Consulter Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

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

Example sentences with consulter

In the present tense

  • “Je consulte le livre tous les jours.” — “I consult the book every day.”
  • “Tu consultes le livre à la maison.” — “You consult the book at home.”
  • “Il consulte le livre ce matin.” — “He consults the book this morning.”
  • “Nous consultons le livre avec Paul.” — “We consult the book with Paul.”
  • “Vous consultez le livre.” — “You consult the book.”
  • “Ils consultent le livre tous les jours.” — “They consult the book every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai consulté le livre hier.” — “I have consulted the book yesterday.”
  • “Tu as consulté le livre la semaine dernière.” — “You have consulted the book last week.”
  • “Il a consulté le livre ce matin.” — “He has consulted the book this morning.”
  • “Nous avons consulté le livre avant la fête.” — “We have consulted the book before the party.”
  • “Vous avez consulté le livre.” — “You have consulted the book.”
  • “Ils ont consulté le livre hier.” — “They have consulted the book 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 consultais le livre à la maison.” — “I used to consult the book at home.”
  • “Tu consulteras le livre bientôt.” — “You will consult the book soon.”
  • “Il consulterait le livre avec Paul.” — “He would consult the book with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous consultions le livre tous les jours.” — “It is important that We consult the book every day.”
  • “Consulte le livre !” — “Consult the book!”

Consulter in context

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

✓ Right: “Je consulte le livre tous les jours.”

The infinitive consulter never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form consulte.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je consultes le livre.”

✓ Right: “Je consulte le livre tous les jours.”

consultes is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is consulte — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je consulte le livre hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai consulté le livre hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai consulté here, not the present consulte.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je consultons le livre.”

✓ Right: “Je consulte le livre tous les jours.”

consultons is the nous form. The je form is consulte — the two persons never share a form in the present of consulter.

Quiz: test yourself

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

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

    • A) consultez
    • B) consulte
    • C) consultes
    • D) consultons

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

    • A) ai consulté
    • B) ont consulté
    • C) avons consulté
    • D) aurai consulté

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

    • A) consultais
    • B) consultaient
    • C) consulterait
    • D) consultait

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

    • A) aurions consulté
    • B) consultions
    • C) consulterons
    • D) consultera

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

    • A) consulterais
    • B) consulteriez
    • C) consulterait
    • D) consultais

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

    • A) consulterais
    • B) consultas
    • C) consultai
    • D) ai consulté

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

    • A) consultons
    • B) consultes
    • C) consultions
    • D) consulterions

  8. What is the gerund of consulter?

    • A) en consultant
    • B) battant
    • C) approchant
    • D) assistant

  9. What is the past participle of consulter?

    • A) amené
    • B) consulté
    • C) admiré
    • D) commenté

  10. What does consulter mean in English?

  • A) consult
  • B) confess
  • C) convince
  • D) build

Answer key

  1. C) consultes — the tu form of consulter in the present indicative is consultes. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. A) ai consulté — the je form of consulter in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai consulté. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. D) consultait — the il/elle form of consulter in the imperfect is consultait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. C) consulterons — the nous form of consulter in the future is consulterons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. A) consulterais — the tu form of consulter in the conditional is consulterais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. C) consultai — the je form of consulter in the passé simple is consultai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. C) consultions — the nous form of consulter in the present subjunctive is consultions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. A) en consultant — the gerund of consulter is en consultant; 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) consulté — the past participle of consulter is consulté; perfect tenses use avoir + consulté. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. A) consult — consulter means “to consult” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does consulter mean in English?

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

Is consulter regular or irregular?

consulter is regular. consulter 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 consulter?

The gerund is en consultant and the past participle is consulté. The perfect tenses use avoir + consulté.

Where can I see the full conjugation of consulter?

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

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