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

Introduction to the verb satisfaire

Get the present tense conjugation of satisfaire. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb satisfaire is “to satisfy”. The infinitive form of satisfaire is pronounced “sa-tee-fehr”.

Table of Contents

Satisfaire comes from the Latin word “satisfacere”, which means “to do enough”. In everyday French, it is most often used to express the idea of fulfilling a need or desire, or meeting someone’s expectations.

Examples:

“Je ferai tout pour satisfaire tes demandes.” (I will do everything to satisfy your requests.)
“Le restaurant n’a pas réussi à satisfaire les attentes des clients.” (The restaurant did not manage to satisfy the customers’ expectations.)
“Pour satisfaire leur curiosité, ils ont fouillé dans tous les tiroirs.” (To satisfy their curiosity, they searched through all the drawers.)

Satisfaire – 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 satisfaire

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	je satisfais	Je satisfais mes clients.	I satisfy my clients.
Tu	tu satisfais	Tu satisfais ta faim.	You satisfy your hunger.
Il	il satisfait	Il satisfait ses besoins.	He satisfies his needs.
Elle	elle satisfait	Elle satisfait ses désirs.	She satisfies her desires.
On	on satisfait	On satisfait les exigences du travail.	We satisfy work requirements.
Nous	nous satisfaisons	Nous satisfaisons nos clients.	We satisfy our clients.
Vous	vous satisfaites	Vous satisfaites vos besoins.	You satisfy your needs.
Ils	ils satisfont	Ils satisfont leurs clients.	They satisfy their clients.
Elles	elles satisfont	Elles satisfont leurs souhaits.	They satisfy their wishes.