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French · Verb · #272 most common

posséder

to own
to possess

Regular1st ending

In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.

1.

Présent

Current actions, habits, and general truths.

jepossède
tupossèdes
il/ellepossède
nouspossédons
vouspossédez
ils/ellespossèdent

Je possède une voiture rouge.

I own a red car.

Ils possèdent une maison à la campagne.

They own a house in the countryside.

2.

Passé Composé

Completed past actions with present relevance.

jeai possédé
tuas possédé
il/ellea possédé
nousavons possédé
vousavez possédé
ils/ellesont possédé

Elle a possédé ce livre pendant des années.

She owned that book for years.

Nous avons possédé plusieurs animaux de compagnie.

We have owned several pets.

3.

Imparfait

Ongoing or habitual past actions, descriptions, and background.

jepossédais
tupossédais
il/ellepossédait
nouspossédions
vouspossédiez
ils/ellespossédaient

Quand j'étais jeune, je possédais un vélo.

When I was young, I owned a bike.

Ils possédaient une grande collection d'art.

They owned a large art collection.

4.

Futur Simple

Future events, promises, and formal predictions.

jeposséderai
tuposséderas
il/ellepossédera
nousposséderons
vousposséderez
ils/ellesposséderont

Demain, je posséderai un nouvel ordinateur.

Tomorrow, I will own a new computer.

Nous posséderons une entreprise prospère.

We will own a successful business.

5.

Conditionnel Présent

Hypothetical outcomes, polite requests, and reported future.

jeposséderais
tuposséderais
il/elleposséderait
nousposséderions
vousposséderiez
ils/ellesposséderaient

Je posséderais une maison au bord de la mer.

I would own a house by the sea.

Ils posséderaient plus de temps libre s'ils le pouvaient.

They would own more free time if they could.

6.

Subjonctif Présent

Doubt, desire, necessity, and emotion in subordinate clauses.

jepossède
tupossèdes
il/ellepossède
nouspossédions
vouspossédiez
ils/ellespossèdent

Il faut que je possède un passeport valide.

It is necessary that I own a valid passport.

Je souhaite qu'ils possèdent la vérité.

I wish that they own the truth.

7.

Plus-que-parfait

Actions completed before another past action.

jeavais possédé
tuavais possédé
il/elleavait possédé
nousavions possédé
vousaviez possédé
ils/ellesavaient possédé

Avant de déménager, j'avais possédé cet appartement pendant cinq ans.

Before moving, I had owned that apartment for five years.

Ils avaient possédé un restaurant avant de changer de carrière.

They had owned a restaurant before changing careers.

"posséder" in other languages

Related verbs

Common questions
Is "posséder" regular or irregular in French?
"posséder" is a regular 1st verb in French. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for 1st verbs.
How do you conjugate "posséder" in the present tense?
In the Présent, "posséder" conjugates as: possède, possèdes, possédons, and more. See the full table above.
What is the past tense of "posséder" in French?
In the Passé Composé, "posséder" conjugates as: ai possédé, as possédé, avons possédé, and more. See the full table above.
How common is "posséder" in French?
"posséder" (to own, to possess) is one of the most commonly used verbs in French.