Prendre (to take) · Présent
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Prendre in the French présent is: je prends, tu prends, il/elle/on prend, nous prenons, vous prenez, ils/elles prennent. The present of prendre has an unusual stem alternation: 'prend-' for singular, 'pren-' for nous/vous, 'prenn-' (double n) for ils/elles. 'Je prends un café' (I'll have a coffee) is the standard café order.
| To Take | Prendre |
|---|---|
| I take | je prends |
| you take | tu prends |
| he/she takes | il/elle/on prend |
| we take | nous prenons |
| you take | vous prenez |
| they take | ils/elles prennent |
Prendre (to take) in context
Sentences that use prendre in the présent. Tap each to hear it.
I have a coffee every morning.
What are you having to eat?
He takes the train at six.
We take photos everywhere.
Will you have a dessert?
They take their vacation in July.
Working with the présent
French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate prendre in the present tense?
What does 'je prends un café' really mean?
How do prendre compounds work?
Practice Prendre (To Take) in real conversations
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