Meaning and Usage
The French verb boire means to drink. It is an irregular verb commonly used in everyday conversations when talking about consuming liquids such as water, coffee, or wine. Since it is irregular, its conjugation does not follow the standard patterns for -re verbs.
Present Tense Conjugation
The verb boire is irregular in the present tense, with distinct forms for each pronoun. This tense is essential to express current actions or habitual drinking habits.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | bois | I drink | Je bois de l'eau tous les jours. | I drink water every day. |
| tu | bois | you drink (singular) | Tu bois du café le matin. | You drink coffee in the morning. |
| il/elle/on | boit | he/she/one drinks | Il boit du vin avec le repas. | He drinks wine with the meal. |
| nous | buvons | we drink | Nous buvons du jus d'orange. | We drink orange juice. |
| vous | buvez | you drink (plural/formal) | Vous buvez de la bière. | You drink beer. |
| ils/elles | boivent | they drink | Elles boivent de l'eau minérale. | They drink mineral water. |
Past and Other Tenses
Boire also has irregular forms in the past tense (passé composé) and other tenses. For example, its past participle is bu, and it uses avoir as the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.
Example in passé composé:
- J'ai bu un verre de vin.
(I drank a glass of wine.)
Continuing to explore other tenses will help master this verb's usage fully in French.
