Ranger is a French verb meaning "to tidy up," "to put away," or "to organize." It is a regular -er verb, so it follows the standard conjugation pattern for -er verbs, making it easy to use once you know the endings. Ranger is often used for tidying up spaces, putting things back in order, and organizing.
- Meaning: to tidy up, to put away, to organize
- Verb type: regular -er verb
- Usage: cleaning, organizing, putting things in order
- Example: Je range ma chambre. — I tidy up my room.
*ranger* means to tidy up, put away, or organize.
*ranger* is used for tidying up and organizing things.
Conjugation of ranger
Because ranger is a regular -er verb, it uses the usual endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. An important detail is the "g" in the stem rang- stays soft before -ons, so you write rangeons (not rangons) for "we tidy up."
| Tense | Je | Tu | Il/Elle/On | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Présent | range | ranges | range | rangeons | rangez | rangent |
| Imparfait | rangeais | rangeais | rangeait | rangions | rangiez | rangeaient |
| Futur | rangerai | rangeras | rangera | rangerons | rangerez | rangeront |
| Conditionnel | rangerais | rangerais | rangerait | rangerions | rangeriez | rangeraient |
- ranger follows regular -er patterns, with a spelling tweak for "nous" (rangeons).
- You can form verb phrases easily once you know these endings.
'We tidy up' is *nous rangeons* (note the 'e' to keep the 'g' soft).
Present Tense Usage
Use the present tense to describe habitual tidying, ongoing organization, or instructions.
- Je range mes affaires chaque soir.
I tidy up my things every evening.
- Ils rangent la classe après les cours.
They tidy up the classroom after lessons.
- Range ta chambre !
Tidy up your room! (imperative)
*Nous rangeons les jouets.* means 'We tidy up the toys.'
Imparfait for Ongoing/Past Tidying
Use imparfait for describing repeated or ongoing tidying in the past, or setting a scene.
- Quand j'étais petit, je rangeais toujours mes jouets.
When I was little, I always tidied my toys.
- Elle rangeait les dossiers chaque après-midi.
She used to tidy the files every afternoon.
Imparfait for 'they were tidying up' is *Ils rangeaient*.
Futur for Future Tidying
Use the futur tense to say you will tidy up or organize something in the future.
- Demain, je rangerai la cuisine.
Tomorrow, I will tidy up the kitchen.
- Nous rangerons les documents après la réunion.
We will organize the documents after the meeting.
Future tense for 'we will tidy up' is *Nous rangerons*.
Conditional for Polite Requests or Hypotheticals
Use the conditional to soften requests or talk about hypothetical tidying.
- Je rangerais le bureau, si j'avais le temps.
I would tidy up the desk if I had time.
- Pourriez-vous ranger les chaises ? (using conditional for politeness)
Could you tidy up the chairs?
Use *rangerais* for hypothetical or polite situations.
Common Expressions with ranger
- ranger ses affaires — to put away one’s things
- ranger la maison — to tidy up the house
- ranger les vêtements — to put away clothes
- bien rangé — well organized/tidy
Typical uses include 'ranger ses affaires,' 'ranger la maison,' and 'ranger les vêtements.'
Conclusion
ranger is a practical verb for everyday life, especially when talking about cleaning, organizing, or putting things in order.
- It’s a regular -er verb with a small spelling change in nous rangeons.
- You can use it in many contexts: home, school, office, etc.
- Master ranger to express tidying up across all times: present, past, future, and conditional.
*ranger* is a regular -er verb.
To highlight the idea of tidying or organizing, not just placing.
Correct: 'Je range ma chambre,' 'Nous rangeons les dossiers,' and 'Ils rangeraient les vélos si possible.' Incorrect: 'Je rangie la voiture' (wrong conjugation) and 'Vous rangerez la nourriture demain matin' (correct but 'nourriture' is unusual for *ranger*).