Meaning and Usage
Recevoir is a French verb meaning "to receive". It is commonly used to express the act of getting or being given something, such as a letter, gift, or guests. This verb is irregular and belongs to the third group verbs ending in -oir.
Conjugation in Present Tense
The present tense of recevoir shows irregular forms especially in some pronouns due to its stem change.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | reçois | I receive | Je reçois une lettre chaque jour. | I receive a letter every day. |
| Tu | reçois | You receive | Tu reçois beaucoup de cadeaux. | You receive many gifts. |
| Il/Elle/On | reçoit | He/She/One receives | Il reçoit ses amis ce soir. | He receives his friends tonight. |
| Nous | recevons | We receive | Nous recevons la facture demain. | We receive the bill tomorrow. |
| Vous | recevez | You (formal/plural) receive | Vous recevez un colis important. | You receive an important package. |
| Ils/Elles | reçoivent | They receive | Elles reçoivent des invités ce weekend. | They receive guests this weekend. |
Conjugation in Passé Composé
Recevoir uses avoir as the auxiliary verb in passé composé. The past participle is reçu.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ai reçu | I received | J’ai reçu ton message hier. | I received your message yesterday. |
| Tu | as reçu | You received | Tu as reçu un cadeau. | You received a gift. |
| Il/Elle/On | a reçu | He/She/One received | Il a reçu une lettre officielle. | He received an official letter. |
| Nous | avons reçu | We received | Nous avons reçu la notification. | We received the notification. |
| Vous | avez reçu | You received | Vous avez reçu les informations. | You received the information. |
| Ils/Elles | ont reçu | They received | Elles ont reçu des fleurs. | They received flowers. |
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense is used to describe past habitual actions or descriptions involving recevoir.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | recevais | I was receiving / I used to receive | Je recevais souvent des colis. | I often received packages. |
| Tu | recevais | You were receiving / You used to receive | Tu recevais beaucoup de lettres. | You used to receive many letters. |
| Il/Elle/On | recevait | He/She/One was receiving / used to receive | Elle recevait toujours ses amis. | She always received her friends. |
| Nous | recevions | We were receiving / used to receive | Nous recevions les invitations. | We were receiving the invitations. |
| Vous | receviez | You were receiving / used to receive | Vous receviez souvent des cadeaux. | You often received gifts. |
| Ils/Elles | recevaient | They were receiving / used to receive | Ils recevaient beaucoup de courrier. | They received a lot of mail. |
Tips for Usage
- Use recevoir when talking about receiving physical objects, messages, guests, or services.
- It is often followed by a direct object without a preposition.
- In casual speech, the conjugation can sometimes be shortened but full formal forms are preferred in writing.
- Remember the accent mark on reçois and reçoit in present tense forms.
Related Expressions
- Recevoir quelqu’un – to receive someone, to host guests.
- Recevoir un prix – to receive a prize or award.
- Recevoir une lettre/un message – to receive a letter or message.
This verb is crucial for everyday communication when discussing receiving items or people, making it an essential irregular verb to master in French.
