Réfléchir Present Tense Conjugation in French
The present tense of réfléchir — “to think, to reflect” — is the form you need for habits, facts and what is happening now. This page gives you the complete present tense table for réfléchir, how it is formed, when to use it, the mistakes learners make with it, and a quiz to check yourself. The first example shows it in action: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre.” — “I think for a long time before answering.”
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for réfléchir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Present Tense conjugation of réfléchir
Every form in the table below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for réfléchir. réfléchir is a regular -ir verb, so you can build the present tense from the regular endings once you know the stem.
Present indicative — réfléchir
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | réfléchis |
| tu | réfléchis |
| il/elle | réfléchit |
| nous | réfléchissons |
| vous | réfléchissez |
| ils/elles | réfléchissent |
The gerund of réfléchir is en réfléchissant and the past participle is réfléchi. You need the participle for the perfect tenses and the gerund for constructions with en.
How the present tense of réfléchir is formed
For a regular -ir verb, the present tense is built on the stem réfléch- (the infinitive réfléchir without its -ir ending) plus the present tense endings: je → réfléchis, tu → réfléchis, il/elle → réfléchit, nous → réfléchissons, vous → réfléchissez, ils/elles → réfléchissent. So réfléchir gives réfléchis, réfléchis, réfléchit, réfléchissons, réfléchissez, réfléchissent.
When to use the present tense of réfléchir
1. Habits and routines
Use the present tense for habits and routines. For example, with réfléchir: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.” — “I think for a long time before answering.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.
2. General truths and facts
Use the present tense for general truths and facts. For example, with réfléchir: “Tu réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre en général.” — “You think for a long time before answering.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.
3. What is happening right now
Use the present tense for what is happening right now. For example, with réfléchir: “Il réfléchit longtemps avant de répondre maintenant.” — “He thinks for a long time before answering.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.
4. Scheduled plans and the near future
Use the present tense for scheduled plans and the near future. For example, with réfléchir: “Nous réfléchissons longtemps avant de répondre demain.” — “We think for a long time before answering.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.
5. Narration and instructions
Use the present tense for narration and instructions. For example, with réfléchir: “Ils réfléchissent longtemps avant de répondre souvent.” — “They think for a long time before answering.” Notice how the time expression and the context, not just the verb form, tell you which rule applies.
Present vs future: réfléchir now, réfléchir later
The present and the future both talk about things that have not happened yet in one sense, but they are not interchangeable. The present is for what is true now or already fixed; the future is for what will happen and is not yet certain. Compare the pairs below — the present form comes from this page, the future form from the full conjugation table.
Present Tense: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.” — “I think for a long time before answering.”
Future: “Je réfléchirai longtemps avant de répondre demain.” — “I will think for a long time before answering tomorrow.”
Present Tense: “Tu réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre maintenant.” — “You think for a long time before answering.”
Future: “Tu réfléchiras longtemps avant de répondre demain.” — “You will think for a long time before answering tomorrow.”
Present Tense: “Nous réfléchissons longtemps avant de répondre en classe.” — “We think for a long time before answering.”
Future: “Nous réfléchirons longtemps avant de répondre demain.” — “We will think for a long time before answering tomorrow.”
Example sentences: réfléchir in the present tense
Six sentences using only the present tense of réfléchir, with English translations. Read them aloud — saying the forms is the fastest way to fix them in memory.
- “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.” — “I think for a long time before answering.”
- “Tu réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre chaque matin.” — “You think for a long time before answering.”
- “Il réfléchit longtemps avant de répondre souvent.” — “He thinks for a long time before answering.”
- “Nous réfléchissons longtemps avant de répondre maintenant.” — “We think for a long time before answering.”
- “Vous réfléchissez longtemps avant de répondre en général.” — “You think for a long time before answering.”
- “Ils réfléchissent longtemps avant de répondre le week-end.” — “They think for a long time before answering.”
Common mistakes with réfléchir in the present tense
Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of the present
Wrong: “Je réfléchir longtemps avant de répondre.”
Right: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre.”
The infinitive never takes a subject; use the conjugated form réfléchis.
Mistake 2: Mixing up the persons
Wrong: “Tu réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre.”
Right: “Tu réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre.”
After tu you need réfléchis, not the je form réfléchis. Each person has its own ending.
Mistake 3: Using the future for a habit
Wrong: “Je réfléchirai longtemps avant de répondre.” (for something you do every day)
Right: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.”
A habit takes the present, not the future. The future (réfléchirai) is for what will happen.
Mistake 4: Using the passé composé for a habit
Wrong: “J'ai réfléchi longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.” (for a daily habit)
Right: “Je réfléchis longtemps avant de répondre tous les jours.”
A daily habit takes the present. The passé composé is for finished events.
Quiz: réfléchir in the present tense
What is the je form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchit
- B) réfléchissent
- C) réfléchissez
- D) réfléchis
What is the tu form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchit
- B) réfléchissent
- C) réfléchissez
- D) réfléchis
What is the il/elle form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchissent
- B) réfléchissez
- C) réfléchis
- D) réfléchit
What is the nous form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchissons
- B) réfléchis
- C) réfléchissent
- D) réfléchit
What is the vous form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchissez
- B) réfléchis
- C) réfléchissent
- D) réfléchit
What is the ils/elles form of réfléchir in the Present indicative?
- A) réfléchissez
- B) réfléchis
- C) réfléchissent
- D) réfléchit
What is the gerund of réfléchir?
- A) réfléchirai
- B) réfléchi
- C) réfléchis
- D) en réfléchissant
What does réfléchir mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to go
- D) to think, to reflect
Answer key
- D) réfléchis — the je form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchis.
- D) réfléchis — the tu form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchis.
- D) réfléchit — the il/elle form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchit.
- A) réfléchissons — the nous form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchissons.
- A) réfléchissez — the vous form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchissez.
- C) réfléchissent — the ils/elles form of réfléchir in the present indicative is réfléchissent.
- D) en réfléchissant — the gerund of réfléchir is en réfléchissant.
- D) to think, to reflect — réfléchir means “to think, to reflect” in English.
Frequently asked questions
How is the present tense of réfléchir formed?
From the stem plus the present endings — the full table is at the top of this page. The je form is réfléchis and the ils form is réfléchissent.
When do I use the present tense of réfléchir?
Use it for habits, facts and things happening now. The five usage rules above, with examples, cover the situations you will meet most often.
What is the difference between the present tense and the future?
The present is for what is true now or happens regularly (réfléchis), while the future is for what will happen (réfléchirai). The contrast section above shows three pairs side by side.
Where can I see the full conjugation of réfléchir?
On the full conjugation page for réfléchir, which has every tense, plus examples and a longer quiz. The examples and quiz page has more sentences in context.
Practice drill
Say the six present tense forms of réfléchir in order, without looking: réfléchis, réfléchis, réfléchit, réfléchissons, réfléchissez, réfléchissent. Then write three sentences of your own — one about today, one about yesterday, one about tomorrow — using réfléchis, ai réfléchi and réfléchirai. Check every form against the table above. When you can produce all six persons without looking, move on to the examples and quiz page.
Related pages
- réfléchir in the present tense — the full table and uses for this verb in the present tense.
- réfléchir 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.
- Imaginer conjugation — another French verb to practise with.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- Verb Conjugator — practise réfléchir with the interactive tool.
- Verb Quiz — practise réfléchir with the interactive tool.
- Present Tense Conjugator — practise the present tense with the interactive tool.
- VerbFlow home — back to the start.