The verb suivre means "to follow" in French. It is irregular and part of the third group, which means it does not follow standard conjugation patterns.
Formation
Here are the present tense forms to illustrate the pattern:
| French Subject | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | Example (Fr) | Example (En) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | je suis | I follow | Je suis le professeur. | I follow the teacher. |
| tu | tu suis | you follow | Tu suis le chemin. | You follow the path. |
| il/elle | il suit | he/she follows | Elle suit son rêve. | She follows her dream. |
| nous | nous suivons | we follow | Nous suivons les règles. | We follow the rules. |
| vous | vous suivez | you follow | Vous suivez la mode. | You follow the fashion. |
| ils/elles | ils suivent | they follow | Ils suivent les instructions. | They follow the instructions. |
Note: The root changes between suiv- and sui-* depending on the tense (e.g., future: je suivrai, past participle: suivi).
Usage
Literal Meaning: following someone or something
- Je suis mon frère à l'école. (I follow my brother to school.)
- Suivez le guide ! (Follow the guide!)
Figurative Meaning: following a course, advice, or trend
- Elle suit un régime. (She is following a diet.)
- Nous suivons les nouvelles. (We follow the news.)
- Il suit les conseils de son médecin. (He follows his doctor's advice.)
Other Uses: taking a class, monitoring
- Je suis un cours de français. (I’m taking a French class.)
- Le professeur suit les progrès des élèves. (The teacher monitors the students’ progress.)
Translate into French: She is following a diet.
Elle suit un régime.
'Elle suit' is third-person singular present. 'Un régime' is the standard French term for a diet. 'Suivre' is used directly with the object.
Common Expressions
| French Expression | English Equivalent | Example (Fr) | Example (En) |
|---|---|---|---|
| suivre quelqu’un/quelque chose | to follow someone/something | Je suis Marie sur Instagram. | I follow Marie on Instagram. |
| suivre le rythme | to keep up with the pace | Je n’arrive pas à suivre le rythme. | I can’t keep up with the pace. |
| suivre la mode | to follow fashion | Elle suit toujours la mode. | She always follows fashion. |
| suivre un cours | to take a course | Je suis un cours de maths. | I’m taking a math class. |
Tips
- The past participle is suivi and it uses avoir in compound tenses.
- In past tense, all forms take the root suiv- (je suivais, nous suivions).
- Suivre can be followed by a direct object (person, thing) without a preposition: suivre quelqu’un, suivre quelque chose.
- Be careful not to confuse suivre with poursuivre (to pursue) or continuer (to continue).
Does suivre require a preposition before its direct object?
No, it takes a direct object without a preposition.
Suivre is followed directly by its object (person or thing) without any preposition (e.g., suivre quelqu’un).
Summary
- Suivre means to follow and can be used literally or figuratively.
- It is irregular, with stems suiv- and sui-.
- It takes a direct object and does not need a preposition.
- It is used for people, things, advice, courses, trends, and more.
Conclusion
That is the French verb suivre in a concise and clear format along with English translations.
Flashcards (1 of 10)
- Example (Fr): Je suis le professeur.
- Example (En): I follow the teacher.
- English Conjugation: I follow
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
