The French verb “recevoir”

The verb “recevoir” is an irregular third-group French verb that means “to receive” or “to get.” It is frequently used in both formal and informal contexts. Like other irregular verbs, its conjugation requires special attention, but its utility makes it an essential verb to learn.

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Meanings of “recevoir”

1. Literal meaning
   Recevoir refers to receiving something, such as a gift, letter, or message.
   • J’ai reçu un cadeau de ma sœur.
     (I received a gift from my sister.)
   • Elle reçoit beaucoup de courriels chaque jour.
     (She receives a lot of emails every day.)
2. Welcoming or hosting
   Recevoir can also mean to welcome or host someone.
   • Nous recevons des amis ce soir.
     (We are hosting friends tonight.)
3. Figurative meaning
   It can imply experiencing or being subjected to something, like criticism or punishment.
   • Elle a reçu une amende pour excès de vitesse.
     (She received a fine for speeding.)

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Conjugation of “Recevoir”

Present Tense (Présent)

Pronoun	Conjugation
Je	reçois
Tu	reçois
Il/Elle/On	reçoit
Nous	recevons
Vous	recevez
Ils/Elles	reçoivent

Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)

Pronoun	Conjugation
Je	recevais
Tu	recevais
Il/Elle/On	recevait
Nous	recevions
Vous	receviez
Ils/Elles	recevaient

Passé composé

Formed with the auxiliary verb avoir and the past participle reçu.

Pronoun	Conjugation
J’	ai reçu
Tu	as reçu
Il/Elle/On	a reçu
Nous	avons reçu
Vous	avez reçu
Ils/Elles	ont reçu

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Examples of usage

• Présent: Je reçois une lettre de ma correspondante chaque mois.
  (I receive a letter from my pen pal every month.)
• Imparfait: Quand j’étais jeune, je recevais souvent des cartes postales.
  (When I was young, I used to receive postcards often.)
• Passé composé: Nous avons reçu un colis hier.
  (We received a package yesterday.)

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Idiomatic expressions with “recevoir”

1. recevoir quelqu’un à bras ouverts
   (To welcome someone with open arms)
   • Ils l’ont reçu à bras ouverts après son long voyage.
     (They welcomed him with open arms after his long journey.)
2. recevoir une volée de bois vert
   (To get a harsh scolding)
   • Après son erreur, il a reçu une volée de bois vert de son patron.
     (After his mistake, he got a harsh scolding from his boss.)
3. recevoir une claque
   (To get a slap; to face disappointment)
   • En apprenant la nouvelle, il a reçu une claque.
     (When he heard the news, he faced a blow.)
4. recevoir un coup de fil
   (To receive a phone call)
   • J’ai reçu un coup de fil de ma mère ce matin.
     (I got a phone call from my mother this morning.)

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Verbs conjugated like “recevoir”

The verb recevoir shares its conjugation pattern with other verbs ending in -cevoir. These verbs follow the same irregular rules. Here’s the list:

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1. décevoir – to disappoint
   • Elle déçoit ses parents par son comportement.
     (She disappoints her parents with her behavior.)
2. percevoir – to perceive, to detect, to collect (e.g., taxes)
   • Il perçoit un bruit étrange dans la maison.
     (He perceives a strange noise in the house.)
3. apercevoir – to glimpse, to notice
   • J’ai aperçu mon ami dans la foule.
     (I glimpsed my friend in the crowd.)
4. concevoir – to conceive, to design
   • Ils conçoivent un nouveau projet pour l’entreprise.
     (They are designing a new project for the company.)
5. entrapercevoir – to catch a glimpse of briefly
   • J’ai entr’aperçu une silhouette à travers la fenêtre.
     (I caught a brief glimpse of a figure through the window.)