Verbs to Speak in French: How Do You Say It?

01/23/2026 Learning & Grammar created by Sprachcaffe Team

Do you want to speak French? Well, then you'll definitely need to know the verb to speak in French! Jokes aside, the verb "parler" is one of the most common in the French language, and knowing it is essential to be able to formulate simple basic concepts, as well as more elaborate sentences: in short, it represents one of the pillars of the language's vocabulary, knowledge of which is essential to obtain the right fluency in the spoken language.

French grammar is certainly not the best known for ease, but thanks to this Sprachcaffe lesson you have nothing to worry about: together we will delve into everything you need to know about this verb in order to acquire complete knowledge, and thus move on see you next time to expand your French skills and vocabulary more and more.

Let's not waste time talking, therefore, and discover the conjugation of the verb to speak in French and all the characteristics that distinguish it, when it is used and in what ways.

Verb Parler (to Speak) in French: How Do You Say It?

The verb to talk in French translates, very simply, to "parler".

Another advantage that distinguishes the verb speak in French is that it belongs to the regular verbs of the first conjugation, which end in "-ER".

This means, therefore, that it follows the conjugation without any particular changes.

There is certainly no shortage of irregular verbs in French grammar, but fortunately for us, Parler is not one of them: therefore, the endings that it will gradually acquire in its conjugation will be those typical of the conjugation itself, without complicating our life.

Conjugation of the Verb Parler in French

Having said that, we just have to delve deeper into the conjugation of the verb to speak in French and discover how it behaves in all the moods and verb tenses of the language, which are quite a few.

Since it is a regular conjugation, there is no need for you to learn it by heart: you just need to know the corresponding endings of the first conjugation to be able to form the various tenses in the various persons, singular or plural.

Let us therefore begin to explore the conjugation of the verb to speak, starting from the manner.

Person	Infinitive	Imperfect (Imparfait)	Past Simple (Passé Simple)	Passé Composé	Pluperfect (Plus-que-parfait)	Past Anterior (Passé Antérieur)
Je	parler	je parlais	je parlai	j'ai parlé	j'avais parlé	j'eus parlé
Tu	parler	tu parlais	tu parlas	tu as parlé	tu avais parlé	tu eus parlé
Il/Elle	parler	il/elle parlait	il/elle parla	il/elle a parlé	il/elle avait parlé	il/elle eut parlé
Nous	parler	nous parlions	nous parlâmes	nous avons parlé	nous avions parlé	nous eûmes parlé
Vous	parler	vous parliez	vous parlâtes	vous avez parlé	vous aviez parlé	vous eûtes parlé
Ils/Elles	parler	ils/elles parlaient	ils/elles parlèrent	ils/elles ont parlé	ils/elles avaient parlé	ils/elles eurent parlé

Quick notes

Imparfait: ongoing or habitual past ("I was speaking" / "I used to speak")
Passé composé: the most common spoken past tense ("I spoke" / "I have spoken")
Passé simple: literary past tense, mainly used in books and formal writing
Plus-que-parfait: "had spoken"
Passé antérieur: literary equivalent of the pluperfect, mainly used in formal written French after conjunctions such as après que and dès que

Person	Future Simple (Futur Simple)	Future Perfect (Futur Antérieur)
Je	je parlerai	j'aurai parlé
Tu	tu parleras	tu auras parlé
Il/Elle	il/elle parlera	il/elle aura parlé
Nous	nous parlerons	nous aurons parlé
Vous	vous parlerez	vous aurez parlé
Ils/Elles	ils/elles parleront	ils/elles auront parlé

Subjunctive (Subjonctif)

Person	Present Subjunctive (Subjonctif Présent)	Imperfect Subjunctive (Subjonctif Imparfait)	Past Subjunctive (Subjonctif Passé)	Pluperfect Subjunctive (Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait)
Je	que je parle	que je parlasse	que j'aie parlé	que j'eusse parlé
Tu	que tu parles	que tu parlasses	que tu aies parlé	que tu eusses parlé
Il/Elle	qu'il/elle parle	qu'il/elle parlât	qu'il/elle ait parlé	qu'il/elle eût parlé
Nous	que nous parlions	que nous parlassions	que nous ayons parlé	que nous eussions parlé
Vous	que vous parliez	que vous parlassiez	que vous ayez parlé	que vous eussiez parlé
Ils/Elles	qu'ils/elles parlent	qu'ils/elles parlassent	qu'ils/elles aient parlé	qu'ils/elles eussent parlé

Notes

Subjonctif présent is commonly used in modern French.
Subjonctif passé is also used in modern French when referring to a completed action.
Subjonctif imparfait and Subjonctif plus-que-parfait are literary tenses, found mainly in classical literature and very formal writing.

Conditional (Conditionnel)

Person	Present Conditional (Conditionnel Présent)	Past Conditional (Conditionnel Passé)
Je	je parlerais	j'aurais parlé
Tu	tu parlerais	tu aurais parlé
Il/Elle	il/elle parlerait	il/elle aurait parlé
Nous	nous parlerions	nous aurions parlé
Vous	vous parleriez	vous auriez parlé
Ils/Elles	ils/elles parleraient	ils/elles auraient parlé

Notes

Conditionnel présent expresses actions that would happen under certain conditions (e.g., Je parlerais si j'avais le temps. - "I would speak if I had time.").
Conditionnel passé expresses actions that would have happened in the past under different circumstances (e.g., J'aurais parlé si j'avais su. - "I would have spoken if I had known.").

French Imperative (Impératif)

Person	Imperative (Impératif Présent)
Je	-
Tu	parle
Il/Elle	-
Nous	parlons
Vous	parlez
Ils/Elles	-

Notes

The imperative exists only for tu, nous, and vous.
It is used to give commands, instructions, advice, or encouragement.
Examples:
- Parle ! - Speak!
- Parlons ! - Let's talk!
- Parlez ! - Speak! (formal or plural)

Want to learn French online? Check out our online French guide on our website and learn everything there is to learn, from Grammar to Vocabulary.

To the guide

The infinite of parler is, of course, parler.

As regards the participant, we have the form "parlant" in the present and "parlé" in the past. Furthermore, we have already been able to see the latter in use in the compound forms of the other verb moods and tenses.

Conjugation and Example Sentences

Now that we know the verb to speak in French in all its possible forms, all we have to do is see it in action! Let's insert it into some contexts to discover how it behaves within a sentence, learn to recognize it and become familiar with its conjugation.

English	French
We talked about our future plans.	Nous avons parlé de nos projets d'avenir.
She spoke to him yesterday.	Elle lui a parlé hier.
They talked about their dreams.	Ils ont parlé de leurs rêves.
I speak French.	Je parle français.
You will talk to your mother later.	Tu parleras à ta mère plus tard.
They talk about politics.	Ils parlent de politique.
Did you talk to your sister?	As-tu parlé à ta sœur ?
Will you talk to your teacher?	Parleras-tu à ton professeur ?
We are talking about our past holidays.	Nous parlons de nos dernières vacances.
He/She will talk about his/her trip.	Il/Elle parlera de son voyage.
Did you talk about your work?	As-tu parlé de ton travail ?
He/She talks with his/her friend.	Il/Elle parle avec son ami(e).
You talk a lot.	Tu parles beaucoup.
They talk about their experiences.	Ils parlent de leurs expériences.
I will speak with you tomorrow.	Je parlerai avec toi demain.

In conclusion, mastering the appropriate verbs is pivotal for effective communication in French. This article has explored a diverse range of verbs, from essential conjugations to nuanced expressions, equipping readers with the tools to express themselves accurately and fluently.

By understanding the nuances and context behind each verb choice, learners can elevate their proficiency in French conversation, unlocking a world of expression and connection. With practice and dedication, harnessing the power of verbs will undoubtedly enrich both linguistic competence and cultural appreciation for the French language.

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