The verb ouvrir means "to open" in French. It is an irregular verb belonging to the third group, with a pattern similar to verbs like offrir (to offer), souffrir (to suffer), and découvrir (to discover). In the present tense and some other tenses, ouvrir is conjugated as if it were a -er verb, even though it ends in -ir.
Conjugations
Here are the full conjugations of ouvrir in 5 core tenses, using the pronoun nous:
| Tense | French Example | English Example | French Sample Sentence | English Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Nous ouvrons la porte. | We open the door. | Nous ouvrons la porte. | We open the door. |
| Passé Composé | Nous avons ouvert le coffre. | We opened the safe. | Nous avons ouvert le coffre. | We opened the safe. |
| Imparfait | Nous ouvrions toujours tôt. | We always opened early. | Nous ouvrions toujours tôt. | We always opened early. |
| Futur Simple | Nous ouvrirons la boutique demain. | We will open the shop tomorrow. | Nous ouvrirons la boutique demain. | We will open the shop tomorrow. |
| Subjonctif Présent | Il faut que nous ouvrions la fenêtre. | It is necessary that we open the window. | Il faut que nous ouvrions la fenêtre. | It is necessary that we open the window. |
Key Usage Rules
The verb ouvrir is used to talk about opening physical objects, initiating processes, or even starting businesses or accounts.
- Use ouvrir when physically opening things: doors, windows, boxes, etc.
- Use ouvrir metaphorically for starting something new: opening a shop, opening an account, opening a discussion.
- In compound tenses (e.g., passé composé), ouvrir always uses the auxiliary avoir.
- The past participle is ouvert, which is used in all compound tenses.
- The stem ouvr- is used in the imperfect, future, conditional, and subjunctive.
- The root ouvr-/uvre- appears in most forms, but the past participle is ouvert (not ouvr-).
- In the present indicative and subjunctive, the endings follow the pattern of -er verbs.
- Irregular forms must be memorized, especially in compound tenses.
Examples
The verb ouvrir can be used in various contexts, both literal and figurative. Here are some examples to illustrate its usage:
| Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Literally opening a physical object | Elle ouvre la fenêtre chaque matin. | She opens the window every morning. |
| Starting a business or event | Ils vont ouvrir un nouveau restaurant. | They are going to open a new restaurant. |
| Opening an account or file | J'ai ouvert un compte bancaire hier. | I opened a bank account yesterday. |
| Beginning a discussion or debate | Ouvrons le débat sur ce sujet important. | Let’s open the debate on this important topic. |
| Figurative opening (heart, eyes, etc.) | Il a enfin ouvert les yeux. | He finally opened his eyes. |
Related Idioms
Here are some common idiomatic expressions that use ouvrir:
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ouvrir la porte à quelque chose | to open the door to something (figuratively) | Cette réforme ouvre la porte à de nouvelles possibilités. | This reform opens the door to new possibilities. |
| ouvrir l'œil | to stay alert/watch out | Ouvre l'œil quand tu traverses la rue ! | Keep your eyes open when you cross the street! |
| ouvrir son cœur | to open one's heart | Elle a ouvert son cœur à son ami. | She opened her heart to her friend. |
| s'ouvrir à quelqu'un | to open up to someone | Il s'est ouvert à sa sœur. | He opened up to his sister. |
| ouvrir le bal | to open the ball (start the event) | Le maire a ouvert le bal avec un discours. | The mayor opened the ball with a speech. |
Summary
The verb ouvrir takes the root ouvr-, follows an -er verb pattern in many forms, and has a fixed past participle ouvert. It is used for physical, metaphorical, and idiomatic expressions involving the concept of "opening."
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- Tense: Present
- English Example: We open the door.
- English Sample Sentence: We open the door.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
