lire

to read

French Irregular

The French verb "lire" means "to read" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "lire" across all 5 tenses.

How to Conjugate "lire" in the Present Tense

Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly
Person English Conjugation
je I lis
tu you (informal) lis
il/elle/on he/she/one lit
nous we lisons
vous you (formal/plural) lisez
ils/elles they lisent
Elle lit un roman passionnant.
She reads an exciting novel.

How to Conjugate "lire" in the Past (completed) Tense

Passé composé Actions completed in the past
Person English Conjugation
je I ai lu
tu you (informal) as lu
il/elle/on he/she/one a lu
nous we avons lu
vous you (formal/plural) avez lu
ils/elles they ont lu
Il a lu la lettre.
He read the letter.

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How to Conjugate "lire" in the Past (ongoing) Tense

Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past
Person English Conjugation
je I lisais
tu you (informal) lisais
il/elle/on he/she/one lisait
nous we lisions
vous you (formal/plural) lisiez
ils/elles they lisaient
Il lisait beaucoup de romans.
He was reading many novels.

How to Conjugate "lire" in the Future Tense

Futur simple Actions that will happen
Person English Conjugation
je I lirai
tu you (informal) liras
il/elle/on he/she/one lira
nous we lirons
vous you (formal/plural) lirez
ils/elles they liront
Elle lira une belle histoire.
She will read a beautiful story.

How to Conjugate "lire" in the Would (conditional) Tense

Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions
Person English Conjugation
je I lirais
tu you (informal) lirais
il/elle/on he/she/one lirait
nous we lirions
vous you (formal/plural) liriez
ils/elles they liraient
Il lirait les nouvelles le matin.
He would read the news in the morning.

Frequently Asked Questions About "lire"

Is "lire" regular or irregular in French?
"Lire" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "lire" mean in English?
The French verb "lire" means "to read" in English.
How do you conjugate "lire" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → lis, tu → lis, il/elle/on → lit, nous → lisons, vous → lisez, ils/elles → lisent.
How many tenses does "lire" have in French?
"Lire" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).

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