Naître Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

naître — “to be born” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find naître 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: “Il naît en France.” — “He is born in France.”

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

Example sentences with naître

In the present tense

  • “Je naîs en France tous les jours.” — “I am born in France.”
  • “Tu naîs en France souvent.” — “You are born in France.”
  • “Il naît en France chaque matin.” — “He is born in France.”
  • “Nous naissons en France le week-end.” — “We are born in France.”

In the passé composé

  • “Je suis né en France hier.” — “I was born in France yesterday.”
  • “Tu es né en France ce matin.” — “You were born in France yesterday.”
  • “Il est né en France la semaine dernière.” — “He was born in France yesterday.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je naissais en France quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to be born in France.”
  • “Nous naissions en France quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to be born in France.”
  • “Tu naîtras en France demain.” — “You will be born in France tomorrow.”
  • “Ils naîtront en France demain.” — “They will be born in France tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je naîtrais en France si je pouvais.” — “I would be born in France if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je naisse en France.” — “It is important that I be born in France.”
  • “Nais en France !” — “Be born in France!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'étais né en France avant la fête.” — “I had been born in France before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en naissant and the past participle is né; the perfect tenses use être + né, as in suis né.

Naître in context

Dialogue 1: every day

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

Marie: “Tu naîs en France tous les jours ?” — “You are born in France.” Paul: “Je naîs en France tous les jours.” — “I am born in France.” Marie: “Tu es né en France hier ?” — “You were born in France yesterday.” Paul: “Je suis né en France hier.” — “I was born in France yesterday.” Marie: “Nous naîtrons en France demain ?” — “We will be born in France tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous naîtrons en France demain.” — “We will be born in France 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 naîtrais en France si je pouvais.” — “I would be born in France if I could.” Marie: “Tu naîs en France souvent ?” — “You are born in France.” Paul: “Je naîs en France souvent.” — “I am born in France.” Marie: “Nais en France !” — “Be born in France!” Paul: “Il faut que je naisse en France.” — “It is important that I be born in France.” Marie: “Nous sommes né en France hier.” — “We were born in France yesterday.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: naîs becomes naîs, naîs becomes naît, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — naîs*, naîs, naît, naissons, naissez, *naissent — in memory.

Common mistakes with naître

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je naître en France.”

Right: “Je naîs en France.”

The infinitive naître never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form naîs.

Mistake 2: Confusing naître with mourir

Wrong: “Je naîs de rire.” (meant as “mourir”)

Right: “Je naîs en France.”

naître means “to be born” and mourir means “to die”. They appear in similar situations, but they are different actions — check the meaning before you choose the verb.

Mistake 3: Treating naître as a regular verb

Wrong: “Je naîte en France.” (a guessed regular form)

Right: “Je naîs en France.”

naître is irregular — its present and other tenses do not follow the regular endings, so they have to be memorised as a set.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je naîs en France.”

Right: “Il faut que je naisse en France.”

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

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu naîs en France.”

Right: “Tu naîs en France.”

After tu you need naîs, not the je form naîs.

Quiz: naître in everyday use

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

    • A) naissons
    • B) naissez
    • C) naîs
    • D) naissent

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

    • A) naissez
    • B) naîs
    • C) naît
    • D) naissent

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

    • A) suis né
    • B) es né
    • C) êtes né
    • D) est né

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

    • A) naissaient
    • B) naissions
    • C) naissais
    • D) naissait

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

    • A) naîtra
    • B) naîtront
    • C) naîtras
    • D) naîtrons

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

    • A) naîtrais
    • B) naîtrait
    • C) naîtrions
    • D) naîtraient

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

    • A) naisse
    • B) naisses
    • C) naissions
    • D) naissent

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

    • A) nais
    • B) serai né
    • C) naissons
    • D) naissez

  9. What is the past participle of naître?

    • A) en naissant
    • B) naissais
    • C) naîs
    • D) né

  10. What does naître mean in English?

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

Answer key

  1. C) naîs — the je form of naître in the present indicative is naîs.
  2. D) naissent — the ils/elles form of naître in the present indicative is naissent.
  3. B) es né — the tu form of naître in the present perfect (passé composé) is es né.
  4. B) naissions — the nous form of naître in the imperfect is naissions.
  5. A) naîtra — the il/elle form of naître in the future is naîtra.
  6. A) naîtrais — the je form of naître in the conditional is naîtrais.
  7. B) naisses — the tu form of naître in the present subjunctive is naisses.
  8. A) nais — the tu form of naître in the imperative (affirmative) is nais.
  9. D) né — the past participle of naître is né; perfect tenses use être + né.
  10. C) to be born — naître means “to be born” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does naître mean in English?

naître means “to be born”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Il naît en France.” (“He is born in France.”).

Which auxiliary does naître take in the passé composé?

naître takes être: suis né. Because the auxiliary is être, the participle agrees with the subject in gender and number.

What is the hardest form of naître to remember?

Most learners struggle with the irregular forms — for example the present naîs and the passé composé suis né. Practise those two first, then add the subjunctive naisse.

Where can I see the full conjugation of naître?

On the full conjugation page for naître, which has every tense, and on the naître passé composé 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 am born in France.” should become “Je naîs en France”. Then try the passé composé: “I was born in France yesterday.” should become “Je suis né en France”. Finally, try the future: “I will be born in France tomorrow.” should become “Je naîtrai en France”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

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