PrepMyFrench
PrepMyFrench
Conjugation directory
Prendre is one of the most common French action verbs. It appears in literal travel language and in many fixed expressions with abstract meanings.
Use it for taking transport, taking something, or making decisions.
Je prends le métro pour aller au centre-ville.
I take the metro to go downtown.
French uses prendre in many set phrases where English would choose a different verb.
Use the table above and the related links below to pin the pattern down before you move on to other verbs.
Start with the present tense, then the passé composé. Those two forms carry most everyday conversation and make the rest of the table easier to recognise.
Prendre typically uses avoir in compound tenses. Check the table above and keep the past participle in view when you move into compound forms.
Use the related links below and then open the interactive conjugator to compare this verb with others you use often.