Baisser Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

baisser — to lower — 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 baisser 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 baisser conjugation page, and the deep dive into its most practised tense is on the baisser present tense page.

Example sentences with baisser

In the present tense

  • “Je baisse la voix tous les jours.” — “I lower the voice every day.”
  • “Tu baisses la voix à la maison.” — “You lower the voice at home.”
  • “Il baisse la voix ce matin.” — “He lowers the voice this morning.”
  • “Nous baissons la voix avec Paul.” — “We lower the voice with Paul.”
  • “Vous baissez la voix.” — “You lower the voice.”
  • “Ils baissent la voix tous les jours.” — “They lower the voice every day.”

In the passé composé

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

  • “Je baissais la voix à la maison.” — “I used to lower the voice at home.”
  • “Tu baisseras la voix bientôt.” — “You will lower the voice soon.”
  • “Il baisserait la voix avec Paul.” — “He would lower the voice with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous baissions la voix tous les jours.” — “It is important that We lower the voice every day.”
  • “Baisse la voix !” — “Lower the voice!”

Baisser in context

Je baisse la voix tous les jours. Tu baisses la voix à la maison. Il baisse la voix ce matin. Nous baissons la voix avec Paul. C’est une partie normale de la routine, et c’est pour cela que le présent de baisser 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 — baisse, baisses, baisse, baissons — tandis que le sens reste le même : to lower. J'ai baissé la voix hier. Tu as baissé la voix la semaine dernière. Il a baissé la voix ce matin. Nous avons baissé la voix avant la fête. C’était une journée normale, mais c’est justement dans des journées comme celle-ci que le passé composé de baisser 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 lower — 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 baisser la voix.”

✓ Right: “Je baisse la voix tous les jours.”

The infinitive baisser never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form baisse.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je baisses la voix.”

✓ Right: “Je baisse la voix tous les jours.”

baisses is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is baisse — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je baisse la voix hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai baissé la voix hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai baissé here, not the present baisse.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je baissons la voix.”

✓ Right: “Je baisse la voix tous les jours.”

baissons is the nous form. The je form is baisse — the two persons never share a form in the present of baisser.

Quiz: test yourself

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

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

    • A) baisserais
    • B) baissent
    • C) baisses
    • D) baissez

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

    • A) avons baissé
    • B) baissasse
    • C) ai baissé
    • D) as baissé

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

    • A) baissais
    • B) baissait
    • C) aurait baissé
    • D) aura baissé

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

    • A) baisserez
    • B) baissassions
    • C) baissions
    • D) baisserons

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

    • A) baisses
    • B) baisserais
    • C) as baissé
    • D) baissas

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

    • A) baisserai
    • B) baissa
    • C) baissai
    • D) avais baissé

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

    • A) baissions
    • B) baissassions
    • C) baisserions
    • D) baisse

  8. What is the gerund of baisser?

    • A) en baissant
    • B) changeant
    • C) brûlant
    • D) adoptant

  9. What is the past participle of baisser?

    • A) baissé
    • B) attiré
    • C) contrôlé
    • D) brillé

  10. What does baisser mean in English?

  • A) paint
  • B) accept
  • C) lower
  • D) arrange

Answer key

  1. C) baisses — the tu form of baisser in the present indicative is baisses. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. C) ai baissé — the je form of baisser in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai baissé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. B) baissait — the il/elle form of baisser in the imperfect is baissait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. D) baisserons — the nous form of baisser in the future is baisserons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. B) baisserais — the tu form of baisser in the conditional is baisserais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. C) baissai — the je form of baisser in the passé simple is baissai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. A) baissions — the nous form of baisser in the present subjunctive is baissions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. A) en baissant — the gerund of baisser is en baissant; 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) baissé — the past participle of baisser is baissé; perfect tenses use avoir + baissé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. C) lower — baisser means “to lower” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does baisser mean in English?

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

Is baisser regular or irregular?

baisser is regular. baisser 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 baisser?

The gerund is en baissant and the past participle is baissé. The perfect tenses use avoir + baissé.

Where can I see the full conjugation of baisser?

On the baisser conjugation page — every tense, every person, with tables. The baisser 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 baisser, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

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