Comparer Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

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

Example sentences with comparer

In the present tense

  • “Je compare les livres tous les jours.” — “I compare the books every day.”
  • “Tu compares les livres à la maison.” — “You compare the books at home.”
  • “Il compare les livres ce matin.” — “He compares the books this morning.”
  • “Nous comparons les livres avec Paul.” — “We compare the books with Paul.”
  • “Vous comparez les livres.” — “You compare the books.”
  • “Ils comparent les livres tous les jours.” — “They compare the books every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai comparé les livres hier.” — “I have compared the books yesterday.”
  • “Tu as comparé les livres la semaine dernière.” — “You have compared the books last week.”
  • “Il a comparé les livres ce matin.” — “He has compared the books this morning.”
  • “Nous avons comparé les livres avant la fête.” — “We have compared the books before the party.”
  • “Vous avez comparé les livres.” — “You have compared the books.”
  • “Ils ont comparé les livres hier.” — “They have compared the books 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 comparais les livres à la maison.” — “I used to compare the books at home.”
  • “Tu compareras les livres bientôt.” — “You will compare the books soon.”
  • “Il comparerait les livres avec Paul.” — “He would compare the books with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous comparions les livres tous les jours.” — “It is important that We compare the books every day.”
  • “Compare les livres !” — “Compare the books!”

Comparer in context

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

✓ Right: “Je compare les livres tous les jours.”

The infinitive comparer never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form compare.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je compares les livres.”

✓ Right: “Je compare les livres tous les jours.”

compares is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is compare — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je compare les livres hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai comparé les livres hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai comparé here, not the present compare.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je comparons les livres.”

✓ Right: “Je compare les livres tous les jours.”

comparons is the nous form. The je form is compare — the two persons never share a form in the present of comparer.

Quiz: test yourself

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

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

    • A) compares
    • B) avais comparé
    • C) comparent
    • D) comparas

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

    • A) avez comparé
    • B) aurais comparé
    • C) comparasse
    • D) ai comparé

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

    • A) comparait
    • B) compara
    • C) comparais
    • D) aurait comparé

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

    • A) comparera
    • B) comparions
    • C) comparerons
    • D) comparâmes

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

    • A) comparasses
    • B) aurais comparé
    • C) comparerais
    • D) compareriez

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

    • A) comparas
    • B) comparai
    • C) ai comparé
    • D) aurai comparé

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

    • A) comparions
    • B) compare
    • C) comparassions
    • D) compares

  8. What is the gerund of comparer?

    • A) admirant
    • B) construisant
    • C) terminant
    • D) en comparant

  9. What is the past participle of comparer?

    • A) comparé
    • B) accompagné
    • C) contrôlé
    • D) ajouté

  10. What does comparer mean in English?

  • A) turn on
  • B) show
  • C) stop
  • D) compare

Answer key

  1. A) compares — the tu form of comparer in the present indicative is compares. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. D) ai comparé — the je form of comparer in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai comparé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. A) comparait — the il/elle form of comparer in the imperfect is comparait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. C) comparerons — the nous form of comparer in the future is comparerons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. C) comparerais — the tu form of comparer in the conditional is comparerais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. B) comparai — the je form of comparer in the passé simple is comparai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. A) comparions — the nous form of comparer in the present subjunctive is comparions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. D) en comparant — the gerund of comparer is en comparant; 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) comparé — the past participle of comparer is comparé; perfect tenses use avoir + comparé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. D) compare — comparer means “to compare” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does comparer mean in English?

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

Is comparer regular or irregular?

comparer is regular. comparer 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 comparer?

The gerund is en comparant and the past participle is comparé. The perfect tenses use avoir + comparé.

Where can I see the full conjugation of comparer?

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

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