Ajouter Conjugation in French
ajouter means “to add” in English, and it is one of the verbs French learners meet early — it sits at frequency rank 170 in VerbFlow’s French list. It is a non-reflexive, regular -er verb, and this page gives you its complete conjugation — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.” — “I add the sugar every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: ajouter
- English: to add
- Verb type: Non-reflexive, Regular
- Irregular in: no tense — fully regular
- Gerund: en ajoutant
- Past participle: ajouté
- Auxiliary: avoir (all perfect tenses are formed with avoir + the past participle)
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.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for ajouter. Learn the present tense first, then the passé composé and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajoute |
| tu | ajoutes |
| il/elle | ajoute |
| nous | ajoutons |
| vous | ajoutez |
| ils/elles | ajoutent |
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajoutai |
| tu | ajoutas |
| il/elle | ajouta |
| nous | ajoutâmes |
| vous | ajoutâtes |
| ils/elles | ajoutèrent |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajoutais |
| tu | ajoutais |
| il/elle | ajoutait |
| nous | ajoutions |
| vous | ajoutiez |
| ils/elles | ajoutaient |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajouterai |
| tu | ajouteras |
| il/elle | ajoutera |
| nous | ajouterons |
| vous | ajouterez |
| ils/elles | ajouteront |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajouterais |
| tu | ajouterais |
| il/elle | ajouterait |
| nous | ajouterions |
| vous | ajouteriez |
| ils/elles | ajouteraient |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai ajouté |
| tu | as ajouté |
| il/elle | a ajouté |
| nous | avons ajouté |
| vous | avez ajouté |
| ils/elles | ont ajouté |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais ajouté |
| tu | avais ajouté |
| il/elle | avait ajouté |
| nous | avions ajouté |
| vous | aviez ajouté |
| ils/elles | avaient ajouté |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai ajouté |
| tu | auras ajouté |
| il/elle | aura ajouté |
| nous | aurons ajouté |
| vous | aurez ajouté |
| ils/elles | auront ajouté |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais ajouté |
| tu | aurais ajouté |
| il/elle | aurait ajouté |
| nous | aurions ajouté |
| vous | auriez ajouté |
| ils/elles | auraient ajouté |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajoute |
| tu | ajoutes |
| il/elle | ajoute |
| nous | ajoutions |
| vous | ajoutiez |
| ils/elles | ajoutent |
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ajoutasse |
| tu | ajoutasses |
| il/elle | ajoutât |
| nous | ajoutassions |
| vous | ajoutassiez |
| ils/elles | ajoutassent |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ajoute |
| nous | ajoutons |
| vous | ajoutez |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ajoute |
| nous | ajoutons |
| vous | ajoutez |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en ajoutant |
| Past participle | ajouté |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.” — “I add the sugar every day.”
Passé simple
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mainly in written and literary French. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu ajoutas le sucre la semaine dernière.” — “You added the sugar last week.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il ajoutait le sucre ce matin.” — “He used to add the sugar this morning.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, and for predictions. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Nous ajouterons le sucre.” — “We will add the sugar.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Vous ajouteriez le sucre.” — “You would add the sugar.”
Present perfect
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ils ont ajouté le sucre hier.” — “They have added the sugar yesterday.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'avais ajouté le sucre hier.” — “I had added the sugar yesterday.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu auras ajouté le sucre la semaine prochaine.” — “You will have added the sugar next week.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il aurait ajouté le sucre ce matin.” — “He would have added the sugar this morning.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il est important que nous ajoutions le sucre tous les jours.” — “It is important that We add the sugar every day.”
Imperfect subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for the past subjunctive: wishes and hypotheticals about the past, mostly in formal and literary French. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il fallait que vous ajoutassiez le sucre hier.” — “It was necessary that You add the sugar yesterday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ajoutez le sucre !” — “Add the sugar!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With ajouter this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ne ajoute pas le sucre !” — “Do not add the sugar!”
Gerund and past participle
The gerund en ajoutant is used after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. For example: “En ajoutant, je commence la journée.” — “While adding, I start the day.” The past participle ajouté is used with avoir in the perfect tenses, as in j'ai ajouté — “I have added the sugar yesterday.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with ajouter, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “J'ajoute le sucre à la maison.” — “I add the sugar at home.”
- “Tu ajoutas le sucre ce matin.” — “You added the sugar this morning.”
- “Il ajoutait le sucre avec Paul.” — “He used to add the sugar with Paul.”
- “J'ajouterai le sucre demain.” — “I will add the sugar tomorrow.”
- “Tu ajouterais le sucre tous les jours.” — “You would add the sugar every day.”
- “Il a ajouté le sucre la semaine dernière.” — “He has added the sugar last week.”
- “J'avais ajouté le sucre ce matin.” — “I had added the sugar this morning.”
- “Tu auras ajouté le sucre demain.” — “You will have added the sugar tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il ajoute le sucre tous les jours.” — “It is important that He add the sugar every day.”
- “Ajoute le sucre !” — “Add the sugar!”
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.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis ajouté le sucre hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai ajouté le sucre hier.”
ajouter takes avoir in the compound tenses, not être: ai ajouté, never the être form.
6. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que nous ajoutons le sucre.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que nous ajoutions le sucre.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use ajoutions here, not the indicative ajoutons.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on ajouter. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of ajouter in the Present indicative?
- A) ajoutes
- B) avais ajouté
- C) ajoute
- D) ajoutons
What is the il/elle form of ajouter in the Passé simple?
- A) a ajouté
- B) ajoutât
- C) aurait ajouté
- D) ajouta
What is the nous form of ajouter in the Imperfect?
- A) aurions ajouté
- B) ajoutions
- C) ajoutait
- D) ajoutassions
What is the tu form of ajouter in the Future?
- A) ajoutes
- B) ajoutera
- C) aurais ajouté
- D) ajouteras
What is the je form of ajouter in the Conditional?
- A) aurais ajouté
- B) avais ajouté
- C) ajouterai
- D) ajouterais
What is the il/elle form of ajouter in the Present subjunctive?
- A) ajoutera
- B) aura ajouté
- C) ajoute
- D) ajouterait
What is the nous form of ajouter in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) ont ajouté
- B) ajoutassions
- C) a ajouté
- D) avons ajouté
What is the gerund of ajouter?
- A) en ajoutant
- B) coupant
- C) contrôlant
- D) adoptant
What is the past participle of ajouter?
- A) brûlé
- B) annoncé
- C) accepté
- D) ajouté
What does ajouter mean in English?
- A) add
- B) consult
- C) create
- D) attract
Answer key
- C) ajoute — the je form of ajouter in the present indicative is ajoute. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) ajouta — the il/elle form of ajouter in the passé simple is ajouta. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) ajoutions — the nous form of ajouter in the imperfect is ajoutions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) ajouteras — the tu form of ajouter in the future is ajouteras. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) ajouterais — the je form of ajouter in the conditional is ajouterais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) ajoute — the il/elle form of ajouter in the present subjunctive is ajoute. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) avons ajouté — the nous form of ajouter in the present perfect (passé composé) is avons ajouté. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- A) 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.
- D) ajouté — the past participle of ajouter is ajouté; perfect tenses use avoir + ajouté. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- A) add — ajouter means “to add” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
How to learn this verb
Learn ajouter in three passes. First, say the present tense aloud in order — j'ajoute, tu ajoutes, il ajoute, nous ajoutons, vous ajoutez, ils ajoutent — three times, then write three sentences with the verb. Second, learn the passé composé with its auxiliary: ai ajouté shows the pattern, and the participle ajouté is the same in every perfect tense. Third, add one new tense a day, always in a sentence, and test yourself the next day before you learn the next one. A verb you can use in a sentence is learnt; a verb you can only recite is not. Use the Verb Quiz and the Verb Conjugator to check what has stuck, and compare ajouter with the other verbs in this batch on the French verbs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does ajouter mean in English?
ajouter means “to add”. It is a non-reflexive, regular verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is ajouter regular or irregular?
ajouter is regular, and it is irregular in these tenses: none. 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 — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. The past participle is ajouté — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in j'ai ajouté.
How do I say “I add” in French?
Say “J'ajoute le sucre tous les jours.” — “I add the sugar every day.” The je form of the present is ajoute, and it is the form you will use most often.
How do you pronounce ajouter?
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.
Related pages
- ajouter in the present tense
- ajouter examples and quiz
- Améliorer conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- Causer conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- French verbs — the full hub of French conjugation pages.
- French irregular verbs — every common irregular French verb, grouped by pattern.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- Subjunctive Helper — practise ajouter with the interactive tool.
- Pronunciation Guide — practise ajouter with the interactive tool.
- Passive Voice Builder — practise ajouter with the interactive tool.