Cacher Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

cacher — “to hide” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find cacher in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short dialogues 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. A first sentence to fix the verb in your memory: “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.” — “I hide my keys in the drawer.”

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

Example sentences with cacher

In the present tense

  • “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir tous les jours.” — “I hide my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Tu caches mes clés dans le tiroir souvent.” — “You hide my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Il cache mes clés dans le tiroir chaque matin.” — “He hides my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Nous cachons mes clés dans le tiroir le week-end.” — “We hide my keys in the drawer.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai caché mes clés dans le tiroir hier.” — “I have hidden my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Tu as caché mes clés dans le tiroir ce matin.” — “You have hidden my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Il a caché mes clés dans le tiroir la semaine dernière.” — “He has hidden my keys in the drawer.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je cachais mes clés dans le tiroir quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to hide my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Nous cachions mes clés dans le tiroir quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to hide my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Tu cacheras mes clés dans le tiroir demain.” — “You will hide my keys in the drawer tomorrow.”
  • “Ils cacheront mes clés dans le tiroir demain.” — “They will hide my keys in the drawer tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je cacherais mes clés dans le tiroir si je pouvais.” — “I would hide my keys in the drawer if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.” — “It is important that I hide my keys in the drawer.”
  • “Cache mes clés dans le tiroir !” — “Hide my keys in the drawer!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais caché mes clés dans le tiroir avant la fête.” — “I had hidden my keys in the drawer before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en cachant and the past participle is caché; the perfect tenses use avoir + caché, as in ai caché.

Cacher in context

Dialogue 1: every day

Marie and Paul talk about what they do every day. Notice how cacher changes with the person, and how the passé composé appears when they talk about yesterday.

Marie: “Tu caches mes clés dans le tiroir tous les jours ?” — “You hide my keys in the drawer.” Paul: “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir tous les jours.” — “I hide my keys in the drawer.” Marie: “Tu as caché mes clés dans le tiroir hier ?” — “You have hidden my keys in the drawer.” Paul: “J'ai caché mes clés dans le tiroir hier.” — “I have hidden my keys in the drawer.” Marie: “Nous cacherons mes clés dans le tiroir demain ?” — “We will hide my keys in the drawer tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous cacherons mes clés dans le tiroir demain.” — “We will hide my keys in the drawer tomorrow.”

Dialogue 2: making plans

Paul and Marie make plans for the weekend. The conditional appears for polite suggestions, and the imperative for a direct request.

Paul: “Je cacherais mes clés dans le tiroir si je pouvais.” — “I would hide my keys in the drawer if I could.” Marie: “Tu caches mes clés dans le tiroir souvent ?” — “You hide my keys in the drawer.” Paul: “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir souvent.” — “I hide my keys in the drawer.” Marie: “Cache mes clés dans le tiroir !” — “Hide my keys in the drawer!” Paul: “Il faut que je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.” — “It is important that I hide my keys in the drawer.” Marie: “Nous avons caché mes clés dans le tiroir hier.” — “We have hidden my keys in the drawer.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: cache becomes caches, caches becomes cache, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — cache*, caches, cache, cachons, cachez, *cachent — in memory.

Common mistakes with cacher

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je cacher mes clés dans le tiroir.”

Right: “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.”

The infinitive cacher never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form cache.

Mistake 2: Using the present for a finished past event

Wrong: “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir hier.”

Right: “J'ai caché mes clés dans le tiroir hier.”

A finished event yesterday takes the passé composé (ai caché), not the present.

Mistake 3: Using être for the passé composé

Wrong: “Je suis caché mes clés dans le tiroir.”

Right: “J'ai caché mes clés dans le tiroir.”

With cacher the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai caché.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.”

Right: “Il faut que je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.”

After il faut que French needs the subjunctive: cache, not the indicative cache.

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu cache mes clés dans le tiroir.”

Right: “Tu caches mes clés dans le tiroir.”

After tu you need caches, not the je form cache.

Quiz: cacher in everyday use

  1. What is the je form of cacher in the Present indicative?

    • A) cachons
    • B) cachent
    • C) cache
    • D) caches

  2. What is the ils/elles form of cacher in the Present indicative?

    • A) cachons
    • B) cachez
    • C) caches
    • D) cachent

  3. What is the tu form of cacher in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) avons caché
    • B) as caché
    • C) a caché
    • D) ai caché

  4. What is the nous form of cacher in the Imperfect?

    • A) cachions
    • B) cachait
    • C) cachiez
    • D) cachaient

  5. What is the il/elle form of cacher in the Future?

    • A) cacherons
    • B) cacheras
    • C) cachera
    • D) cacheront

  6. What is the je form of cacher in the Conditional?

    • A) cacherait
    • B) cacheraient
    • C) cacheriez
    • D) cacherais

  7. What is the tu form of cacher in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) caches
    • B) cachions
    • C) cachent
    • D) cache

  8. What is the tu form of cacher in the Imperative (affirmative)?

    • A) cache
    • B) cachons
    • C) cachez
    • D) avez caché

  9. What is the past participle of cacher?

    • A) caché
    • B) cachais
    • C) cache
    • D) en cachant

  10. What does cacher mean in English?

  • A) to be
  • B) to hide
  • C) to go
  • D) to have

Answer key

  1. C) cache — the je form of cacher in the present indicative is cache.
  2. D) cachent — the ils/elles form of cacher in the present indicative is cachent.
  3. B) as caché — the tu form of cacher in the present perfect (passé composé) is as caché.
  4. A) cachions — the nous form of cacher in the imperfect is cachions.
  5. C) cachera — the il/elle form of cacher in the future is cachera.
  6. D) cacherais — the je form of cacher in the conditional is cacherais.
  7. A) caches — the tu form of cacher in the present subjunctive is caches.
  8. A) cache — the tu form of cacher in the imperative (affirmative) is cache.
  9. A) caché — the past participle of cacher is caché; perfect tenses use avoir + caché.
  10. B) to hide — cacher means “to hide” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does cacher mean in English?

cacher means “to hide”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir.” (“I hide my keys in the drawer.”).

Which auxiliary does cacher take in the passé composé?

cacher takes avoir: ai caché. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of cacher to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — cache*, caches, cache, cachons, cachez, *cachent. Say them in order every day, and use the dialogues above to practise them in real sentences.

Where can I see the full conjugation of cacher?

On the full conjugation page for cacher, which has every tense, and on the cacher present page, which goes deep on one tense.

Say it yourself

Cover the French sentences above and translate the English back into French. Start with the present tense: “I hide my keys in the drawer.” should become “Je cache mes clés dans le tiroir”. Then try the passé composé: “I have hidden my keys in the drawer.” should become “J'ai caché mes clés dans le tiroir”. Finally, try the future: “I will hide my keys in the drawer tomorrow.” should become “Je cacherai mes clés dans le tiroir”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

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