L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb centrer

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The English translation of the French verb centrer is “to center” or “to focus.” The infinitive form “centrer” is pronounced as “sawn-tray.”

The verb centrer comes from the Latin word “centrum,” meaning “center.” It is most often used in everyday French in the L’impératif Présent tense, which is the imperative mood in the present tense. This tense is used to give commands or requests in a direct and urgent manner.

  1. Centrez-vous sur votre travail. (Focus on your work.)
  2. Centrons-nous sur les solutions possibles. (Let’s focus on possible solutions.)
  3. Centrez la carte sur le point indiqué. (Center the map on the indicated point.)

In these examples, centrer is used to indicate the action of “centering” or “focusing” on something. It is often used in a figurative sense, such as focusing one’s attention or thoughts on a particular subject. In the L’impératif Présent tense, the verb takes on the imperative form, which is the same for all subjects (vous, nous, and vous).

Table of the L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of centrer

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je centre Centre cette image. Center this image.
tu centre Centre cette tasse sur la table. Center this cup on the table.
il centre Il centre le ballon. He centers the ball.
elle centre Elle centre ses efforts sur le projet. She focuses her efforts on the project.
on centre On centre l’attention sur les préparatifs. We center the attention on the preparations.
nous centrons Centrons-nous sur le sujet. Let’s focus on the subject.
vous centrez Centrez la photo avant de la prendre. Center the photo before taking it.
ils centrent Ils centrent leur discussion sur la santé. They center their discussion on health.
elles centrent Elles centrent leur vie sur leur famille. They center their lives on their family.

Other Conjugations for Centrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer  (this article)

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb centrer

   

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Centrer – About the French L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense

L’impératif Présent is a mood in the French language that is used to give commands, make requests, offer advice, or express a desire in the present tense. It’s a relatively simple tense and is used to address someone directly. Let’s dive into its usage, conjugation, and interactions with other tenses:
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Usage

Giving commands

You use l’impératif présent to give direct commands or orders. It is often used in informal and formal situations to tell someone to do or not do something. For example:

   – Mange ta soupe. (Eat your soup.)
   – Ferme la porte. (Close the door.)

Making requests

You can also use the imperative to make polite requests. In this case, it is a gentler way to ask someone to do something. For example:
  
   – Parle plus lentement, s’il te plaît. (Speak more slowly, please.)

Offering advice

It’s common to use l’impératif to give advice or suggestions:
   – Étudie bien pour ton examen. (Study well for your exam.)

Expressing desires

You can express your desires or wishes using the imperative:
   – Amuse-toi bien à la fête. (Have a good time at the party.)

Conjugation Formation

To form l’impératif présent, you need to use the base form of the verb without the subject pronoun (tu, nous, vous, etc.). The conjugation varies depending on the type of verb:
Regular -ER verbs (e.g., parler)
  – Tu: Parle (speak)
  – Nous: Parlons (let’s speak)
  – Vous: Parlez (speak)
Regular -IR verbs (e.g., finir)
  – Tu: Finis (finish)
  – Nous: Finissons (let’s finish)
  – Vous: Finissez (finish)
Regular -RE verbs (e.g., vendre)
  – Tu: Vends (sell)
  – Nous: Vendons (let’s sell)
  – Vous: Vendez (sell)
Irregular verbs (e.g., être, avoir, aller)
  – Tu: Sois (be), aie (have), va (go)
  – Nous: Soyons (let’s be), ayons (let’s have), allons (let’s go)
  – Vous: Soyez (be), ayez (have), allez (go)

Interactions with other tenses

L’impératif is used exclusively in the present tense and does not interact with other tenses in the same way as indicative or subjunctive moods. 
It’s used for direct commands and requests in the here and now. However, in more formal or written contexts, you might find the imperative used with expressions like “quand tu auras fini” (when you have finished) or “dès que tu seras prêt” (as soon as you are ready), which introduce a future action while maintaining the imperative mood for the main verb.
For example:
– Quand tu auras fini ton travail, viens me voir. (When you have finished your work, come see me.)
In this case, the imperative is used in conjunction with future actions, but it’s still employed for the main verb to convey a sense of directness or immediacy.

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