Usage

Voir can be used in a variety of contexts, including:
  • Physically seeing something or someone
  • Meeting or visiting someone
  • Understanding or considering a situation (similar to "seeing" something in a figurative sense)
Examples:
  • Je vois un oiseau. — I see a bird.
  • Nous voyons nos amis ce soir. — We are seeing our friends tonight.
  • Je vois ce que tu veux dire. — I see what you mean.

Conjugation

Present Tense

JevoisI see
TuvoisYou see
Il/Elle/OnvoitHe/She/One sees
NousvoyonsWe see
VousvoyezYou see
Ils/EllesvoientThey see

Passé Composé

Formed with avoir + vu
PersonConjugationEnglish
Jeai vuI saw
Tuas vuYou saw
Il/Ellea vuHe/She saw
Nousavons vuWe saw
Vousavez vuYou saw
Ils/Ellesont vuThey saw

Imperfect (Imparfait)

JevoyaisI was seeing / I used to see
TuvoyaisYou were seeing / used to see
Il/Elle/OnvoyaitHe/She/One was seeing / used to see
NousvoyionsWe were seeing / used to see
VousvoyiezYou were seeing / used to see
Ils/EllesvoyaientThey were seeing / used to see

Future Tense

JeverraiI will see
TuverrasYou will see
Il/Elle/OnverraHe/She/One will see
NousverronsWe will see
VousverrezYou will see
Ils/EllesverrontThey will see

Conditional

JeverraisI would see
TuverraisYou would see
Il/Elle/OnverraitHe/She/One would see
NousverrionsWe would see
VousverriezYou would see
Ils/EllesverraientThey would see

Subjunctive Present (used in dependent clauses)

Que jevoiethat I see
Que tuvoiesthat you see
Qu’il/elle/onvoiethat he/she/one sees
Que nousvoyionsthat we see
Que vousvoyiezthat you see
Qu’ils/ellesvoientthat they see

Imperative

voisSee (you)
voyonsLet’s see
voyezSee (you all)

Choose the correct imperative form to suggest, "Let's see what happens!"


Voyons ce qui se passe !

The imperative "nous" form is **voyons**, used here to mean "Let's see."

Choose the correct imperative form for the command "See the doctor!" (tu form).


Vois le médecin !

The imperative for "tu" is the same as the present tense without the subject pronoun: **Vois le médecin !**

Key Expressions with Voir

  • voir quelqu’un — to see someone (meet or visit)
  • avoir vu — to have seen
  • on verra — we’ll see (used to express uncertainty)
  • voir clair — to see clearly / understand
  • faire voir — to show (something to someone)

What does the French expression "faire voir" mean in English?


to show (something to someone)

"Faire voir" literally means "to make see," and is used to mean "to show" something to someone.

Summary

  • Voir means “to see” and is irregular.
  • It can be used literally (to see) or figuratively (to understand, to meet).
  • Key past participle: vu.
  • Commonly appears in compound tenses with avoir.

Flashcards (1 of 6)

  • Person: Je
  • Conjugation: ai vu
  • English: I saw

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025

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