FR
ENReprendre Conjugation in French: Full Charts, Rules, and Daily Uses
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Reprendre Conjugation in French: Complete Tables, Rules, and Examples
Mastering the French verb reprendre is a vital milestone for any intermediate or advanced French learner. As an irregular third-group verb, reprendre is a direct derivative of prendre (to take). Consequently, whenever you know how to conjugate prendre, you possess the blueprint for reprendre, comprendre, and apprendre.
In everyday French, reprendre is extraordinarily versatile. You will encounter it when resuming work, asking for a second serving of food, recovering your breath, or correcting a spoken error. This comprehensive guide breaks down the full conjugation across major tenses, explains stem changes, and provides practical context to boost your fluency.
1. Key Conjugation Patterns and Stem Changes
Before diving into tables, keep these foundational morphological rules in mind:
1. Three Stem Variations in Present Tense:
- Singular (je, tu, il): Stem ends in -d (`reprend-`).
- First and second person plural (nous, vous): Stem softens to -n (`repren-`).
- Third person plural (ils, elles): Stem doubles the n (`reprenn-`) to keep the open vowel sound /ɛ/.
2. Irregular Past Participle:
- The past participle is repris (never reprendu).
3. Auxiliary Verb:
- Standard usage requires avoir (j'ai repris).
- Reflexive usage (se reprendre) switches to être (je me suis repris).
2. Complete Conjugation Charts
Present Indicative (Présent)
Use the present indicative for actions taking place now, habitual routines, or general facts.
| Subject Pronoun | French Form | Pronunciation (IPA) | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | reprends | /ʁə.pʁɑ̃/ | I take back / resume |
| Tu | reprends | /ʁə.pʁɑ̃/ | You take back / resume |
| Il / Elle / On | reprend | /ʁə.pʁɑ̃/ | He / She / One takes back |
| Nous | reprenons | /ʁə.pʁə.nɔ̃/ | We take back / resume |
| Vous | reprenez | /ʁə.pʁə.ne/ | You take back / resume |
| Ils / Elles | reprennent | /ʁə.pʁɛn/ | They take back / resume |
Grammar Note: Notice there is no additional « t » for il/elle reprend. The letter « d » stays intact at the end.
Compound Past (Passé Composé)
The passé composé expresses completed actions in the past. It pairs the present tense of avoir with the past participle repris.
| Subject Pronoun | French Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| J' | ai repris | I took back / I resumed |
| Tu | as repris | You took back / You resumed |
| Il / Elle / On | a repris | He/She took back / resumed |
| Nous | avons repris | We took back / resumed |
| Vous | avez repris | You took back / resumed |
| Ils / Elles | ont repris | They took back / resumed |
Example: « Nous avons repris le travail après la pause déjeuner. » (We resumed work after the lunch break.)
Imperfect (Imparfait)
Used for ongoing, habitual, or background actions in the past. Drop the -ons from nous reprenons and append imperfect endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient).
| Subject Pronoun | French Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | reprenais | I was taking back / used to resume |
| Tu | reprenais | You were taking back |
| Il / Elle / On | reprenait | He/She was taking back |
| Nous | reprenions | We were taking back |
| Vous | repreniez | You were taking back |
| Ils / Elles | reprenaient | They were taking back |
The stem for the future tense is reprendr-, followed by standard future endings.
| Subject Pronoun | French Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | reprendrai | I will take back / resume |
| Tu | reprendras | You will take back / resume |
| Il / Elle / On | reprendra | He/She will take back / resume |
| Nous | reprendrons | We will take back / resume |
| Vous | reprendrez | You will take back / resume |
| Ils / Elles | reprendront | They will take back / resume |
Combines the future stem reprendr- with the imperfect endings to describe hypothetical scenarios or polite requests.
| Subject Pronoun | French Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | reprendrais | I would take back / resume |
| Tu | reprendrais | You would take back / resume |
| Il / Elle / On | reprendrait | He/She would take back / resume |
| Nous | reprendrions | We would take back / resume |
| Vous | reprendriez | You would take back / resume |
| Ils / Elles | reprendraient | They would take back / resume |
Example: « Je reprendrais bien un peu de café, s'il vous plaît. » (I'd gladly have a bit more coffee, please.)
Present Subjunctive (Subjonctif Présent)
Triggered by expressions of necessity, desire, doubt, or subjective emotion.
| Subject Pronoun | French Form |
|---|---|
| :--- | :--- |
| Que je | reprenne |
| Que tu | reprennes |
| Qu'il / elle / on | reprenne |
| Que nous | reprenions |
| Que vous | repreniez |
| Qu'ils / elles | reprennent |
Used to issue direct commands, recommendations, or invitations.
- (Tu) : Reprends ! (Take back! / Resume!)
- (Nous) : Reprenons ! (Let's resume!)
- (Vous) : Reprenez ! (Resume!)
3. Practical Meanings and Common Idiomatic Expressions
Reprendre has several distinct nuances depending on context:
1. To resume or restart:
« Le match reprend dans dix minutes. » (The game resumes in ten minutes.)
2. To have more food or seconds:
« Tu reprends du dessert ? » (Are you having more dessert?)
3. To regain or take back:
| « Reprendre des forces » (To regain strength) | « Reprendre le dessus » (To get the upper hand). |
|---|
4. To reprimand or correct someone:
« Elle reprend constamment mes erreurs de grammaire. » (She constantly corrects my grammar mistakes.)
5. Reflexive (se reprendre):
« Après un instant d'hésitation, il s'est repris. » (After a moment of hesitation, he caught himself / composed himself).
By practicing these charts and keeping the core root prendre in mind, conjugating reprendre will become second nature in both conversation and formal writing.