Overview
The verb mourir means to die in French. It is an irregular verb, primarily used to describe the act of ceasing to live. This verb is commonly employed in both literal and figurative contexts, such as "to die of hunger" or "to die of laughter." Understanding its conjugations and usage is essential for mastering French verbs that do not follow regular patterns.
Present Tense Conjugation
In the present tense, mourir follows an irregular conjugation pattern. It is important to memorize the forms as they differ significantly from regular -ir verbs. This tense is used to express actions happening currently or general truths about dying.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | meurs | I die | Je meurs de faim. | I am dying of hunger. |
| tu | meurs | you die | Tu meurs trop jeune. | You die too young. |
| il/elle/on | meurt | he/she/one dies | Il meurt dans ce film. | He dies in this movie. |
| nous | mourons | we die | Nous mourons de rire. | We are dying of laughter. |
| vous | mourez | you (formal/plural) die | Vous mourez souvent dans les histoires. | You often die in stories. |
| ils/elles | meurent | they die | Ils meurent à la guerre. | They die in the war. |
Past Tense: Passé Composé
The passé composé of mourir is formed with the auxiliary verb être followed by the past participle mort. This structure is typical of many movement and state change verbs in French. Agreement of the past participle with the subject is required when appropriate.
| French Pronoun | Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | suis mort(e) | I died | Je suis mort hier. | I died yesterday. |
| tu | es mort(e) | you died | Tu es mort trop tôt. | You died too soon. |
| il/elle/on | est mort(e) | he/she/one died | Elle est morte jeune. | She died young. |
| nous | sommes mort(e)s | we died | Nous sommes morts dans un accident. | We died in an accident. |
| vous | êtes mort(e)(s) | you died | Vous êtes morts heureux. | You died happy. |
| ils/elles | sont morts / mortes | they died | Ils sont morts au combat. | They died in combat. |
Future Tense Conjugation
The future tense of mourir is formed by adding the future endings to the stem mourr-. This form indicates an action that will happen later or in the future.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | mourrai | I will die | Je mourrai un jour. | I will die one day. |
| tu | mourras | you will die | Tu mourras sans douleur. | You will die without pain. |
| il/elle/on | mourra | he/she/one will die | Il mourra heureux. | He will die happy. |
| nous | mourrons | we will die | Nous mourrons ensemble. | We will die together. |
| vous | mourrez | you will die | Vous mourrez paisiblement. | You will die peacefully. |
| ils/elles | mourront | they will die | Elles mourront jeunes. | They will die young. |
Usage Tips
- mourir often appears in idiomatic expressions, such as mourir de faim (to die of hunger) or mourir de rire (to die laughing).
- Since mourir uses être in compound tenses, remember its agreement rules—as the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
- Be mindful of the irregular stem changes especially in the present and future tenses.
Related Verbs
- naître (to be born) – often paired with mourir to describe life cycles.
- vivre (to live) – useful contrast verb to mourir in conversations about life and death.
- tuer (to kill) – the action that causes someone to die, different from dying naturally.
