📖 How to Form and Use Present Participles in French (Le Participe Présent)

In French, the present participle (le participe présent) is the form of a verb ending in -ant.

It is less common than in English but still very useful.

You’ll often see it in written French, literature, or formal speech.

This guide explains how to form the French present participle and when to use it.

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1. How to Form the Present Participle

✅ Rule:

1. Take the nous form of the verb in the present tense.

2. Remove the ending -ons.

3. Add -ant.

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📌 Examples with Regular Verbs:

• parler (to speak) → nous parlons → parlant

• finir (to finish) → nous finissons → finissant

• attendre (to wait) → nous attendons → attendant

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❗ Irregular Present Participles

Only a few verbs are irregular:

• avoir → ayant (having)

• être → étant (being)

• savoir → sachant (knowing)

All other verbs follow the normal pattern.

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2. How to Use the Present Participle

The present participle can be used in three main ways:

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1. As a Verb (with en = Gerund)

The structure en + present participle expresses an action happening while doing something or the means by which something is done.

• Il a appris le français en regardant des films.
  → He learned French by watching movies.

• Elle s’est blessée en courant.
  → She hurt herself while running.

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2. As an Adjective

Sometimes the present participle can act like an adjective (but then it agrees in gender and number like other adjectives).

• une histoire intéressante → an interesting story

• des étudiants motivants → motivating students

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3. To Replace a Relative Clause

The present participle can shorten sentences, especially in writing.

• Un homme qui travaille ici → Un homme travaillant ici
  (A man who works here → A man working here)

• Des enfants qui jouent dans le parc → Des enfants jouant dans le parc
  (Children who are playing in the park → Children playing in the park)

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3. Present Participle vs. Gerund

• Present participle (participe présent) = general form, can be verb/adjective.

• Gerund (gérondif) = always introduced by en.

👉 Example:

• Parlant plusieurs langues, elle trouve du travail facilement. → Speaking several languages, she finds work easily. (participe présent)

• Elle a appris en parlant avec des natifs. → She learned by speaking with natives. (gérondif)

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4. Examples in Sentences

• En mangeant trop vite, tu risques d’avoir mal au ventre. → By eating too fast, you risk having a stomach ache.

• Les étudiants écoutant attentivement réussiront. → The students listening carefully will succeed.

• Ayant faim, il a décidé de cuisiner. → Being hungry, he decided to cook.

• Un enfant sachant lire est fier de lui. → A child knowing how to read is proud of himself.

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✅ Quick Recap

• Form: nous form – ons + ant (parlons → parlant).

• Irregular: ayant, étant, sachant.

• Uses:

  • With en (gerund) = by/while doing something.

  • As an adjective = interesting, motivating…

  • To replace qui + verb clauses = more concise.

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Fill in with the correct present participle:

1. Il a appris le français en (écouter) la radio.

2. Des enfants (jouer) dans la rue.

3. Une femme (savoir) trois langues.

4. Elle est tombée en (courir).

5. Un étudiant (être) motivé réussit plus facilement.

Answers:

1. écoutant

2. jouant

3. sachant

4. courant

5. étant

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Conclusion

The French present participle (-ant form) may not be as common as in English, but it’s very useful in written and formal French. It helps you express simultaneous actions, describe things, or shorten sentences.

👉 Pro tip: Focus first on learning en + present participle (gérondif) since it’s the most common use in daily life.

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TAGS: French present participle, how to form present participle in French, French gerund en + ant, French grammar participles, examples of present participle French

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