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

Introduction to the verb épouvanter

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The English translation of the French verb épouvanter is “to terrify” or “to frighten.” The infinitive form is pronounced as eh-poo-vahn-tay.

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The word épouvanter comes from the Old French word “epouventer,” which means “to terrify” or “to cause fear.” It is most often used in everyday French to express a strong feeling of fear or terror.

Examples:

Les bruits étranges la nuit épouvantent les enfants. (The strange noises at night terrify the children.)
La vue de la sorcière épouvante les villageois. (The sight of the witch frightens the villagers.)
Le film d’horreur m’a épouvanté. (The horror movie terrified me.)

Épouvanter – 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 épouvanter

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	J’épouvante	Je n’épouvante jamais les araignées.	I never scare spiders.
Tu	Tu épouvantes	Tu épouvantes tes amis avec tes histoires effrayantes.	You scare your friends with your scary stories.
Il	Il épouvante	Il épouvante facilement les enfants.	He easily scares children.
Elle	Elle épouvante	Elle épouvante les gens avec son masque de monstre.	She scares people with her monster mask.
On	On épouvante	On épouvante souvent les citoyens avec des fausses alertes.	People often scare citizens with false alarms.
Nous	Nous épouvantons	Nous épouvantons les oiseaux en faisant du bruit.	We scare birds by making noise.
Vous	Vous épouvantez	Vous épouvantez les spectateurs avec vos tours de magie.	You scare the audience with your magic tricks.
Ils	Ils épouvantent	Ils épouvantent leurs ennemis en criant très fort.	They scare their enemies by shouting very loudly.
Elles	Elles épouvantent	Elles épouvantent leurs professeurs en ne faisant pas leurs devoirs.	They scare their teachers by not doing their homework.