French verb mentir

The tables below show the conjugation of the French verb mentir in the various simple and compound tenses.

See below for notes on the conjugation of mentir

PresentPerfect

jemens
tumens
il/ellement
nousmentons
vousmentez
ils/ellesmentent

j'ai menti
tuas menti
il/ellea menti
nousavons menti
vousavez menti
ils/ellesont menti

ImperfectPluperfect

jementais
tumentais
il/ellementait
nousmentions
vousmentiez
ils/ellesmentaient

j'avais menti
tuavais menti
il/elleavait menti
nousavions menti
vousaviez menti
ils/ellesavaient menti

FutureFuture-perfect

jementirai
tumentiras
il/ellementira
nousmentirons
vousmentirez
ils/ellesmentiront

j'aurai menti
tuauras menti
il/elleaura menti
nousaurons menti
vousaurez menti
ils/ellesauront menti

ConditionalConditional perfect

jementirais
tumentirais
il/ellementirait
nousmentirions
vousmentiriez
ils/ellesmentiraient

j'aurais menti
tuaurais menti
il/elleaurait menti
nousaurions menti
vousauriez menti
ils/ellesauraient menti

Present subjunctivePerfect subjunctive

jemente
tumentes
il/ellemente
nousmentions
vousmentiez
ils/ellesmentent

j'aie menti
tuaies menti
il/elleait menti
nousayons menti
vousayez menti
ils/ellesaient menti

This verb belongs to a pattern in which there is a 'characteristic consonant' immediately before the -ir of the infinitive. This consonant is absent in the singular present tense forms, but appears in other forms. These verbs also characteristically have a past participle ending in -i.

Apart from the behaviour of the characteristic consonant, this verb pattern is very similar to the regular -ir pattern, but without -ss- before its endings. It is also similar to the regular -er pattern but with -i in the past participle, and present tense singular endings -s/-t.

Common verbs following this pattern include: dormir (to sleep), mentir (to lie, not tell the truth), partir (to leave), sentir (to feel, smell), servir (to serve), sortir (to go/come out). Compounds such as endormir to put to sleep naturally follow the same pattern.


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