Détester Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

détester — “to hate” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find détester in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short dialogues 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. A first sentence to fix the verb in your memory: “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver.” — “I hate the cold of winter.”

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

Example sentences with détester

In the present tense

• “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver tous les jours.” — “I hate the cold of winter.”
• “Tu détestes le froid de l’hiver souvent.” — “You hate the cold of winter.”
• “Il déteste le froid de l’hiver chaque matin.” — “He hates the cold of winter.”
• “Nous détestons le froid de l’hiver le week-end.” — “We hate the cold of winter.”

In the passé composé

• “J'ai détesté le froid de l’hiver hier.” — “I have hated the cold of winter.”
• “Tu as détesté le froid de l’hiver ce matin.” — “You have hated the cold of winter.”
• “Il a détesté le froid de l’hiver la semaine dernière.” — “He has hated the cold of winter.”

In the imperfect and the future

• “Je détestais le froid de l’hiver quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to hate the cold of winter.”
• “Nous détestions le froid de l’hiver quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to hate the cold of winter.”
• “Tu détesteras le froid de l’hiver demain.” — “You will hate the cold of winter tomorrow.”
• “Ils détesteront le froid de l’hiver demain.” — “They will hate the cold of winter tomorrow.”

In other tenses

• “Je détesterais le froid de l’hiver si je pouvais.” — “I would hate the cold of winter if I could.”
• “Il faut que je déteste le froid de l’hiver.” — “It is important that I hate the cold of winter.”
• “Déteste le froid de l’hiver !” — “Hate the cold of winter!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais détesté le froid de l’hiver avant la fête.” — “I had hated the cold of winter before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en détestant and the past participle is détesté; the perfect tenses use avoir + détesté, as in ai détesté.

Détester in context

Dialogue 1: every day

Marie and Paul talk about what they do every day. Notice how détester changes with the person, and how the passé composé appears when they talk about yesterday.

Marie: “Tu détestes le froid de l’hiver tous les jours ?” — “You hate the cold of winter.” Paul: “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver tous les jours.” — “I hate the cold of winter.” Marie: “Tu as détesté le froid de l’hiver hier ?” — “You have hated the cold of winter.” Paul: “J'ai détesté le froid de l’hiver hier.” — “I have hated the cold of winter.” Marie: “Nous détesterons le froid de l’hiver demain ?” — “We will hate the cold of winter tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous détesterons le froid de l’hiver demain.” — “We will hate the cold of winter tomorrow.”

Dialogue 2: making plans

Paul and Marie make plans for the weekend. The conditional appears for polite suggestions, and the imperative for a direct request.

Paul: “Je détesterais le froid de l’hiver si je pouvais.” — “I would hate the cold of winter if I could.” Marie: “Tu détestes le froid de l’hiver souvent ?” — “You hate the cold of winter.” Paul: “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver souvent.” — “I hate the cold of winter.” Marie: “Déteste le froid de l’hiver !” — “Hate the cold of winter!” Paul: “Il faut que je déteste le froid de l’hiver.” — “It is important that I hate the cold of winter.” Marie: “Nous avons détesté le froid de l’hiver hier.” — “We have hated the cold of winter.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: déteste becomes détestes, détestes becomes déteste, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — déteste*, détestes, déteste, détestons, détestez, *détestent — in memory.

Common mistakes with détester

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je détester le froid de l’hiver.”

Right: “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver.”

The infinitive détester never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form déteste.

Mistake 2: Confusing détester with adorer

Wrong: “Je déteste le chocolat noir.” (meant as “adorer”)

Right: “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver.”

détester means “to hate” and adorer means “to adore”. They appear in similar situations, but they are different actions — check the meaning before you choose the verb.

Mistake 3: Using être for the passé composé

Wrong: “Je suis détesté le froid de l’hiver.”

Right: “J'ai détesté le froid de l’hiver.”

With détester the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai détesté.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je déteste le froid de l’hiver.”

Right: “Il faut que je déteste le froid de l’hiver.”

After il faut que French needs the subjunctive: déteste, not the indicative déteste.

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu déteste le froid de l’hiver.”

Right: “Tu détestes le froid de l’hiver.”

After tu you need détestes, not the je form déteste.

Quiz: détester in everyday use

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

   • A) détestes
   • B) détestent
   • C) détestez
   • D) déteste

2. What is the ils/elles form of détester in the Present indicative?

   • A) détestes
   • B) déteste
   • C) détestons
   • D) détestent

3. What is the tu form of détester in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

   • A) ont détesté
   • B) as détesté
   • C) a détesté
   • D) ai détesté

4. What is the nous form of détester in the Imperfect?

   • A) détestais
   • B) détestiez
   • C) détestions
   • D) détestait

5. What is the il/elle form of détester in the Future?

   • A) détesterons
   • B) détesterez
   • C) détestera
   • D) détesterai

6. What is the je form of détester in the Conditional?

   • A) détesteraient
   • B) détesterait
   • C) détesteriez
   • D) détesterais

7. What is the tu form of détester in the Present subjunctive?

   • A) détestes
   • B) détestent
   • C) déteste
   • D) détestions

8. What is the tu form of détester in the Imperative (affirmative)?

   • A) aurais détesté
   • B) détestons
   • C) déteste
   • D) détestez

9. What is the past participle of détester?

   • A) en détestant
   • B) détestais
   • C) détesté
   • D) déteste

10. What does détester mean in English?

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

Answer key

1. D) déteste — the je form of détester in the present indicative is déteste.
2. D) détestent — the ils/elles form of détester in the present indicative is détestent.
3. B) as détesté — the tu form of détester in the present perfect (passé composé) is as détesté.
4. C) détestions — the nous form of détester in the imperfect is détestions.
5. C) détestera — the il/elle form of détester in the future is détestera.
6. D) détesterais — the je form of détester in the conditional is détesterais.
7. A) détestes — the tu form of détester in the present subjunctive is détestes.
8. C) déteste — the tu form of détester in the imperative (affirmative) is déteste.
9. C) détesté — the past participle of détester is détesté; perfect tenses use avoir + détesté.
10. A) to hate — détester means “to hate” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does détester mean in English?

détester means “to hate”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver.” (“I hate the cold of winter.”).

Which auxiliary does détester take in the passé composé?

détester takes avoir: ai détesté. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of détester to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — déteste*, détestes, déteste, détestons, détestez, *détestent. Say them in order every day, and use the dialogues above to practise them in real sentences.

Where can I see the full conjugation of détester?

On the full conjugation page for détester, which has every tense, and on the détester present page, which goes deep on one tense.

Say it yourself

Cover the French sentences above and translate the English back into French. Start with the present tense: “I hate the cold of winter.” should become “Je déteste le froid de l’hiver”. Then try the passé composé: “I have hated the cold of winter.” should become “J'ai détesté le froid de l’hiver”. Finally, try the future: “I will hate the cold of winter tomorrow.” should become “Je détesterai le froid de l’hiver”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

Related pages

• détester in the present tense — the full table and uses for this verb in the present tense.
• détester examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
• French verbs — the full hub of French conjugation pages.
• French present tense guide — how this tense works for regular verbs.
• Adorer conjugation — another French verb to practise with.
• Preferer conjugation — another French verb to practise with.
• Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
• Verb Conjugator — practise détester with the interactive tool.
• Verb Quiz — practise détester with the interactive tool.
• Present Tense Conjugator — practise the present tense with the interactive tool.
• VerbFlow home — back to the start.