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

Introduction to the verb suçoter

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The English translation of the French verb suçoter is “to suckle” or “to suck on.”

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The infinitive form of suçoter is pronounced “sue-coh-tay.”

The language origin of suçoter can be traced back to the Old French term “sucoter” which means “to suck.” It is most commonly used in everyday French to refer to the action of a baby or young animal sucking on something, but it can also be used in a more figurative sense to describe someone who is constantly seeking attention or affection.

Examples:

Le bébé aime suçoter son pouce pour s’endormir. (The baby likes to suck on his thumb to fall asleep.)
Le chaton a été vu en train de suçoter le bout de sa queue. (The kitten was seen sucking on the tip of its tail.)
Elle adore suçoter les glaçons dans son verre. (She loves sucking on the ice cubes in her drink.)

Suçoter – 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 suçoter

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
Je	je suçote	Je suçote mon pouce.	I suck on my thumb.
Tu	tu suçotes	Tu suçotes ton stylo.	You suck on your pen.
Il	il suçote	Il suçote son bonbon.	He sucks on his candy.
Elle	elle suçote	Elle suçote sa lèvre.	She sucks on her lip.
On	on suçote	On suçote nos doigts.	We suck on our fingers.
Nous	nous suçotons	Nous suçotons des glaçons.	We suck on ice cubes.
Vous	vous suçotez	Vous suçotez votre sucette.	You suck on your lollipop.
Ils	ils suçotent	Ils suçotent leur paille.	They suck on their straw.
Elles	elles suçotent	Elles suçotent leur tétine.	They suck on their pacifier.