Overview
The verb ouvrir means to open in English. It is an irregular verb in French that comes from the third group of verbs, often conjugated similarly to verbs ending in -er, despite its infinitive ending in -ir. It is commonly used in daily conversations and various contexts, such as opening doors, windows, books, or abstract ideas like opening a business.
Usage
Ouvrir can be used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it refers to physically opening objects like doors or containers. Figuratively, it can describe opening events, opportunities, or discussions. It is often combined with prepositions to specify what is being opened or how something is opened.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense is frequently used when speaking about actions currently happening or habitual actions. Below is the conjugation of ouvrir in the present tense with example sentences.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ouvre | I open / I am opening | J'ouvre la fenêtre. | I open the window. |
| Tu | ouvres | You open / You are opening | Tu ouvres la porte. | You open the door. |
| Il/Elle/On | ouvre | He/She/One opens / is opening | Il ouvre le livre. | He opens the book. |
| Nous | ouvrons | We open / We are opening | Nous ouvrons le magasin. | We open the store. |
| Vous | ouvrez | You (formal/plural) open / are opening | Vous ouvrez la boîte. | You open the box. |
| Ils/Elles | ouvrent | They open / They are opening | Ils ouvrent la porte. | They open the door. |
Past Tense (Passé Composé)
The passé composé is used to describe actions that have been completed. Ouvrir is conjugated with the auxiliary verb avoir and its past participle ouvert.
| French Pronoun | Auxiliar Verb + Past Participle | English Translation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ai ouvert | I opened | J'ai ouvert la fenêtre. | I opened the window. |
| Tu | as ouvert | You opened | Tu as ouvert la porte. | You opened the door. |
| Il/Elle/On | a ouvert | He/She/One opened | Elle a ouvert la porte. | She opened the door. |
| Nous | avons ouvert | We opened | Nous avons ouvert le magasin. | We opened the store. |
| Vous | avez ouvert | You opened | Vous avez ouvert la boîte. | You opened the box. |
| Ils/Elles | ont ouvert | They opened | Ils ont ouvert la porte. | They opened the door. |
Future Tense
The future tense describes an action that will happen. The stem for ouvrir is similar to the infinitive, and the endings are added accordingly.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ouvrirai | I will open | J'ouvrirai la porte demain. | I will open the door tomorrow. |
| Tu | ouvriras | You will open | Tu ouvriras le magasin bientôt. | You will open the store soon. |
| Il/Elle/On | ouvrira | He/She/One will open | Elle ouvrira la boîte plus tard. | She will open the box later. |
| Nous | ouvrirons | We will open | Nous ouvrirons la fenêtre. | We will open the window. |
| Vous | ouvrirez | You will open | Vous ouvrirez la porte. | You will open the door. |
| Ils/Elles | ouvriront | They will open | Ils ouvriront le magasin. | They will open the store. |
Imperative Mood
The imperative is used for commands or requests.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Equivalent | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tu | ouvre | Open! (You) | Ouvre la porte ! | Open the door! |
| Nous | ouvrons | Let's open! | Ouvrons la fenêtre ! | Let's open the window! |
| Vous | ouvrez | Open! (You plural/formal) | Ouvrez la boîte ! | Open the box! |
Summary
Ouvrir is an essential irregular verb often used in everyday French. Learning its conjugation in key tenses like present, passé composé, and future will help you express the concept of opening clearly in various contexts. Remember its past participle ouvert for compound tenses and its imperative forms for commands.
