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

Introduction to the verb montrer

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The English translation of the French verb montrer is “to show.” It is pronounced as “mohn-tray.”

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The word montrer comes from the Latin word monstrare, meaning “to show or reveal.” In everyday French, montrer is used to indicate physically showing something or presenting information or evidence.

Some examples of its usage are:

Je vais te montrer mon nouveau vélo. (I am going to show you my new bike.)
Elle a montré les photos de ses vacances à ses amis. (She showed her friends the photos of her vacation.)
Il faut montrer une pièce d’identité pour entrer dans le musée. (You need to show an ID to enter the museum.)

These sentences can be translated as:

I am going to show you my new bike.
She showed her friends the photos of her vacation.
You need to show an ID to enter the museum.

Montrer – 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 montrer

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
je	montre	Je montre mes photos à mes amis.	I show my photos to my friends.
tu	montres	Tu montres ta nouvelle voiture.	You show your new car.
il	montre	Il montre ses compétences en informatique.	He shows his computer skills.
elle	montre	Elle montre sa nouvelle robe.	She shows her new dress.
on	montre	On montre souvent ses émotions à travers son visage.	One often shows their emotions through their face.
nous	montrons	Nous montrons nos projets au patron.	We show our projects to the boss.
vous	montrez	Vous montrez beaucoup de talent en cuisine.	You show a lot of talent in cooking.
ils	montrent	Ils montrent leur solidarité envers leur communauté.	They show their solidarity towards their community.
elles	montrent	Elles montrent leur amour pour la nature en plantant des arbres.	They show their love for nature by planting trees.