What is Lire?
Lire is the French verb that means “to read.” You use it whenever you talk about reading something — like a book, a newspaper, a sign, or a message.
- Class: Irregular verb (does not follow regular -re patterns)
- Meaning: to read
- Usage: Used with direct objects (e.g., lire un livre — to read a book)
Special Patterns
Lire has a stem that changes depending on the tense. These are some common stems you’ll see:
- lis- (Present, Imperfect, Future Stem, Conditionnel)
- lu- (Passé Composé, Plus-que-parfait, Passé Antérieur, Futur Antérieur, Conditionnel Passé)
- li- (Subjonctif)
Knowing these stems helps you spot and memorize the patterns!
Which stem is used with the past participle of "lire"?
lu-
The past participle of "lire" is "lu," so the stem lu- is used in compound tenses.
In which tenses do you use the stem "lis-"?
Present, Imperfect, Future Stem, Conditionnel
The stem lis- is used in the present, imperfect, future stem, and conditional.
Sample Sentences
Sample Sentences
Here are some simple examples of lire in action, along with their English translations:
| French | English | Example Class |
|---|---|---|
| Je lis un livre. | I am reading a book. | Present |
| Nous avons lu le journal. | We read the newspaper. | Passé Composé |
| Ils lisaient des histoires. | They used to read stories. | Imparfait |
| Tu liras ce roman demain. | You will read this novel tomorrow. | Futur |
| J’aimerais lire plus souvent. | I would like to read more often. | Conditionnel |
| Il faut que tu lises ce chapitre. | You need to read this chapter. | Subjonctif |
| J’avais déjà lu ce texte. | I had already read this text. | Plus-que-parfait |
| Après avoir lu, elle a dormi. | After reading, she slept. | Participle (used in past constructions) |
Irregular Patterns
Lire uses the auxiliary avoir in all compound tenses, and the past participle is lu. Its stem changes (e.g., lis-, lu-, li-) depending on the tense or mood.
- Passé Composé: fui (e.g., J’ai lu)
- Subjonctif: li- (e.g., que je lise)
- Other tenses use lis- (e.g., tu lisais, vous lirez)
Flashcards (1 of 8)
- Example Class: Present
- English: I am reading a book.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
