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French · Verb · #124 most common

promettre

to promise


Irregular3rd ending

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

1.

Présent

Current actions, habits, and general truths.

jepromets
tupromets
il/ellepromet
nouspromettons
vouspromettez
ils/ellespromettent

Je promets de t'aider demain.

I promise to help you tomorrow.

Elle promet de ne pas être en retard.

She promises not to be late.

2.

Passé Composé

Completed past actions with present relevance.

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

Il a promis de venir à la fête.

He promised to come to the party.

Nous avons promis de garder le secret.

We promised to keep the secret.

3.

Imparfait

Ongoing or habitual past actions, descriptions, and background.

jepromettais
tupromettais
il/ellepromettait
nouspromettions
vouspromettiez
ils/ellespromettaient

Quand j'étais enfant, je promettais toujours d'être sage.

When I was a child, I always promised to be good.

Elle promettait de m'appeler chaque semaine.

She promised to call me every week.

4.

Futur Simple

Future events, promises, and formal predictions.

jepromettrai
tupromettras
il/ellepromettra
nouspromettrons
vouspromettrez
ils/ellespromettront

Je promettrai de faire mes devoirs.

I will promise to do my homework.

Ils promettront de ne pas oublier.

They will promise not to forget.

5.

Conditionnel Présent

Hypothetical outcomes, polite requests, and reported future.

jepromettrais
tupromettrais
il/ellepromettrait
nouspromettrions
vouspromettriez
ils/ellespromettraient

Je promettrais de t'aider si j'avais le temps.

I would promise to help you if I had the time.

Elle promettrait de venir si elle pouvait.

She would promise to come if she could.

6.

Subjonctif Présent

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

jepromette
tupromettes
il/ellepromette
nouspromettions
vouspromettiez
ils/ellespromettent

Il faut que je promets de rester en contact.

I must promise to stay in touch.

Il est important qu'elle promette de faire de son mieux.

It is important that she promises to do her best.

7.

Plus-que-parfait

Actions completed before another past action.

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

J'avais promis de l'aider avant de partir.

I had promised to help him before leaving.

Ils avaient promis de se revoir l'année suivante.

They had promised to see each other the following year.

"promettre" in other languages

Related verbs

Common questions
Is "promettre" regular or irregular in French?
"promettre" is an irregular French verb. It does not follow the standard 3rd conjugation pattern and must be memorized.
How do you conjugate "promettre" in the present tense?
In the Présent, "promettre" conjugates as: promets, promets, promettons, and more. See the full table above.
What is the past tense of "promettre" in French?
In the Passé Composé, "promettre" conjugates as: ai promis, as promis, avons promis, and more. See the full table above.
How common is "promettre" in French?
"promettre" (to promise) is one of the most commonly used verbs in French.