCF and TEF

Prendre (and comprendre, apprendre) double the n in the third person plural (ils prennent). It is in transport and appointment situations across the listening section.

-   Je prends le métro tous les matins. _I take the subway every morning._
-   Avez-vous pris rendez-vous avec le médecin ? _Have you made an appointment with the doctor?_

## From conjugation tables to an exam score

Knowing the forms of prendre 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

## Prendre conjugation: questions

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

In the présent, prendre is: je prends, tu prends, il/elle prend, nous prenons, vous prenez, ils/elles prennent.

### What is the passé composé of prendre?

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

### Is prendre conjugated with être or avoir?

Prendre takes avoir in the passé composé and the other compound tenses: j'ai pris.

### What is prendre in the futur simple?

The futur simple of prendre is built on the stem prendr-: je prendrai, tu prendras, il/elle prendra, nous prendrons, vous prendrez, ils/elles prendront.

### What is the imperfect of prendre?

The imparfait of prendre is: je prenais, tu prenais, il/elle prenait, nous prenions, vous preniez, ils/elles prenaient.

### What is the subjunctive of prendre?

The subjonctif présent of prendre is: que je prenne, que tu prennes, qu'il/elle prenne, que nous prenions, que vous preniez, qu'ils/elles prennent.

### What is prendre in the passé simple?

The passé simple is a literary tense you will read in narratives and biographies but rarely need to write. For prendre: je pris, tu pris, il/elle prit, nous prîmes, vous prîtes, ils/elles prirent.

### What is the imperative of prendre?

The impératif of prendre has three forms: prends, prenons, prenez (tu, nous and vous).

### What is the past participle of prendre?

The past participle of prendre is pris (feminine prise, plural pris, prises). Its present participle is prenant.

## 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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