Voir is the French verb for "to see," expressing the act of seeing, noticing, or perceiving. It's an essential, irregular verb used in various contexts beyond mere sight, including understanding or anticipating.
- to see, to watch, to notice
- Used for both physical and abstract "seeing" (e.g., understanding)
- One of the key irregular French verbs
'Voir' means 'to see.'
Conjugation Pattern
Voir is irregular. Its root changes (voi-/voy-) and it follows its own unique endings in key tenses.
| Tense | Sample Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Present | je vois | Root: vois- |
| Passé Composé | j'ai vu | Past participle: vu |
| Imparfait | je voyais | Root: voy- |
| Futur | je verrai | Root: ver- |
| Conditionnel | je verrais | Root: ver- |
The past participle of 'voir' is 'vu.'
Present Tense
| Subject | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | vois | I see |
| tu | vois | you see |
| il/elle/on | voit | he/she/one sees |
| nous | voyons | we see |
| vous | voyez | you see (pl.) |
| ils/elles | voient | they see |
Voir is used when noticing, observing, or even understanding ("Je vois ce que tu veux dire" = "I see what you mean").
'Nous' form is 'voyons.'
Passé Composé
- Auxiliary: avoir
- Past participle: vu
| Subject | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | ai vu | I saw |
| tu | as vu | you saw |
| il/elle/on | a vu | he/she/one saw |
| nous | avons vu | we saw |
| vous | avez vu | you saw (pl.) |
| ils/elles | ont vu | they saw |
'They saw' is 'ils ont vu.'
Imparfait
| Subject | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | voyais | I was seeing / used to see |
| tu | voyais | you were seeing |
| il/elle/on | voyait | he/she/one was seeing |
| nous | voyions | we were seeing |
| vous | voyiez | you were seeing |
| ils/elles | voyaient | they were seeing |
The imparfait expresses ongoing or habitual past action.
The 'vous' form in imparfait is 'voyiez.'
Futur
| Subject | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | verrai | I will see |
| tu | verras | you will see |
| il/elle/on | verra | he/she/one will see |
| nous | verrons | we will see |
| vous | verrez | you will see |
| ils/elles | verront | they will see |
'verront' is correct for 'ils verront.'
Example Sentences
- Je vois un oiseau. (I see a bird.)
- Nous avons vu ce film hier. (We saw that movie yesterday.)
- Elle voyait toujours le bon côté. (She always saw the bright side.)
- Vous verrez bientôt les résultats. (You will see the results soon.)
Conclusion
Voir is an essential irregular French verb meaning "to see," with multiple forms across tenses that reflect its flexible usage in both literal and figurative contexts.
- Meaning: to see, notice, perceive
- Key Forms: vois (present), vu (past participle), voyais (imparfait), verrai (futur)
- Usage: physical seeing and metaphorical understanding