Terminer Conjugation in French
terminer means “to finish” in English, and it is one of the verbs French learners meet early — it sits at frequency rank 80 in VerbFlow’s French list. It is a non-reflexive, regular -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: “Je termine le projet tous les jours.” — “I finish the project every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: terminer
- English: to finish
- Verb type: Non-reflexive, Regular
- Irregular in: no tense — fully regular
- Gerund: en terminant
- Past participle: terminé
- 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 terminer, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for terminer. 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 | termine |
| tu | termines |
| il/elle | termine |
| nous | terminons |
| vous | terminez |
| ils/elles | terminent |
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | terminai |
| tu | terminas |
| il/elle | termina |
| nous | terminâmes |
| vous | terminâtes |
| ils/elles | terminèrent |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | terminais |
| tu | terminais |
| il/elle | terminait |
| nous | terminions |
| vous | terminiez |
| ils/elles | terminaient |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | terminerai |
| tu | termineras |
| il/elle | terminera |
| nous | terminerons |
| vous | terminerez |
| ils/elles | termineront |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | terminerais |
| tu | terminerais |
| il/elle | terminerait |
| nous | terminerions |
| vous | termineriez |
| ils/elles | termineraient |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai terminé |
| tu | as terminé |
| il/elle | a terminé |
| nous | avons terminé |
| vous | avez terminé |
| ils/elles | ont terminé |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais terminé |
| tu | avais terminé |
| il/elle | avait terminé |
| nous | avions terminé |
| vous | aviez terminé |
| ils/elles | avaient terminé |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai terminé |
| tu | auras terminé |
| il/elle | aura terminé |
| nous | aurons terminé |
| vous | aurez terminé |
| ils/elles | auront terminé |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais terminé |
| tu | aurais terminé |
| il/elle | aurait terminé |
| nous | aurions terminé |
| vous | auriez terminé |
| ils/elles | auraient terminé |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | termine |
| tu | termines |
| il/elle | termine |
| nous | terminions |
| vous | terminiez |
| ils/elles | terminent |
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | terminasse |
| tu | terminasses |
| il/elle | terminât |
| nous | terminassions |
| vous | terminassiez |
| ils/elles | terminassent |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | termine |
| nous | terminons |
| vous | terminez |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | termine |
| nous | terminons |
| vous | terminez |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en terminant |
| Past participle | terminé |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Je termine le projet tous les jours.” — “I finish the project every day.”
Passé simple
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mainly in written and literary French. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu terminas le projet la semaine dernière.” — “You finished the project last week.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il terminait le projet ce matin.” — “He used to finish the project this morning.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, and for predictions. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Nous terminerons le projet.” — “We will finish the project.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Vous termineriez le projet.” — “You would finish the project.”
Present perfect
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ils ont terminé le projet hier.” — “They have finished the project yesterday.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'avais terminé le projet hier.” — “I had finished the project yesterday.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu auras terminé le projet la semaine prochaine.” — “You will have finished the project next week.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il aurait terminé le projet ce matin.” — “He would have finished the project this morning.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il est important que nous terminions le projet tous les jours.” — “It is important that We finish the project 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 terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il fallait que vous terminassiez le projet hier.” — “It was necessary that You finish the project yesterday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Terminez le projet !” — “Finish the project!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With terminer this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ne termine pas le projet !” — “Do not finish the project!”
Gerund and past participle
The gerund en terminant is used after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. For example: “En terminant, je commence la journée.” — “While finishing, I start the day.” The past participle terminé is used with avoir in the perfect tenses, as in j'ai terminé — “I have finished the project yesterday.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with terminer, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “Je termine le projet à la maison.” — “I finish the project at home.”
- “Tu terminas le projet ce matin.” — “You finished the project this morning.”
- “Il terminait le projet avec Paul.” — “He used to finish the project with Paul.”
- “Je terminerai le projet demain.” — “I will finish the project tomorrow.”
- “Tu terminerais le projet tous les jours.” — “You would finish the project every day.”
- “Il a terminé le projet la semaine dernière.” — “He has finished the project last week.”
- “J'avais terminé le projet ce matin.” — “I had finished the project this morning.”
- “Tu auras terminé le projet demain.” — “You will have finished the project tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il termine le projet tous les jours.” — “It is important that He finish the project every day.”
- “Termine le projet !” — “Finish the project!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Je terminer le projet.”
✓ Right: “Je termine le projet tous les jours.”
The infinitive terminer never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form termine.
2. Using the wrong person
✗ Wrong: “Je termines le projet.”
✓ Right: “Je termine le projet tous les jours.”
termines is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is termine — check the person before you write the form.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Je termine le projet hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai terminé le projet hier.”
Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai terminé here, not the present termine.
4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms
✗ Wrong: “Je terminons le projet.”
✓ Right: “Je termine le projet tous les jours.”
terminons is the nous form. The je form is termine — the two persons never share a form in the present of terminer.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis terminé le projet hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai terminé le projet hier.”
terminer takes avoir in the compound tenses, not être: ai terminé, never the être form.
6. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que nous terminons le projet.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que nous terminions le projet.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use terminions here, not the indicative terminons.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on terminer. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of terminer in the Present indicative?
- A) terminais
- B) terminai
- C) termine
- D) terminerais
What is the il/elle form of terminer in the Passé simple?
- A) terminât
- B) terminera
- C) termine
- D) termina
What is the nous form of terminer in the Imperfect?
- A) terminions
- B) terminais
- C) terminâmes
- D) avons terminé
What is the tu form of terminer in the Future?
- A) terminerais
- B) terminerai
- C) termineront
- D) termineras
What is the je form of terminer in the Conditional?
- A) terminasse
- B) terminerais
- C) terminais
- D) terminerions
What is the il/elle form of terminer in the Present subjunctive?
- A) termines
- B) avait terminé
- C) terminât
- D) termine
What is the nous form of terminer in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) ont terminé
- B) a terminé
- C) ai terminé
- D) avons terminé
What is the gerund of terminer?
- A) analysant
- B) en terminant
- C) conclusant
- D) admettant
What is the past participle of terminer?
- A) allumé
- B) terminé
- C) dessiné
- D) éteint
What does terminer mean in English?
- A) finish
- B) wash
- C) remove
- D) consult
Answer key
- C) termine — the je form of terminer in the present indicative is termine. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) termina — the il/elle form of terminer in the passé simple is termina. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- A) terminions — the nous form of terminer in the imperfect is terminions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) termineras — the tu form of terminer in the future is termineras. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) terminerais — the je form of terminer in the conditional is terminerais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) termine — the il/elle form of terminer in the present subjunctive is termine. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) avons terminé — the nous form of terminer in the present perfect (passé composé) is avons terminé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) en terminant — the gerund of terminer is en terminant; 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.
- B) terminé — the past participle of terminer is terminé; perfect tenses use avoir + terminé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- A) finish — terminer means “to finish” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
How to learn this verb
Learn terminer in three passes. First, say the present tense aloud in order — je termine, tu termines, il termine, nous terminons, vous terminez, ils terminent — three times, then write three sentences with the verb. Second, learn the passé composé with its auxiliary: ai terminé shows the pattern, and the participle terminé 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 terminer with the other verbs in this batch on the French verbs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does terminer mean in English?
terminer means “to finish”. It is a non-reflexive, regular verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is terminer regular or irregular?
terminer is regular, and it is irregular in these tenses: none. terminer is regular: every form follows the standard -er endings, so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem. There are no surprises in any tense — the tables below are exactly what the endings predict.
What are the gerund and past participle of terminer?
The gerund is en terminant — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. The past participle is terminé — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in j'ai terminé.
How do I say “I finish” in French?
Say “Je termine le projet tous les jours.” — “I finish the project every day.” The je form of the present is termine, and it is the form you will use most often.
How do you pronounce terminer?
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for terminer, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Related pages
- terminer in the present tense
- terminer examples and quiz
- Créer conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- Améliorer 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.
- Future Conjugator — practise terminer with the interactive tool.
- Irregular Verb Quiz — practise terminer with the interactive tool.
- Gerund Finder — practise terminer with the interactive tool.