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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couper

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The English translation of the French verb couper is “to cut.” It is pronounced as “koo-pey” in its infinitive form.

The verb couper comes from the Latin word “colpus,” meaning “a blow or stroke.” It was first used in the French language in the 13th century and has been commonly used ever since.

In everyday French, the verb couper is most often used in the L’impératif Présent tense, which is the command form of the verb. It is used to give direct orders or instructions to someone.

Here are three simple examples of the verb couper in the L’impératif Présent tense, with their English translations:

  1. Coupez les carottes en rondelles. (Cut the carrots into slices.)
  2. Ne coupez pas vos cheveux trop courts. (Don’t cut your hair too short.)
  3. Coupez le gâteau en parts égales. (Cut the cake into equal pieces.)

In these examples, the verb couper is used to give commands to cut something in a specific way or direction.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coupe Coupe les légumes en petits morceaux. Cut the vegetables into small pieces.
tu coupe Coupe le pain en tranches. Cut the bread into slices.
il coupe Il coupe les cheveux avec précision. He cuts hair with precision.
elle coupe Elle coupe les fruits pour le dessert. She cuts the fruits for dessert.
on coupe On coupe le gâteau en parts égales. We cut the cake into equal slices.
nous coupons Coupons la viande en cubes. Let’s cut the meat into cubes.
vous coupez Coupez les feuilles en deux. Cut the leaves in half.
ils coupent Ils coupent le bois pour le feu. They are cutting wood for the fire.
elles coupent Elles coupent les légumes pour la soupe. They are cutting vegetables for the soup.

Other Conjugations for Couper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   

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Couper – 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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