Dessiner Conjugation in French
dessiner means “to draw” in English, and it is one of the verbs French learners meet early — it sits at frequency rank 271 in VerbFlow’s French list. It is a non-reflexive, regular -er verb, and this page gives you its complete conjugation — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.” — “I draw the house every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: dessiner
- English: to draw
- Verb type: Non-reflexive, Regular
- Irregular in: no tense — fully regular
- Gerund: en dessinant
- Past participle: dessiné
- Auxiliary: avoir (all perfect tenses are formed with avoir + the past participle)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for dessiner, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for dessiner. Learn the present tense first, then the passé composé and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessine |
| tu | dessines |
| il/elle | dessine |
| nous | dessinons |
| vous | dessinez |
| ils/elles | dessinent |
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessinai |
| tu | dessinas |
| il/elle | dessina |
| nous | dessinâmes |
| vous | dessinâtes |
| ils/elles | dessinèrent |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessinais |
| tu | dessinais |
| il/elle | dessinait |
| nous | dessinions |
| vous | dessiniez |
| ils/elles | dessinaient |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessinerai |
| tu | dessineras |
| il/elle | dessinera |
| nous | dessinerons |
| vous | dessinerez |
| ils/elles | dessineront |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessinerais |
| tu | dessinerais |
| il/elle | dessinerait |
| nous | dessinerions |
| vous | dessineriez |
| ils/elles | dessineraient |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai dessiné |
| tu | as dessiné |
| il/elle | a dessiné |
| nous | avons dessiné |
| vous | avez dessiné |
| ils/elles | ont dessiné |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais dessiné |
| tu | avais dessiné |
| il/elle | avait dessiné |
| nous | avions dessiné |
| vous | aviez dessiné |
| ils/elles | avaient dessiné |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai dessiné |
| tu | auras dessiné |
| il/elle | aura dessiné |
| nous | aurons dessiné |
| vous | aurez dessiné |
| ils/elles | auront dessiné |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais dessiné |
| tu | aurais dessiné |
| il/elle | aurait dessiné |
| nous | aurions dessiné |
| vous | auriez dessiné |
| ils/elles | auraient dessiné |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessine |
| tu | dessines |
| il/elle | dessine |
| nous | dessinions |
| vous | dessiniez |
| ils/elles | dessinent |
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dessinasse |
| tu | dessinasses |
| il/elle | dessinât |
| nous | dessinassions |
| vous | dessinassiez |
| ils/elles | dessinassent |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dessine |
| nous | dessinons |
| vous | dessinez |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dessine |
| nous | dessinons |
| vous | dessinez |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en dessinant |
| Past participle | dessiné |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.” — “I draw the house every day.”
Passé simple
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mainly in written and literary French. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu dessinas la maison la semaine dernière.” — “You drew the house last week.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il dessinait la maison ce matin.” — “He used to draw the house this morning.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, and for predictions. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Nous dessinerons la maison.” — “We will draw the house.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Vous dessineriez la maison.” — “You would draw the house.”
Present perfect
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ils ont dessiné la maison hier.” — “They have drawn the house yesterday.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'avais dessiné la maison hier.” — “I had drawn the house yesterday.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu auras dessiné la maison la semaine prochaine.” — “You will have drawn the house next week.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il aurait dessiné la maison ce matin.” — “He would have drawn the house this morning.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il est important que nous dessinions la maison tous les jours.” — “It is important that We draw the house every day.”
Imperfect subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for the past subjunctive: wishes and hypotheticals about the past, mostly in formal and literary French. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il fallait que vous dessinassiez la maison hier.” — “It was necessary that You draw the house yesterday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Dessinez la maison !” — “Draw the house!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With dessiner this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ne dessine pas la maison !” — “Do not draw the house!”
Gerund and past participle
The gerund en dessinant is used after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. For example: “En dessinant, je commence la journée.” — “While drawwing, I start the day.” The past participle dessiné is used with avoir in the perfect tenses, as in j'ai dessiné — “I have drawn the house yesterday.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with dessiner, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “Je dessine la maison à la maison.” — “I draw the house at home.”
- “Tu dessinas la maison ce matin.” — “You drew the house this morning.”
- “Il dessinait la maison avec Paul.” — “He used to draw the house with Paul.”
- “Je dessinerai la maison demain.” — “I will draw the house tomorrow.”
- “Tu dessinerais la maison tous les jours.” — “You would draw the house every day.”
- “Il a dessiné la maison la semaine dernière.” — “He has drawn the house last week.”
- “J'avais dessiné la maison ce matin.” — “I had drawn the house this morning.”
- “Tu auras dessiné la maison demain.” — “You will have drawn the house tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il dessine la maison tous les jours.” — “It is important that He draw the house every day.”
- “Dessine la maison !” — “Draw the house!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Je dessiner la maison.”
✓ Right: “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.”
The infinitive dessiner never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form dessine.
2. Using the wrong person
✗ Wrong: “Je dessines la maison.”
✓ Right: “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.”
dessines is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is dessine — check the person before you write the form.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Je dessine la maison hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai dessiné la maison hier.”
Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai dessiné here, not the present dessine.
4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms
✗ Wrong: “Je dessinons la maison.”
✓ Right: “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.”
dessinons is the nous form. The je form is dessine — the two persons never share a form in the present of dessiner.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis dessiné la maison hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai dessiné la maison hier.”
dessiner takes avoir in the compound tenses, not être: ai dessiné, never the être form.
6. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que nous dessinons la maison.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que nous dessinions la maison.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use dessinions here, not the indicative dessinons.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on dessiner. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of dessiner in the Present indicative?
- A) aurai dessiné
- B) avais dessiné
- C) dessine
- D) dessinais
What is the il/elle form of dessiner in the Passé simple?
- A) a dessiné
- B) dessine
- C) dessina
- D) aura dessiné
What is the nous form of dessiner in the Imperfect?
- A) dessinions
- B) dessinais
- C) dessinons
- D) dessiniez
What is the tu form of dessiner in the Future?
- A) dessinerons
- B) dessines
- C) dessineras
- D) avais dessiné
What is the je form of dessiner in the Conditional?
- A) aurai dessiné
- B) dessinerais
- C) dessinerai
- D) ai dessiné
What is the il/elle form of dessiner in the Present subjunctive?
- A) dessinera
- B) a dessiné
- C) dessine
- D) dessinions
What is the nous form of dessiner in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) avez dessiné
- B) avons dessiné
- C) dessinions
- D) dessinerons
What is the gerund of dessiner?
- A) commentant
- B) arrangeant
- C) en dessinant
- D) approchant
What is the past participle of dessiner?
- A) accompagné
- B) dessiné
- C) avoué
- D) brillé
What does dessiner mean in English?
- A) beat
- B) draw
- C) accept
- D) conclude
Answer key
- C) dessine — the je form of dessiner in the present indicative is dessine. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) dessina — the il/elle form of dessiner in the passé simple is dessina. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- A) dessinions — the nous form of dessiner in the imperfect is dessinions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) dessineras — the tu form of dessiner in the future is dessineras. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) dessinerais — the je form of dessiner in the conditional is dessinerais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) dessine — the il/elle form of dessiner in the present subjunctive is dessine. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) avons dessiné — the nous form of dessiner in the present perfect (passé composé) is avons dessiné. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) en dessinant — the gerund of dessiner is en dessinant; 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.
- B) dessiné — the past participle of dessiner is dessiné; perfect tenses use avoir + dessiné. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- B) draw — dessiner means “to draw” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
How to learn this verb
Learn dessiner in three passes. First, say the present tense aloud in order — je dessine, tu dessines, il dessine, nous dessinons, vous dessinez, ils dessinent — three times, then write three sentences with the verb. Second, learn the passé composé with its auxiliary: ai dessiné shows the pattern, and the participle dessiné is the same in every perfect tense. Third, add one new tense a day, always in a sentence, and test yourself the next day before you learn the next one. A verb you can use in a sentence is learnt; a verb you can only recite is not. Use the Verb Quiz and the Verb Conjugator to check what has stuck, and compare dessiner with the other verbs in this batch on the French verbs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does dessiner mean in English?
dessiner means “to draw”. It is a non-reflexive, regular verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is dessiner regular or irregular?
dessiner is regular, and it is irregular in these tenses: none. dessiner 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 dessiner?
The gerund is en dessinant — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. The past participle is dessiné — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in j'ai dessiné.
How do I say “I draw” in French?
Say “Je dessine la maison tous les jours.” — “I draw the house every day.” The je form of the present is dessine, and it is the form you will use most often.
How do you pronounce dessiner?
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for dessiner, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Related pages
- dessiner in the present tense
- dessiner examples and quiz
- Peindre conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- Attirer conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- French verbs — the full hub of French conjugation pages.
- French irregular verbs — every common irregular French verb, grouped by pattern.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- Irregular Verb Quiz — practise dessiner with the interactive tool.
- Irregular Verb Finder — practise dessiner with the interactive tool.
- Preterite Conjugator — practise dessiner with the interactive tool.