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

Introduction to the verb survivre

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The English translation of the French verb survivre is “to survive.” It is pronounced “sur-vee-vruh” in its infinitive form.

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The verb survivre comes from the Latin word “supervivere,” which means “to outlive.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the act of staying alive, enduring, or overcoming difficult circumstances.

Examples:

Nous devons trouver un moyen de survivre dans cette jungle hostile. (We must find a way to survive in this hostile jungle.)
Les rescapés ont réussi à survivre sur une île déserte pendant des mois. (The survivors managed to survive on a deserted island for months.)
Malgré les difficultés, la population a pu survivre à la famine grâce à l’aide humanitaire. (Despite the difficulties, the population was able to survive the famine thanks to humanitarian aid.)

Survivre – 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 survivre

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
je	je survie	Je survie dans la nature sauvage.	I survive in the wild.
tu	tu survies	Tu survies grâce à ton courage.	You survive thanks to your courage.
il	il survit	Il survit malgré les difficultés.	He survives despite the difficulties.
elle	elle survit	Elle survit avec détermination.	She survives with determination.
on	on survit	On survit en s’aidant les uns les autres.	We survive by helping each other.
nous	nous survivons	Nous survivons ensemble.	We survive together.
vous	vous survivez	Vous survivez dans des conditions extrêmes.	You survive in extreme conditions.
ils	ils survivent	Ils survivent grâce à leur instinct de survie.	They survive thanks to their survival instinct.
elles	elles survivent	Elles survivent malgré tout.	They survive despite everything.