Vous verbs ending in -tes

ByFast French

In French, most verbs in the present tense conjugate with -ez in the vous form, such as vous parlez or vous finissez. However, there is a small group of irregular verbs where the vous form ends in -tes instead. These verbs do not follow regular patterns and must be memorised individually.

Here are the main French verbs whose vous form ends in -tes in the present tense.

Être → vous êtes

The verb être (to be) is highly irregular. Its vous form is vous êtes.

Examples:

  • Vous êtes gentil.
    You are kind.
  • Vous êtes prêts ?
    Are you ready?
  • Vous êtes en retard.
    You are late.

Faire → vous faites

The verb faire (to do, to make) is irregular. Its vous form is vous faites.

Examples:

  • Vous faites un gâteau ?
    Are you making a cake?
  • Vous faites du sport tous les jours.
    You play sports every day.
  • Vous faites toujours vos devoirs ?
    Do you always do your homework?

Dire → vous dites

The verb dire (to say, to tell) is irregular. Its vous form is vous dites.

Examples:

  • Vous dites la vérité ?
    Are you telling the truth?
  • Qu’est-ce que vous dites ?
    What are you saying?
  • Vous dites toujours la même chose.
    You always say the same thing.

BUT Écrire → vous écrivez (not -tes)

Note that écrire (to write) is sometimes confused with dire, but its vous form is vous écrivez, ending in -ez, not -tes. It is not part of this group.

Other verbs ending in -tes

Some other rare or derived verbs also have -tes endings in the vous form. These usually come from verbs based on faire or dire.

For example:

  • Vous contrefaites (from contrefaire, to counterfeit or mimic)
  • Vous défaites (from défaire, to undo)
  • Vous satisfaites (from satisfaire, to satisfy)
  • Vous interdîtes (past historic of interdire, literary)

These forms are rare and mostly appear in formal, written, or literary contexts.

Examples:

  • Vous défaites toujours votre valise en arrivant.
    You always unpack your suitcase upon arrival.
  • Vous contrefaites sa signature.
    You are forging his signature.
  • Vous satisfaites toutes les conditions.
    You meet all the conditions.

Most of these verbs follow the same irregular model as faire or dire, and their vous forms preserve the -tes ending accordingly.

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