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

Introduction to the verb sauvegarder

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The English translation of the French verb sauvegarder is “to save/to back up”. The infinitive form is pronounced “soh-vuh-gar-day”.

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The word sauvegarder comes from the French words “sauver” meaning “to save” and “garder” meaning “to keep”. In everyday French, it is most often used in the context of technology and refers to the action of saving a document or backing up data.

Examples:

Je vais sauvegarder mes fichiers importants sur mon disque dur externe. (I am going to back up my important files on my external hard drive.)
N’oublie pas de sauvegarder ton travail avant de fermer l’ordinateur. (Don’t forget to save your work before closing the computer.)
Il est important de sauvegarder régulièrement ses données pour éviter de les perdre en cas de problème technique. (It is important to regularly back up your data to avoid losing them in case of technical issues.)

Sauvegarder – 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 sauvegarder

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	sauvegarde	Je sauvegarde mes documents tous les jours.	I save my documents every day.
Tu	sauvegardes	Tu sauvegardes ta musique sur un disque dur externe.	You save your music on an external hard drive.
Il	sauvegarde	Il sauvegarde ses photos sur le cloud.	He saves his photos on the cloud.
Elle	sauvegarde	Elle sauvegarde ses fichiers importants sur une clé USB.	She saves her important files on a USB drive.
On	sauvegarde	On sauvegarde notre travail avant de fermer l’ordinateur.	We save our work before shutting down the computer.
Nous	sauvegardons	Nous sauvegardons nos données régulièrement.	We regularly back up our data.
Vous	sauvegardez	Vous sauvegardez vos documents sur un serveur sécurisé.	You save your documents on a secure server.
Ils	sauvegardent	Ils sauvegardent leur système informatique chaque semaine.	They back up their computer system every week.
Elles	sauvegardent	Elles sauvegardent leurs informations confidentielles sur un disque dur externe.	They save their confidential information on an external hard drive.