See also: etre and étre

Bourbonnais-Berrichon edit

Etymology edit

From Old French estre, from Early Medieval Latin essere, from Latin esse.

Verb edit

être

  1. to be

Conjugation edit

French edit

Etymology edit

From Middle French and Old French estre and ester, respectively from Early Medieval Latin essere (< esse "be") and Latin stāre (stand). Conjugations reflect both but more so the former. The form suis "(I) am" appears to reflect Vulgar Latin *suiō < Latin sum. Compare ai "(I) have", sais "(I) know" < *aiō, *saiō < habeō, sapiō.

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

être

  1. to be
    Vous devez être plus clairs.
    You must be clearer.
  2. (auxiliary) Used to form the perfect and pluperfect tense of certain verbs (including all reflexive verbs)
    Après être allé au yoga, je suis rentré chez moi.
    After having gone to yoga, I came back home.
  3. (semi-auxiliary) to be (Used to form the passive voice)
    Il peut être battu ce soir.
    He can be beaten this evening.

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

Pages starting with “être”.

Related terms edit

See also edit

Noun edit

être m (plural êtres)

  1. being, creature
  2. (uncountable) being, the state or fact of existence

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

Lorrain edit

Etymology edit

From Old French estre, from Early Medieval Latin essere, from Latin esse.

Verb edit

être

  1. to be

Conjugation edit

Norman edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Verb edit

être (Jersey)

  1. Alternative form of ête (to be)