Cesser Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

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

Example sentences with cesser

In the present tense

  • “Je cesse le travail tous les jours.” — “I stop the work every day.”
  • “Tu cesses le travail à la maison.” — “You stop the work at home.”
  • “Il cesse le travail ce matin.” — “He stops the work this morning.”
  • “Nous cessons le travail avec Paul.” — “We stop the work with Paul.”
  • “Vous cessez le travail.” — “You stop the work.”
  • “Ils cessent le travail tous les jours.” — “They stop the work every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai cessé le travail hier.” — “I have stopped the work yesterday.”
  • “Tu as cessé le travail la semaine dernière.” — “You have stopped the work last week.”
  • “Il a cessé le travail ce matin.” — “He has stopped the work this morning.”
  • “Nous avons cessé le travail avant la fête.” — “We have stopped the work before the party.”
  • “Vous avez cessé le travail.” — “You have stopped the work.”
  • “Ils ont cessé le travail hier.” — “They have stopped the work 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 cessais le travail à la maison.” — “I used to stop the work at home.”
  • “Tu cesseras le travail bientôt.” — “You will stop the work soon.”
  • “Il cesserait le travail avec Paul.” — “He would stop the work with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous cessions le travail tous les jours.” — “It is important that We stop the work every day.”
  • “Cesse le travail !” — “Stop the work!”

Cesser in context

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

✓ Right: “Je cesse le travail tous les jours.”

The infinitive cesser never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form cesse.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je cesses le travail.”

✓ Right: “Je cesse le travail tous les jours.”

cesses is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is cesse — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je cesse le travail hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai cessé le travail hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai cessé here, not the present cesse.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je cessons le travail.”

✓ Right: “Je cesse le travail tous les jours.”

cessons is the nous form. The je form is cesse — the two persons never share a form in the present of cesser.

Quiz: test yourself

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

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

    • A) cessons
    • B) cesses
    • C) aurais cessé
    • D) cesseras

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

    • A) avons cessé
    • B) cessasse
    • C) ai cessé
    • D) as cessé

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

    • A) cessa
    • B) cessait
    • C) cesserait
    • D) avait cessé

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

    • A) cesseront
    • B) cesseras
    • C) cesserons
    • D) cesserions

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

    • A) auras cessé
    • B) cesses
    • C) avais cessé
    • D) cesserais

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

    • A) cesserais
    • B) avais cessé
    • C) cesserai
    • D) cessai

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

    • A) avons cessé
    • B) cessions
    • C) aurions cessé
    • D) cesse

  8. What is the gerund of cesser?

    • A) en cessant
    • B) créant
    • C) terminant
    • D) apercevant

  9. What is the past participle of cesser?

    • A) lavé
    • B) cessé
    • C) arrangé
    • D) créé

  10. What does cesser mean in English?

  • A) stop
  • B) accompany
  • C) wash
  • D) comment

Answer key

  1. B) cesses — the tu form of cesser in the present indicative is cesses. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. C) ai cessé — the je form of cesser in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai cessé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. B) cessait — the il/elle form of cesser in the imperfect is cessait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. C) cesserons — the nous form of cesser in the future is cesserons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. D) cesserais — the tu form of cesser in the conditional is cesserais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. D) cessai — the je form of cesser in the passé simple is cessai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. B) cessions — the nous form of cesser in the present subjunctive is cessions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. A) en cessant — the gerund of cesser is en cessant; 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. B) cessé — the past participle of cesser is cessé; perfect tenses use avoir + cessé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. A) stop — cesser means “to stop” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does cesser mean in English?

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

Is cesser regular or irregular?

cesser is regular. cesser 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 cesser?

The gerund is en cessant and the past participle is cessé. The perfect tenses use avoir + cessé.

Where can I see the full conjugation of cesser?

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

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