Enlever Conjugation in French
enlever means “to remove” in English, and it is one of the verbs French learners meet early — it sits at frequency rank 303 in VerbFlow’s French list. It is a non-reflexive, irregular, grave-accent (é → è) spelling change -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: “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.” — “I remove the box every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: enlever
- English: to remove
- Verb type: Non-reflexive, Irregular, grave-accent (é → è) spelling change
- Irregular in: present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative
- Gerund: en enlevant
- Past participle: enlevé
- 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 enlever, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for enlever. 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 | enlève |
| tu | enlèves |
| il/elle | enlève |
| nous | enlevons |
| vous | enlevez |
| ils/elles | enlèvent |
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlevai |
| tu | enlevas |
| il/elle | enleva |
| nous | enlevâmes |
| vous | enlevâtes |
| ils/elles | enlevèrent |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlevais |
| tu | enlevais |
| il/elle | enlevait |
| nous | enlevions |
| vous | enleviez |
| ils/elles | enlevaient |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlèverai |
| tu | enlèveras |
| il/elle | enlèvera |
| nous | enlèverons |
| vous | enlèverez |
| ils/elles | enlèveront |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlèverais |
| tu | enlèverais |
| il/elle | enlèverait |
| nous | enlèverions |
| vous | enlèveriez |
| ils/elles | enlèveraient |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai enlevé |
| tu | as enlevé |
| il/elle | a enlevé |
| nous | avons enlevé |
| vous | avez enlevé |
| ils/elles | ont enlevé |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais enlevé |
| tu | avais enlevé |
| il/elle | avait enlevé |
| nous | avions enlevé |
| vous | aviez enlevé |
| ils/elles | avaient enlevé |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai enlevé |
| tu | auras enlevé |
| il/elle | aura enlevé |
| nous | aurons enlevé |
| vous | aurez enlevé |
| ils/elles | auront enlevé |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais enlevé |
| tu | aurais enlevé |
| il/elle | aurait enlevé |
| nous | aurions enlevé |
| vous | auriez enlevé |
| ils/elles | auraient enlevé |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlève |
| tu | enlèves |
| il/elle | enlève |
| nous | enlevions |
| vous | enleviez |
| ils/elles | enlèvent |
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | enlevasse |
| tu | enlevasses |
| il/elle | enlevât |
| nous | enlevassions |
| vous | enlevassiez |
| ils/elles | enlevassent |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | enlève |
| nous | enlevons |
| vous | enlevez |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | enlève |
| nous | enlevons |
| vous | enlevez |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en enlevant |
| Past participle | enlevé |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With enlever this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.” — “I remove the box every day.”
Passé simple
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mainly in written and literary French. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu enlevas la boîte la semaine dernière.” — “You removed the box last week.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il enlevait la boîte ce matin.” — “He used to remove the box this morning.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, and for predictions. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Nous enlèverons la boîte.” — “We will remove the box.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Vous enlèveriez la boîte.” — “You would remove the box.”
Present perfect
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ils ont enlevé la boîte hier.” — “They have removed the box yesterday.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'avais enlevé la boîte hier.” — “I had removed the box yesterday.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu auras enlevé la boîte la semaine prochaine.” — “You will have removed the box next week.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il aurait enlevé la boîte ce matin.” — “He would have removed the box this morning.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With enlever this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Il est important que nous enlevions la boîte tous les jours.” — “It is important that We remove the box 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 enlever this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il fallait que vous enlevassiez la boîte hier.” — “It was necessary that You remove the box yesterday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With enlever this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Enlevez la boîte !” — “Remove the box!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With enlever this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ne enlève pas la boîte !” — “Do not remove the box!”
Gerund and past participle
The gerund en enlevant is used after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. For example: “En enlevant, je commence la journée.” — “While removing, I start the day.” The past participle enlevé is used with avoir in the perfect tenses, as in j'ai enlevé — “I have removed the box yesterday.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with enlever, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “J'enlève la boîte à la maison.” — “I remove the box at home.”
- “Tu enlevas la boîte ce matin.” — “You removed the box this morning.”
- “Il enlevait la boîte avec Paul.” — “He used to remove the box with Paul.”
- “J'enlèverai la boîte demain.” — “I will remove the box tomorrow.”
- “Tu enlèverais la boîte tous les jours.” — “You would remove the box every day.”
- “Il a enlevé la boîte la semaine dernière.” — “He has removed the box last week.”
- “J'avais enlevé la boîte ce matin.” — “I had removed the box this morning.”
- “Tu auras enlevé la boîte demain.” — “You will have removed the box tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il enlève la boîte tous les jours.” — “It is important that He remove the box every day.”
- “Enlève la boîte !” — “Remove the box!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Je enlever la boîte.”
✓ Right: “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.”
The infinitive enlever never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form enlève.
2. Using the wrong person
✗ Wrong: “Je enlèves la boîte.”
✓ Right: “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.”
enlèves is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is enlève — check the person before you write the form.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “J'enlève la boîte hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai enlevé la boîte hier.”
Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai enlevé here, not the present enlève.
4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms
✗ Wrong: “Je enlevons la boîte.”
✓ Right: “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.”
enlever is a grave-e verb: the stem vowel e becomes è in the stressed forms of the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative — for example je enlève against nous enlevons, which keeps e. The future and conditional keep the è on the stem as well: je enlèverai. Learn the è forms as a set; the rest of the verb follows the regular -er pattern.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis enlevé la boîte hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai enlevé la boîte hier.”
enlever takes avoir in the compound tenses, not être: ai enlevé, never the être form.
6. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que nous enlevons la boîte.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que nous enlevions la boîte.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use enlevions here, not the indicative enlevons.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on enlever. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of enlever in the Present indicative?
- A) enlevai
- B) enlève
- C) enlevais
- D) aurai enlevé
What is the il/elle form of enlever in the Passé simple?
- A) enlevât
- B) enlève
- C) enlevas
- D) enleva
What is the nous form of enlever in the Imperfect?
- A) aurions enlevé
- B) enlèverons
- C) enlevions
- D) enlevons
What is the tu form of enlever in the Future?
- A) aurais enlevé
- B) enlevas
- C) enlèveras
- D) enlevasses
What is the je form of enlever in the Conditional?
- A) enlève
- B) enlèveriez
- C) enlèverais
- D) ai enlevé
What is the il/elle form of enlever in the Present subjunctive?
- A) aurait enlevé
- B) enlevait
- C) enleviez
- D) enlève
What is the nous form of enlever in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) enlevassions
- B) enlevâmes
- C) as enlevé
- D) avons enlevé
What is the gerund of enlever?
- A) calmant
- B) en enlevant
- C) commentant
- D) ajoutant
What is the past participle of enlever?
- A) conclu
- B) éteint
- C) enlevé
- D) brillé
What does enlever mean in English?
- A) cut
- B) attract
- C) remove
- D) lower
Answer key
- B) enlève — the je form of enlever in the present indicative is enlève. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) enleva — the il/elle form of enlever in the passé simple is enleva. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) enlevions — the nous form of enlever in the imperfect is enlevions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) enlèveras — the tu form of enlever in the future is enlèveras. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) enlèverais — the je form of enlever in the conditional is enlèverais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) enlève — the il/elle form of enlever in the present subjunctive is enlève. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) avons enlevé — the nous form of enlever in the present perfect (passé composé) is avons enlevé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) en enlevant — the gerund of enlever is en enlevant; 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.
- C) enlevé — the past participle of enlever is enlevé; perfect tenses use avoir + enlevé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- C) remove — enlever means “to remove” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
How to learn this verb
Learn enlever in three passes. First, say the present tense aloud in order — j'enlève, tu enlèves, il enlève, nous enlevons, vous enlevez, ils enlèvent — three times, then write three sentences with the verb. Second, learn the passé composé with its auxiliary: ai enlevé shows the pattern, and the participle enlevé 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 enlever with the other verbs in this batch on the French verbs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does enlever mean in English?
enlever means “to remove”. It is a non-reflexive, irregular, grave-accent (é → è) spelling change verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is enlever regular or irregular?
enlever is irregular, and it is irregular in these tenses: present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. enlever is a grave-e verb: the stem vowel e becomes è in the stressed forms of the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative — for example je enlève against nous enlevons, which keeps e. The future and conditional keep the è on the stem as well: je enlèverai. Learn the è forms as a set; the rest of the verb follows the regular -er pattern.
What are the gerund and past participle of enlever?
The gerund is en enlevant — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. The past participle is enlevé — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in j'ai enlevé.
How do I say “I remove” in French?
Say “J'enlève la boîte tous les jours.” — “I remove the box every day.” The je form of the present is enlève, and it is the form you will use most often.
How do you pronounce enlever?
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for enlever, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Related pages
- enlever in the present tense
- enlever examples and quiz
- Allumer conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- Admettre 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.
- Present Tense Conjugator — practise enlever with the interactive tool.
- Passive Voice Builder — practise enlever with the interactive tool.
- Irregular Verb Finder — practise enlever with the interactive tool.