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

Introduction to the verb désoler

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The English translation of the French verb désoler is “to apologize” or “to be sorry”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-zo-lay”.

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The word “désoler” originates from the Latin word “desolare”, which means “to leave alone” or “to abandon”. In everyday French, “désoler” is primarily used to express apologies or regret for an inconvenience caused to someone or for a situation that has upset or disappointed them.

Examples:

Je te désole pour mon comportement. (I apologize for my behavior.)
Ça me désole de vous informer que le vol a été annulé. (I’m sorry to inform you that the flight has been canceled.)
Nous nous désolons des désagréments causés par cette panne. (We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this outage.)

Désoler – 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 désoler

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
je	me désole	Je me désole de ne pas pouvoir t’aider.	I’m sorry I can’t help you.
tu	te désoles	Pourquoi te désoles-tu autant ?	Why are you so sorry?
il	se désole	Il se désole de son échec.	He is feeling sorry for his failure.
elle	se désole	Elle se désole de ne pas avoir réussi.	She is sorry she didn’t succeed.
on	se désole	On se désole de toutes ces mauvaises nouvelles.	We are sorry about all this bad news.
nous	nous désolons	Nous nous désolons de leur départ.	We are sorry about their departure.
vous	vous désolez	Vous vous désolez trop facilement.	You get sorry too easily.
ils	se désolent	Ils se désolent de leur défaite.	They are sorry for their defeat.
elles	se désolent	Elles se désolent de ne pas pouvoir venir.	They are sorry they can’t come.