Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb confire

Introduction to the verb confire

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The English translation of the French verb confire is “to preserve” or “to confit.” It is pronounced “kon-feer” in its infinitive form.

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In everyday French, confire is most often used in cooking to refer to the process of preserving food by cooking it slowly in fat or syrup. It can also be used more generally to mean “to preserve” or “to conserve.”

Examples:

Je vais confire ces citrons dans du sucre pour en faire de la confiture. (I am going to preserve these lemons in sugar to make jam.)
La viande confite est un plat traditionnel de la cuisine française. (Confit meat is a traditional dish in French cuisine.)
Pour confire des légumes, il faut les faire cuire dans de l’huile pendant plusieurs heures. (To preserve vegetables, you have to cook them in oil for several hours.)

Confire – About the French Present Tense

The French present tense, also known as “le présent,” is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or for actions that are habitual, general truths, or that will occur in the near future. It’s the most basic and common tense in French.

To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns For Le Present

1. Describing Actions in the Present: The present tense is used to describe actions happening right now or at the moment of speaking. For example: “Je parle avec mon ami” (I am talking to my friend).

2. Expressing Habits and Routines: The present tense is used to talk about habitual actions or routines. For example: “Je travaille tous les jours” (I work every day).

3. Stating General Truths: The present tense is used to express general truths or facts. For example: “La Terre tourne autour du soleil” (The Earth orbits around the sun).

4. Talking about Near Future: The present tense can be used to express future actions that are very imminent or part of a planned schedule. For example: “Je pars demain matin” (I am leaving tomorrow morning).

Interactions with Other Tenses

– Present vs. Future Tense: In some cases, the French present tense can be used to express the future when the context makes it clear that the action is imminent. However, for actions further in the future or less certain, the future tense is typically used.

– Present vs. Past Tenses: To describe actions that occurred in the past, you would use the past tenses like the passé composé (compound past) or the imparfait (imperfect). The choice between these past tenses depends on the specific aspect and circumstances of the past action.

– Present vs. Conditional Tense: The conditional tense is used to express actions that are dependent on a condition. If a condition is met, the action may happen. The present tense is used for actions in the present, while the conditional is used for hypothetical or future actions based on conditions.

– Present vs. Imperative: The imperative mood is used to give commands or make requests. The present tense is used for general statements, and the imperative is used for direct orders or requests.

Understanding the French present tense and its interactions with other tenses is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, you cannot become proficient!

Table of the Present Tense Conjugation of confire

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	confis	Je confis mes fruits.	I am preserving my fruits.
Tu	confis	Tu confis le canard.	You are confiting the duck.
Il	confit	Il confit ses légumes.	He is confiting his vegetables.
Elle	confit	Elle confit le poulet.	She is confiting the chicken.
On	confit	On confit les oignons.	We are confiting the onions.
Nous	confirons	Nous confirons nos aliments.	We will confit our food.
Vous	confirez	Vous confirez le poisson.	You will confit the fish.
Ils	confient	Ils confient leurs viandes.	They are confiting their meats.
Elles	confient	Elles confient leurs légumes.	They are confiting their vegetables.