Raconter Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

raconter — “to tell (a story)” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find raconter 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 raconte une histoire à mes enfants.” — “I tell a story to my children.”

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

Example sentences with raconter

In the present tense

  • “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants tous les jours.” — “I tell a story to my children.”
  • “Tu racontes une histoire à mes enfants souvent.” — “You tell a story to my children.”
  • “Il raconte une histoire à mes enfants chaque matin.” — “He tells a story to my children.”
  • “Nous racontons une histoire à mes enfants le week-end.” — “We tell a story to my children.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai raconté une histoire à mes enfants hier.” — “I have told a story to my children.”
  • “Tu as raconté une histoire à mes enfants ce matin.” — “You have told a story to my children.”
  • “Il a raconté une histoire à mes enfants la semaine dernière.” — “He has told a story to my children.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je racontais une histoire à mes enfants quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to tell a story to my children.”
  • “Nous racontions une histoire à mes enfants quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to tell a story to my children.”
  • “Tu raconteras une histoire à mes enfants demain.” — “You will tell a story to my children tomorrow.”
  • “Ils raconteront une histoire à mes enfants demain.” — “They will tell a story to my children tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je raconterais une histoire à mes enfants si je pouvais.” — “I would tell a story to my children if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.” — “It is important that I tell a story to my children.”
  • “Raconte une histoire à mes enfants !” — “Tell a story to my children!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais raconté une histoire à mes enfants avant la fête.” — “I had told a story to my children before the party.”

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

Raconter in context

Dialogue 1: every day

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

Marie: “Tu racontes une histoire à mes enfants tous les jours ?” — “You tell a story to my children.” Paul: “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants tous les jours.” — “I tell a story to my children.” Marie: “Tu as raconté une histoire à mes enfants hier ?” — “You have told a story to my children.” Paul: “J'ai raconté une histoire à mes enfants hier.” — “I have told a story to my children.” Marie: “Nous raconterons une histoire à mes enfants demain ?” — “We will tell a story to my children tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous raconterons une histoire à mes enfants demain.” — “We will tell a story to my children 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 raconterais une histoire à mes enfants si je pouvais.” — “I would tell a story to my children if I could.” Marie: “Tu racontes une histoire à mes enfants souvent ?” — “You tell a story to my children.” Paul: “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants souvent.” — “I tell a story to my children.” Marie: “Raconte une histoire à mes enfants !” — “Tell a story to my children!” Paul: “Il faut que je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.” — “It is important that I tell a story to my children.” Marie: “Nous avons raconté une histoire à mes enfants hier.” — “We have told a story to my children.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: raconte becomes racontes, racontes becomes raconte, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — raconte*, racontes, raconte, racontons, racontez, *racontent — in memory.

Common mistakes with raconter

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je raconter une histoire à mes enfants.”

Right: “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.”

The infinitive raconter never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form raconte.

Mistake 2: Confusing raconter with expliquer

Wrong: “Je raconte la leçon à mes élèves.” (meant as “expliquer”)

Right: “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.”

raconter means “to tell (a story)” and expliquer means “to explain”. 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 raconté une histoire à mes enfants.”

Right: “J'ai raconté une histoire à mes enfants.”

With raconter the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai raconté.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.”

Right: “Il faut que je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.”

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

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu raconte une histoire à mes enfants.”

Right: “Tu racontes une histoire à mes enfants.”

After tu you need racontes, not the je form raconte.

Quiz: raconter in everyday use

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

    • A) raconte
    • B) racontes
    • C) racontez
    • D) racontons

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

    • A) racontes
    • B) racontons
    • C) raconte
    • D) racontent

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

    • A) as raconté
    • B) ont raconté
    • C) avez raconté
    • D) ai raconté

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

    • A) racontait
    • B) racontions
    • C) racontaient
    • D) racontais

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

    • A) racontera
    • B) raconterai
    • C) raconterez
    • D) raconteras

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

    • A) raconterais
    • B) raconterait
    • C) raconteraient
    • D) raconteriez

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

    • A) racontes
    • B) racontions
    • C) racontent
    • D) raconte

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

    • A) racontez
    • B) racontons
    • C) aurons raconté
    • D) raconte

  9. What is the past participle of raconter?

    • A) raconte
    • B) en racontant
    • C) raconté
    • D) racontais

  10. What does raconter mean in English?

  • A) to go
  • B) to tell (a story)
  • C) to be
  • D) to have

Answer key

  1. A) raconte — the je form of raconter in the present indicative is raconte.
  2. D) racontent — the ils/elles form of raconter in the present indicative is racontent.
  3. A) as raconté — the tu form of raconter in the present perfect (passé composé) is as raconté.
  4. B) racontions — the nous form of raconter in the imperfect is racontions.
  5. A) racontera — the il/elle form of raconter in the future is racontera.
  6. A) raconterais — the je form of raconter in the conditional is raconterais.
  7. A) racontes — the tu form of raconter in the present subjunctive is racontes.
  8. D) raconte — the tu form of raconter in the imperative (affirmative) is raconte.
  9. C) raconté — the past participle of raconter is raconté; perfect tenses use avoir + raconté.
  10. B) to tell (a story) — raconter means “to tell (a story)” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does raconter mean in English?

raconter means “to tell (a story)”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants.” (“I tell a story to my children.”).

Which auxiliary does raconter take in the passé composé?

raconter takes avoir: ai raconté. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of raconter to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — raconte*, racontes, raconte, racontons, racontez, *racontent. 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 raconter?

On the full conjugation page for raconter, which has every tense, and on the raconter 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 tell a story to my children.” should become “Je raconte une histoire à mes enfants”. Then try the passé composé: “I have told a story to my children.” should become “J'ai raconté une histoire à mes enfants”. Finally, try the future: “I will tell a story to my children tomorrow.” should become “Je raconterai une histoire à mes enfants”. 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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