étudier is the French verb for "to study," specifically used for academic, systematic, or detailed learning. It is a regular -er verb, following the standard conjugation pattern for verbs ending in -er, which makes it predictable and straightforward to use across different tenses.
- Expresses formal or systematic learning.
- Is a regular -er verb (like aimer, parler, écouter).
- Can be used for anyone "studying" something, from students to researchers.
Conjugation Highlights
| Tense | Je | Tu | Il/Elle/On | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | étudie | étudies | étudie | étudions | étudiez | étudient |
| Passé Composé | ai étudié | as étudié | a étudié | avons étudié | avez étudié | ont étudié |
| Imparfait | étudiais | étudiais | étudiait | étudiions | étudiiez | étudiaient |
| Future | étudierai | étudieras | étudiera | étudierons | étudierez | étudieront |
| Conditional | étudierais | étudierais | étudierait | étudierions | étudieriez | étudieraient |
| Subjonctif (present) | étudie | étudies | étudie | étudiions | étudiiez | étudient |
- All regular -er verb endings are applied:
- Present: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
- Imparfait: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
- Future: stem + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont
- Passé Composé: Avoir + étudié
*étudions* is the correct form for 'nous' in present tense.
Usage Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J'étudie le français. | I study French. |
| Elle étudie à l'université. | She studies at the university. |
| Nous avons étudié tout le week-end. | We studied all weekend. |
| Est-ce que tu étudieras demain? | Will you study tomorrow? |
- Can be followed by subjects or fields of study (le droit, la biologie, l'histoire).
- Suitable for both formal education and self-study contexts.
*étudier* can be used for both formal and self-directed systematic learning.
Comparison with Other Verbs
| Verb | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Étudier | to study | For academic, systematic, or detailed study |
| Apprendre | to learn | When acquiring knowledge or skills |
| Travailler | to work | For working (jobs, projects, studies...) |
| Réviser | to review/study | For revising or going over material again |
- étudier focuses on the act of studying/studying up.
- apprendre is about learning/absorbing.
- travailler is about working (including studies as "work").
- réviser is for review or exam prep.
*réviser* is best for reviewing study material.
*étudier* is a regular -er verb.
*étudier* means 'to study.'
Anyone engaged in systematic study can use *étudier*.
Use *avoir* for *étudier* in passé composé.
Correct forms: j'étudie, tu étudies, il étudie, nous étudions, vous étudiez, ils étudient.
The infinitive is *étudier*.
*apprendre* and *réviser* are related to studying; *manger* and *penser* are not.
Conclusion
étudier is essential for discussing education and systematic learning in French. Knowing its conjugation and proper usage opens up clear communication about studies in any context.
- étudier means "to study" in a formal/academic sense.
- It is a regular -er verb with predictable conjugation.
- Use étudier for all types of systematic, academic, or detailed learning.
`étudier` is best for formal study contexts, like reading textbooks or note-taking.
The 'nous' form is *étudions*.
Elles ont étudié le français (passé composé).