Ajouter Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

ajouter — to add — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. It is a non-reflexive, regular -er verb, and it comes up in conversation, at work and at home. On this page you will find ajouter in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short texts that show it in context, the mistakes learners actually make with it, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then test yourself. The full conjugation tables are on the ajouter conjugation page, and the deep dive into its most practised tense is on the ajouter present tense page.

Example sentences with ajouter

In the present tense

  • “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.” — “I add the sugar every day.”
  • “Tu ajoutes le sucre à la maison.” — “You add the sugar at home.”
  • “Il ajoute le sucre ce matin.” — “He adds the sugar this morning.”
  • “Nous ajoutons le sucre avec Paul.” — “We add the sugar with Paul.”
  • “Vous ajoutez le sucre.” — “You add the sugar.”
  • “Ils ajoutent le sucre tous les jours.” — “They add the sugar every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai ajouté le sucre hier.” — “I have added the sugar yesterday.”
  • “Tu as ajouté le sucre la semaine dernière.” — “You have added the sugar last week.”
  • “Il a ajouté le sucre ce matin.” — “He has added the sugar this morning.”
  • “Nous avons ajouté le sucre avant la fête.” — “We have added the sugar before the party.”
  • “Vous avez ajouté le sucre.” — “You have added the sugar.”
  • “Ils ont ajouté le sucre hier.” — “They have added the sugar yesterday.”

In other tenses

The same verb in the imperfect, the future, the conditional, the present subjunctive and the imperative — the tenses that complete the picture. All forms come from the verified tables.

  • “J'ajoutais le sucre à la maison.” — “I used to add the sugar at home.”
  • “Tu ajouteras le sucre bientôt.” — “You will add the sugar soon.”
  • “Il ajouterait le sucre avec Paul.” — “He would add the sugar with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous ajoutions le sucre tous les jours.” — “It is important that We add the sugar every day.”
  • “Ajoute le sucre !” — “Add the sugar!”

Ajouter in context

J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours. Tu ajoutes le sucre à la maison. Il ajoute le sucre ce matin. Nous ajoutons le sucre avec Paul. C’est une partie normale de la routine, et c’est pour cela que le présent de ajouter est la première forme qu’il convient d’apprendre. Chaque phrase utilise une personne différente, alors lisez-les à voix haute et remarquez comment la forme change — ajoute, ajoutes, ajoute, ajoutons — tandis que le sens reste le même : to add. J'ai ajouté le sucre hier. Tu as ajouté le sucre la semaine dernière. Il a ajouté le sucre ce matin. Nous avons ajouté le sucre avant la fête. C’était une journée normale, mais c’est justement dans des journées comme celle-ci que le passé composé de ajouter apparaît sans cesse : une action terminée, un moment précis, et l’histoire continue. Comparez ces phrases avec celles du présent ci-dessus : le verbe change de temps, mais le sens de base — to add — ne change pas. C’est la différence entre une habitude et un événement terminé.

Common mistakes

1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

✗ Wrong: “Je ajouter le sucre.”

✓ Right: “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.”

The infinitive ajouter never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form ajoute.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je ajoutes le sucre.”

✓ Right: “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.”

ajoutes is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is ajoute — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “J'ajoute le sucre hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai ajouté le sucre hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai ajouté here, not the present ajoute.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je ajoutons le sucre.”

✓ Right: “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.”

ajoutons is the nous form. The je form is ajoute — the two persons never share a form in the present of ajouter.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on ajouter across the tenses. Answers with explanations follow each question.

  1. What is the tu form of ajouter in the Present indicative?

    • A) ajoutas
    • B) ajouteras
    • C) ajoutes
    • D) ajouterais

  2. What is the je form of ajouter in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) ajoute
    • B) a ajouté
    • C) ajoutasse
    • D) ai ajouté

  3. What is the il/elle form of ajouter in the Imperfect?

    • A) ajouta
    • B) ajoute
    • C) ajoutais
    • D) ajoutait

  4. What is the nous form of ajouter in the Future?

    • A) ajouterons
    • B) ajoutera
    • C) ajoutons
    • D) ajoutions

  5. What is the tu form of ajouter in the Conditional?

    • A) ajouterais
    • B) as ajouté
    • C) ajouteriez
    • D) ajoutas

  6. What is the je form of ajouter in the Passé simple?

    • A) ajouterai
    • B) ajoutèrent
    • C) ajouta
    • D) ajoutai

  7. What is the nous form of ajouter in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) ajoutions
    • B) ajoutassions
    • C) ajouterions
    • D) ajoutiez

  8. What is the gerund of ajouter?

    • A) approchant
    • B) amenant
    • C) coupant
    • D) en ajoutant

  9. What is the past participle of ajouter?

    • A) ajouté
    • B) éteint
    • C) bougé
    • D) annoncé

  10. What does ajouter mean in English?

  • A) belong
  • B) add
  • C) cut
  • D) announce

Answer key

  1. C) ajoutes — the tu form of ajouter in the present indicative is ajoutes. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. D) ai ajouté — the je form of ajouter in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai ajouté. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. D) ajoutait — the il/elle form of ajouter in the imperfect is ajoutait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. A) ajouterons — the nous form of ajouter in the future is ajouterons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. A) ajouterais — the tu form of ajouter in the conditional is ajouterais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. D) ajoutai — the je form of ajouter in the passé simple is ajoutai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. A) ajoutions — the nous form of ajouter in the present subjunctive is ajoutions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. D) en ajoutant — the gerund of ajouter is en ajoutant; it is used with en for actions happening at the same time as the main verb. The other options are the present participles of neighbouring verbs.
  9. A) ajouté — the past participle of ajouter is ajouté; perfect tenses use avoir + ajouté. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. B) add — ajouter means “to add” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does ajouter mean in English?

ajouter means “to add”. You use it whenever you talk about to add in French, in the present, the past and the future.

Is ajouter regular or irregular?

ajouter is regular. ajouter is regular: every form follows the standard -er endings, so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem. There are no surprises in any tense — the tables below are exactly what the endings predict.

What are the gerund and past participle of ajouter?

The gerund is en ajoutant and the past participle is ajouté. The perfect tenses use avoir + ajouté.

Where can I see the full conjugation of ajouter?

On the ajouter conjugation page — every tense, every person, with tables. The ajouter present tense page goes deeper into its most practised tense.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for ajouter, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

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