Couper Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

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

Example sentences with couper

In the present tense

  • “Je coupe le pain tous les jours.” — “I cut the bread every day.”
  • “Tu coupes le pain à la maison.” — “You cut the bread at home.”
  • “Il coupe le pain ce matin.” — “He cuts the bread this morning.”
  • “Nous coupons le pain avec Paul.” — “We cut the bread with Paul.”
  • “Vous coupez le pain.” — “You cut the bread.”
  • “Ils coupent le pain tous les jours.” — “They cut the bread every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai coupé le pain hier.” — “I have cut the bread yesterday.”
  • “Tu as coupé le pain la semaine dernière.” — “You have cut the bread last week.”
  • “Il a coupé le pain ce matin.” — “He has cut the bread this morning.”
  • “Nous avons coupé le pain avant la fête.” — “We have cut the bread before the party.”
  • “Vous avez coupé le pain.” — “You have cut the bread.”
  • “Ils ont coupé le pain hier.” — “They have cut the bread 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 coupais le pain à la maison.” — “I used to cut the bread at home.”
  • “Tu couperas le pain bientôt.” — “You will cut the bread soon.”
  • “Il couperait le pain avec Paul.” — “He would cut the bread with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous coupions le pain tous les jours.” — “It is important that We cut the bread every day.”
  • “Coupe le pain !” — “Cut the bread!”

Couper in context

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

✓ Right: “Je coupe le pain tous les jours.”

The infinitive couper never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form coupe.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je coupes le pain.”

✓ Right: “Je coupe le pain tous les jours.”

coupes is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is coupe — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je coupe le pain hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai coupé le pain hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai coupé here, not the present coupe.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je coupons le pain.”

✓ Right: “Je coupe le pain tous les jours.”

coupons is the nous form. The je form is coupe — the two persons never share a form in the present of couper.

Quiz: test yourself

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

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

    • A) couperas
    • B) coupe
    • C) coupes
    • D) coupasses

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

    • A) coupasse
    • B) ai coupé
    • C) coupe
    • D) avais coupé

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

    • A) coupe
    • B) coupera
    • C) aurait coupé
    • D) coupait

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

    • A) coupera
    • B) couperons
    • C) coupons
    • D) couperai

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

    • A) as coupé
    • B) couperais
    • C) coupes
    • D) coupasses

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

    • A) coupai
    • B) coupas
    • C) couperais
    • D) aurais coupé

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

    • A) coupions
    • B) coupes
    • C) avons coupé
    • D) avions coupé

  8. What is the gerund of couper?

    • A) accompagnant
    • B) cassant
    • C) admirant
    • D) en coupant

  9. What is the past participle of couper?

    • A) approché
    • B) coupé
    • C) ajouté
    • D) accusé

  10. What does couper mean in English?

  • A) cut
  • B) accompany
  • C) get ready
  • D) control

Answer key

  1. C) coupes — the tu form of couper in the present indicative is coupes. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. B) ai coupé — the je form of couper in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai coupé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. D) coupait — the il/elle form of couper in the imperfect is coupait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. B) couperons — the nous form of couper in the future is couperons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. B) couperais — the tu form of couper in the conditional is couperais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. A) coupai — the je form of couper in the passé simple is coupai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. A) coupions — the nous form of couper in the present subjunctive is coupions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. D) en coupant — the gerund of couper is en coupant; 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) coupé — the past participle of couper is coupé; perfect tenses use avoir + coupé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. A) cut — couper means “to cut” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does couper mean in English?

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

Is couper regular or irregular?

couper is regular. couper 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 couper?

The gerund is en coupant and the past participle is coupé. The perfect tenses use avoir + coupé.

Where can I see the full conjugation of couper?

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

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