Meaning and Usage
The verb mettre means to put or to place something somewhere. It is commonly used in French to express physical placement, putting on clothes or accessories, starting machines, or setting a timer. It is an irregular verb and versatile in daily conversation.
Verb Class
Mettre belongs to a group of irregular verbs ending in -ttre that share similar conjugation patterns. Examples include battre, promettre, and permettre. Understanding mettre helps with these related verbs.
Present Tense Conjugation
Here is how mettre conjugates in the present tense, an essential form to express current or habitual actions related to putting or placing.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | mets | I put | Je mets le livre sur la table. | I put the book on the table. |
| Tu | mets | You put | Tu mets ton chapeau. | You put on your hat. |
| Il/Elle/On | met | He/She/One puts | Elle met la robe rouge. | She puts on the red dress. |
| Nous | mettons | We put | Nous mettons la table. | We set the table. |
| Vous | mettez | You (formal/pl) put | Vous mettez les clés ici. | You put the keys here. |
| Ils/Elles | mettent | They put | Ils mettent les chaussures. | They put on the shoes. |
Passé Composé (Past Tense)
Mettre is conjugated with avoir as the auxiliary verb in the past tense, and its past participle is mis. This tense is used for completed actions.
| French Pronoun | Auxiliary + Past Participle | English Equivalent | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ai mis | I put / I have put | J’ai mis la lettre dans l’enveloppe. | I put the letter in the envelope. |
| Tu | as mis | You put / You have put | Tu as mis ton manteau. | You put on your coat. |
| Il/Elle/On | a mis | He/She/One put | Il a mis le gâteau sur la table. | He put the cake on the table. |
| Nous | avons mis | We put / We have put | Nous avons mis les fleurs. | We put the flowers. |
| Vous | avez mis | You (pl/form) put | Vous avez mis le feu vert. | You put the green light on. |
| Ils/Elles | ont mis | They put | Elles ont mis la télé en marche. | They turned on the TV. |
Imperative Mood
The imperative is used for commands or requests. Here is how to tell someone to put or place something.
| French Pronoun | French Imperative | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Tu | mets | Put! (you singular/informal) |
| Nous | mettons | Let’s put! |
| Vous | mettez | Put! (you plural/formal) |
Example: Mets la clé dans la serrure! (Put the key in the lock!)
Common Expressions with Mettre
Mettre is part of many useful idioms and expressions, such as:
- mettre la table – to set the table
- mettre au point – to finalize or perfect
- mettre en marche – to start (a machine)
- se mettre à – to begin to do something
- mettre en colère – to make someone angry
Related Verbs Overview
Several verbs related to mettre share similar patterns or meanings:
- promettre – to promise
- admettre – to admit
- permettre – to allow, permit
- soumettre – to submit
- remettre – to put back, postpone
Learning mettre forms a foundation for mastering these irregular verbs.
