Irregular French Verb PRENDRE


The irregular French verb PRENDRE is an important one to learn. Many times this verb is idiomatic in nature which means you wouldn’t necessarily think of using it in many ways that you should if you come from an English speaking background.

In this lesson we will look at eight different ways to use the verb PRENDRE in the present and passé composé tenses. Watch the video lesson and use the text below as a support guide.


👉 Watch my video tutorial on the verb PRENDRE at the bottom of this post 👈

Present tense conjugation of PRENDRE

je prendsnous prenons
tu prendsvous prenez
il – elle – on prendils – elles prennent

Passé composé conjugation of PRENDRE

j’ai prisnous avons pris
tu as prisvous avez pris
il – elle – on a prisils – elles ont pris

CLICK HERE FOR PRENDRE CONJUGATION CHARTS IN 11 TENSES

Examples using PRENDRE from the video lesson below

to pick something upJe prends ce qu’il y a sur la table.
I’m picking up what is on the table.  
J’ai pris ce qu’il y avait sur la table.
I picked up what was on the table.
to have food or drinkTu prendras un café?
Will you have a coffee?  
Tu as pris un café?
Did you have a coffee?
to put on weightIl prend un peu de poids.
He’s gaining a little weight.  
Il a pris un peu de poids.
He gained a little weight.
to take a day offElle prend son vendredi.
She is taking off Friday.  
Elle a pris son vendredi.
She took off Friday.
to pick someone upNous passerons vous prendre.
We will come pick you up.  
Nous sommes passés vous prendre.
We came to pick you up.
to develop bad habitsVous prenez de mauvaises habitudes!
You’re developing bad habits!  
Vous avez pris de mauvaises habitudes!
You developed bad habits!
to get breadIls nous prennent le pain.
They’re getting the bread for us.  
Ils nous ont pris le pain.
They got the bread for us.
to go by carElles prennent leur voiture.
They’re going by car.  
Elles ont pris leur voiture.
They went by car.

More examples using PRENDRE

PRENDRE

J’ai pris les clés qui étaient sur la table.
to take to pick something up

I took the keys that were on the table.
PRENDRE

J’ai pris un thé et un croissant.
to have food or drink

I had a tea and a croissant.
PRENDRE

N’oublie pas de prendre de l’argent.
to take with you

Don’t forget to bring some money.
PRENDRE

Quelqu’un a pris mon téléphone.
to steal

Somebody stole my phone.
PRENDRE

On va prendre le train.
to take as a means of transportation

We are going to take the train.
PRENDRE

Ça ne prend que 5 minutes.
to take an amount of time

It only takes five minutes.
PRENDRE UN COUP

Il a pris un coup dans le ventre.
to get hit with something

He got hit in the stomach.
PRENDRE DU POIDS

J’ai pris 5 kilos.
to put on weight

I gained 5 kilos.
PRENDRE

Le dentiste pourra me prendre demain.
to receive someone

The dentist will be able to see me tomorrow.
PRENDRE QUELQU’UN POUR
QUELQU’UN D’AUTRE

Je t’ai pris pour quelqu’un d’autre.
to mistake someone
for another person

I mistook you for someone else.
PRENDRE

Ça n’a pas pris.
to take hold

It didn’t stick.
PRENDRE

Prenez-vous la carte bancaire?
to take; to accept

Do you accept credit cards?
PRENDRE

Les soldats ont pris le château.
to capture

The soldiers captured the castle.
PRENDRE

Je vais prendre mon lundi.
to take a day off

I’m going to take off Monday.
BIEN PRENDRE

Elle a bien pris la nouvelle.
to take something well

She took the news well.
ÊTRE UN COEUR À PRENDRE

Il n’est pas marié, c’est un coeur à prendre.
to be single

He’s not married, he’s available.
PASSER PRENDRE

Je passe te prendre vers 19h00.
to pick someone up

I’ll come get you around 7:00pm.
PRENDRE À DROITE

Allez tout droit, et au coin de
la rue vous allez prendre à droite.
to turn right

Go straight and at the corner
you’re going to take a right.
PRENDRE À GAUCHE

Prenez à gauche en arrivant au carrefour.
to turn left

Take a left when you get to the intersection.
PRENDRE QUELQU’UN À PART

Le professeur m’a pris à part pour m’expliquer le problème.
to take someone aside

The teacher took me aside to explain the problem to me.
PRENDRE CONTACT AVEC QUELQU’UN

J’ai pris contact avec tous les professeurs de mon fils.
to make contact with someone

I got in touch with all of my son’s
teachers.
PRENDRE DE BONNES HABITUDES

C’est un bon élève qui a pris de bonnes habitudes.
to develop good habits

He’s a good student who has developed good habits.
PRENDRE DE L’ESSENCE

Je vais aller prendre de l’essence.
to get gas

I’m going to get some gas.
SE PRENDRE


Il a pris un arbre.
to catch yourself on something
to run into something

He ran into a tree.
SE PRENDRE QUELQUE CHOSE

Il s’est pris une mauvaise note.
to get or receive something

He got a bad grade.
SE PRENDRE POUR

Tu te prends pour qui?
to take yourself for; to think yourself

Who do you think you are?


Teaching Resources


French Verb PRENDRE: A1 – B1 Lesson

The verb PRENDRE can be used in simple ways with beginners in the present tense and passé composé. This verb can also be used by upper-intermediate and advanced level learners in clever ways you may have never heard. Many times this verb is idiomatic in nature.

Download your study guide before beginning the video lesson so that you can take notes as you work your way through this important B1 level French lesson.

Next, you will have two printable exercises to complete in the present and passé composé tenses, and three printable crossword puzzles to practice conjugations. These activities are for lower levels.

If you are an upper intermediate or advanced learner, you will like the challenge of the last printable exercise to be completed on paper. In beginner French, we learn to use the verb prendre when talking about food and drinks and in some of the other most obvious ways. This exercise is not intended for beginners.

There are 30 English sentences to translate using the verb prendre in many different ways. Since there are always other ways to translate sentences I have set up the exercise like this. It’s a good way for you to see that even though grossir means to gain weight, one can also say prendre du poids and it means the same thing.

1. Translate: He’s gaining a little weight.

(grossir) : Il grossit un peu.

(prendre): Il prend un peu de poids.

Answer key is included.

Keep in mind that translations can really vary. This exercise will be a good review for building grammatically sound sentences as many different different aspects of the language are included (present, passé composé, futur proche, futur simple, falloir, relative pronouns, lots of idiomatic expressions, and much more).


Included:

  1. Downloadable video lesson
  2. Printable lesson guide
  3. 2 printable exercises with answer keys
  4. 3 crossword puzzles with answer keys
  5. 1 advanced translation exercise with answer key


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