Coûter Present Tense Conjugation in French

The present tense of coûter — “to cost” — is the form you need for habits, facts and what is happening now. This page gives you the complete present tense table for coûter, how it is formed, when to use it, the mistakes learners make with it, and a quiz to check yourself. The first example shows it in action: “Il coûte dix euros au marché.” — “It costs ten euros at the market.”

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

Present Tense conjugation of coûter

Every form in the table below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for coûter. coûter is a regular -er verb, so you can build the present tense from the regular endings once you know the stem.

Present indicative — coûter

Person Form
je coûte
tu coûtes
il/elle coûte
nous coûtons
vous coûtez
ils/elles coûtent

The gerund of coûter is en coûtant and the past participle is coûté. You need the participle for the perfect tenses and the gerund for constructions with en.

How the present tense of coûter is formed

For a regular -er verb, the present tense is built on the stem coût- (the infinitive coûter without its -er ending) plus the present tense endings: je → coûte, tu → coûtes, il/elle → coûte, nous → coûtons, vous → coûtez, ils/elles → coûtent. So coûter gives coûte, coûtes, coûte, coûtons, coûtez, coûtent.

When to use the present tense of coûter

1. Habits and routines

Use the present tense for habits and routines. For example, with coûter: “Je coûte dix euros au marché tous les jours.” — “I cost ten euros at the market.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

2. General truths and facts

Use the present tense for general truths and facts. For example, with coûter: “Tu coûtes dix euros au marché en général.” — “You cost ten euros at the market.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

3. What is happening right now

Use the present tense for what is happening right now. For example, with coûter: “Il coûte dix euros au marché maintenant.” — “It costs ten euros at the market.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

4. Scheduled plans and the near future

Use the present tense for scheduled plans and the near future. For example, with coûter: “Nous coûtons dix euros au marché demain.” — “We cost ten euros at the market.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

5. Narration and instructions

Use the present tense for narration and instructions. For example, with coûter: “Ils coûtent dix euros au marché souvent.” — “They cost ten euros at the market.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.

Present vs future: coûter now, coûter later

The present and the future both talk about things that have not happened yet in one sense, but they are not interchangeable. The present is for what is true now or already fixed; the future is for what will happen and is not yet certain. Compare the pairs below — the present form comes from this page, the future form from the full conjugation table.

  • Present Tense: “Je coûte dix euros au marché tous les jours.” — “I cost ten euros at the market.”

  • Future: “Je coûterai dix euros au marché demain.” — “I will cost ten euros at the market tomorrow.”

  • Present Tense: “Tu coûtes dix euros au marché maintenant.” — “You cost ten euros at the market.”

  • Future: “Tu coûteras dix euros au marché demain.” — “You will cost ten euros at the market tomorrow.”

  • Present Tense: “Nous coûtons dix euros au marché en classe.” — “We cost ten euros at the market.”

  • Future: “Nous coûterons dix euros au marché demain.” — “We will cost ten euros at the market tomorrow.”

Example sentences: coûter in the present tense

Six sentences using only the present tense of coûter, with English translations. Read them aloud — saying the forms is the fastest way to fix them in memory.

  • “Je coûte dix euros au marché tous les jours.” — “I cost ten euros at the market.”
  • “Tu coûtes dix euros au marché chaque matin.” — “You cost ten euros at the market.”
  • “Il coûte dix euros au marché souvent.” — “It costs ten euros at the market.”
  • “Nous coûtons dix euros au marché maintenant.” — “We cost ten euros at the market.”
  • “Vous coûtez dix euros au marché en général.” — “You cost ten euros at the market.”
  • “Ils coûtent dix euros au marché le week-end.” — “They cost ten euros at the market.”

Common mistakes with coûter in the present tense

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of the present

Wrong: “Je coûter dix euros au marché.”

Right: “Je coûte dix euros au marché.”

The infinitive never takes a subject; use the conjugated form coûte.

Mistake 2: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu coûte dix euros au marché.”

Right: “Tu coûtes dix euros au marché.”

After tu you need coûtes, not the je form coûte. Each person has its own ending.

Mistake 3: Using the future for a habit

Wrong: “Je coûterai dix euros au marché.” (for something you do every day)

Right: “Je coûte dix euros au marché tous les jours.”

A habit takes the present, not the future. The future (coûterai) is for what will happen.

Mistake 4: Using the passé composé for a habit

Wrong: “J'ai coûté dix euros au marché tous les jours.” (for a daily habit)

Right: “Je coûte dix euros au marché tous les jours.”

A daily habit takes the present. The passé composé is for finished events.

Quiz: coûter in the present tense

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

    • A) coûtez
    • B) coûtes
    • C) coûte
    • D) coûtent

  2. What is the tu form of coûter in the Present indicative?

    • A) coûtes
    • B) coûtez
    • C) coûtent
    • D) coûte

  3. What is the il/elle form of coûter in the Present indicative?

    • A) coûtent
    • B) coûte
    • C) coûtez
    • D) coûtons

  4. What is the nous form of coûter in the Present indicative?

    • A) coûte
    • B) coûtons
    • C) coûtez
    • D) coûtent

  5. What is the vous form of coûter in the Present indicative?

    • A) coûtez
    • B) coûte
    • C) coûtes
    • D) coûtent

  6. What is the ils/elles form of coûter in the Present indicative?

    • A) coûte
    • B) coûtent
    • C) coûtons
    • D) coûtes

  7. What is the gerund of coûter?

    • A) coûte
    • B) en coûtant
    • C) coûté
    • D) coûterai

  8. What does coûter mean in English?

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

Answer key

  1. C) coûte — the je form of coûter in the present indicative is coûte.
  2. A) coûtes — the tu form of coûter in the present indicative is coûtes.
  3. B) coûte — the il/elle form of coûter in the present indicative is coûte.
  4. B) coûtons — the nous form of coûter in the present indicative is coûtons.
  5. A) coûtez — the vous form of coûter in the present indicative is coûtez.
  6. B) coûtent — the ils/elles form of coûter in the present indicative is coûtent.
  7. B) en coûtant — the gerund of coûter is en coûtant.
  8. C) to cost — coûter means “to cost” in English.

Frequently asked questions

How is the present tense of coûter formed?

From the stem plus the present endings — the full table is at the top of this page. The je form is coûte and the ils form is coûtent.

When do I use the present tense of coûter?

Use it for habits, facts and things happening now. The five usage rules above, with examples, cover the situations you will meet most often.

What is the difference between the present tense and the future?

The present is for what is true now or happens regularly (coûte), while the future is for what will happen (coûterai). The contrast section above shows three pairs side by side.

Where can I see the full conjugation of coûter?

On the full conjugation page for coûter, which has every tense, plus examples and a longer quiz. The examples and quiz page has more sentences in context.

Practice drill

Say the six present tense forms of coûter in order, without looking: coûte, coûtes, coûte, coûtons, coûtez, coûtent. Then write three sentences of your own — one about today, one about yesterday, one about tomorrow — using coûte, ai coûté and coûterai. Check every form against the table above. When you can produce all six persons without looking, move on to the examples and quiz page.

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