-uire verbs

ByFast French

French verbs that end in -uire belong mostly to the third group (irregular verbs). Here is a list of common -uire verbs:

  1. Conduire (to drive, to lead)
  2. Cuire (to cook)
  3. Détruire (to destroy)
  4. Éconduire (to dismiss, to turn away)
  5. Enduire (to coat, to smear)
  6. Induire (to induce, to lead to)
  7. Introduire (to introduce, to insert)
  8. Luire (to shine, to glow)
  9. Produire (to produce)
  10. Reconduire (to renew, to escort back)
  11. Réduire (to reduce)
  12. Reproduire (to reproduce)
  13. Séduire (to seduce, to charm)
  14. Traduire (to translate)

Most of these verbs follow a similar conjugation pattern, where the -uire ending changes in the present tense (e.g., je conduis, tu conduis, il conduit, nous conduisons).

Conjugation of -uire Verbs in French

Verbs ending in -uire mostly follow the same conjugation pattern. Below is a detailed breakdown using conduire (to drive) as an example.

Present Tense (Présent)

PersonConjugation
Jeconduis
Tuconduis
Il/Elle/Onconduit
Nousconduisons
Vousconduisez
Ils/Ellesconduisent

✅ Pattern:

  • The singular forms (je, tu, il/elle/on) remove -re and take -s, -s, -t.
  • The plural forms (nous, vous, ils/elles) keep -uis but add -ons, -ez, -ent.

📝 Example Sentences:

  • Je conduis une voiture. (I drive a car.)
  • Ils conduisent prudemment. (They drive carefully.)

Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)

PersonConjugation
Jeconduisais
Tuconduisais
Il/Elle/Onconduisait
Nousconduisions
Vousconduisiez
Ils/Ellesconduisaient

✅ Pattern:

  • Start with the nous form of the present tense (conduisons).
  • Remove -ons and add the imperfect endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

📝 Example:

  • Quand j’étais petit, je conduisais un vélo. (When I was little, I used to ride a bike.)

Past Participle & Compound Tenses

  • Past Participle: conduit
  • Passé composé (with avoir):
    • J’ai conduit une moto hier. (I drove a motorcycle yesterday.)

Future Tense (Futur Simple)

PersonConjugation
Jeconduirai
Tuconduiras
Il/Elle/Onconduira
Nousconduirons
Vousconduirez
Ils/Ellesconduiront

✅ Pattern:

  • Use the infinitive stem conduir- and add -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.

📝 Example:

  • Il conduira une voiture électrique. (He will drive an electric car.)

Subjunctive Mood (Présent du subjonctif)

PersonConjugation
Jeconduise
Tuconduises
Il/Elle/Onconduise
Nousconduisions
Vousconduisiez
Ils/Ellesconduisent

✅ Pattern:

  • The je, tu, il/elle/on, ils/elles forms resemble the present tense (conduis-).
  • The nous, vous forms follow the imperfect pattern.

📝 Example:

  • Il faut que tu conduises prudemment. (You must drive carefully.)

List of Other -uire Verbs With Their Past Participles

VerbMeaningPast Participle
Cuireto cookcuit
Détruireto destroydétruit
Éconduireto dismisséconduit
Enduireto coatenduit
Induireto induceinduit
Introduireto introduceintroduit
Luireto shinelui
Produireto produceproduit
Reconduireto renew/escortreconduit
Réduireto reduceréduit
Reproduireto reproducereproduit
Séduireto seduceséduit
Traduireto translatetraduit

Note

  • The verb luire (to shine) is irregular:
    • Past participle is lui (not luit).
  • Examples:
    • Ses yeux luisent dans l’obscurité. (His/her eyes glow in the dark.)
    • Le matin luit sur les collines. (The morning light shines on the hills.)
  • It is mostly used in literary or poetic contexts.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • le passé récent

    ByFast French

    The passé récent, or recent past, is a verb construction used to describe an action that happened a short time before the moment of speaking. It is the equivalent of the english structure “just did something” or “has just done something.” It is a common and useful alternative to the passé composé for emphasizing the…

  • taille vs pointure

    ByFast French

    In French, the nouns “la taille” and “la pointure” are both used when talking about sizes, but they refer to different contexts. Understanding their meanings and usage will help you navigate conversations about clothing, shoes, and measurements more effectively. “La taille” 1. Clothing size 2. Waist 3. Height 4. Connection to “tailleur” “La pointure” 1….

  • avoiding il faut que

    ByFast French

    Many French speakers rely heavily on “il faut que” (which requires the subjunctive) to express necessity. Learn four other ways to express necessity, obligation, and needs in French, without struggling with the subjunctive mood. 1. The Simplest Alternative: “Il faut + Infinitive” Best for: General advice or impersonal obligations Instead of:“Il faut que tu étudies.”…

  • cours vs corps

    ByFast French

    One of the classic pronunciation pitfalls for French learners is the word “cours” (as in un cours de français)—which is often confused with “corps” (as in le corps humain). Although these words are spelled similarly, they sound quite different in French. 1. The Basics: What Do These Words Mean? 2. Pronunciation Breakdown “Cours” [kuʁ] ✅…

  • s’en aller, s’en faire, s’en vouloir

    ByFast French

    These three French expressions are frequently used. They combine a reflexive pronoun (“se”) with the adverbial pronoun “en,” which can mean a variety of things, including “of it,” “of them,” “some of them,” “any of them,” “any of it,” “some of it,” “from it,” “from them,” etc. s’en aller Meaning: to leave, to go away…

  • unless

    ByFast French

    The English conjunction unless expresses a condition that prevents something from happening. In French, there is no exact one-word equivalent. It is typically translated using the conjunction à moins que, which requires the subjunctive mood. Other constructions are possible depending on formality, register, and clarity, including sauf si, excepté si, si ce n’est que, and…