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

Introduction to the verb espacer

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The English translation of the French verb “espacer” is “to space out” or “to spread out.” The infinitive form of “espacer” is pronounced as eh-spah-say.

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The word “espacer” comes from the Latin word “spatium” meaning “space.” In everyday French, “espacer” is most often used to express the action of creating or increasing distance or intervals between objects or events.

Examples:

J’ai espacé les plantes dans mon jardin. (I spaced out the plants in my garden.)
Il faut espacer les rendez-vous pour respecter la distanciation sociale. (We need to space out the appointments to maintain social distancing.)
Les enfants doivent espacer les mots lorsqu’ils écrivent. (Children should space out the words when they write.)

Espacer – 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 espacer

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	j’espacE	J’espace chaque mot.	I space each word.
Tu	tu espacES	Tu espaces les phrases.	You space the sentences.
Il	il espacE	Il espace le texte.	He spaces the text.
Elle	elle espacE	Elle espace les paragraphes.	She spaces the paragraphs.
On	on espacE	On espace les lignes.	One spaces the lines.
Nous	nous espaçONS	Nous espaçons les documents.	We space the documents.
Vous	vous espaçEZ	Vous espacez les tableaux.	You space the tables.
Ils	ils espaçENT	Ils espacent les chapitres.	They space the chapters.
Elles	elles espaçENT	Elles espacent les sections.	They space the sections.