Vieillir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

vieillir — “to grow old” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find vieillir 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 vieillis avec le temps.” — “I grow old with time.”

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

Example sentences with vieillir

In the present tense

  • “Je vieillis avec le temps tous les jours.” — “I grow old with time.”
  • “Tu vieillis avec le temps souvent.” — “You grow old with time.”
  • “Il vieillit avec le temps chaque matin.” — “He grows old with time.”
  • “Nous vieillissons avec le temps le week-end.” — “We grow old with time.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai vieilli avec le temps hier.” — “I have grown old with time.”
  • “Tu as vieilli avec le temps ce matin.” — “You have grown old with time.”
  • “Il a vieilli avec le temps la semaine dernière.” — “He has grown old with time.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je vieillissais avec le temps quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to grow old with time.”
  • “Nous vieillissions avec le temps quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to grow old with time.”
  • “Tu vieilliras avec le temps demain.” — “You will grow old with time tomorrow.”
  • “Ils vieilliront avec le temps demain.” — “They will grow old with time tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je vieillirais avec le temps si je pouvais.” — “I would grow old with time if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je vieillisse avec le temps.” — “It is important that I grow old with time.”
  • “Vieillis avec le temps !” — “Grow old with time!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais vieilli avec le temps avant la fête.” — “I had grown old with time before the party.”

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

Vieillir in context

Dialogue 1: every day

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

Marie: “Tu vieillis avec le temps tous les jours ?” — “You grow old with time.” Paul: “Je vieillis avec le temps tous les jours.” — “I grow old with time.” Marie: “Tu as vieilli avec le temps hier ?” — “You have grown old with time.” Paul: “J'ai vieilli avec le temps hier.” — “I have grown old with time.” Marie: “Nous vieillirons avec le temps demain ?” — “We will grow old with time tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous vieillirons avec le temps demain.” — “We will grow old with time 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 vieillirais avec le temps si je pouvais.” — “I would grow old with time if I could.” Marie: “Tu vieillis avec le temps souvent ?” — “You grow old with time.” Paul: “Je vieillis avec le temps souvent.” — “I grow old with time.” Marie: “Vieillis avec le temps !” — “Grow old with time!” Paul: “Il faut que je vieillisse avec le temps.” — “It is important that I grow old with time.” Marie: “Nous avons vieilli avec le temps hier.” — “We have grown old with time.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: vieillis becomes vieillis, vieillis becomes vieillit, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — vieillis*, vieillis, vieillit, vieillissons, vieillissez, *vieillissent — in memory.

Common mistakes with vieillir

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je vieillir avec le temps.”

Right: “Je vieillis avec le temps.”

The infinitive vieillir never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form vieillis.

Mistake 2: Confusing vieillir with grandir

Wrong: “Je vieillis vite cette année.” (meant as “grandir”)

Right: “Je vieillis avec le temps.”

vieillir means “to grow old” and grandir means “to grow”. 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 vieilli avec le temps.”

Right: “J'ai vieilli avec le temps.”

With vieillir the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai vieilli.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je vieillis avec le temps.”

Right: “Il faut que je vieillisse avec le temps.”

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

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu vieillis avec le temps.”

Right: “Tu vieillis avec le temps.”

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

Quiz: vieillir in everyday use

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

    • A) vieillit
    • B) vieillis
    • C) vieillissent
    • D) vieillissez

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

    • A) vieillissent
    • B) vieillissez
    • C) vieillis
    • D) vieillit

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

    • A) ont vieilli
    • B) as vieilli
    • C) avez vieilli
    • D) a vieilli

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

    • A) vieillissaient
    • B) vieillissions
    • C) vieillissais
    • D) vieillissiez

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

    • A) vieilliras
    • B) vieillira
    • C) vieillirons
    • D) vieillirai

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

    • A) vieilliriez
    • B) vieilliraient
    • C) vieillirait
    • D) vieillirais

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

    • A) vieillisse
    • B) vieillissions
    • C) vieillisses
    • D) vieillissent

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

    • A) vieillissons
    • B) vieillis
    • C) vieillisses
    • D) vieillissez

  9. What is the past participle of vieillir?

    • A) en vieillissant
    • B) vieilli
    • C) vieillissais
    • D) vieillis

  10. What does vieillir mean in English?

  • A) to grow old
  • B) to have
  • C) to be
  • D) to go

Answer key

  1. B) vieillis — the je form of vieillir in the present indicative is vieillis.
  2. A) vieillissent — the ils/elles form of vieillir in the present indicative is vieillissent.
  3. B) as vieilli — the tu form of vieillir in the present perfect (passé composé) is as vieilli.
  4. B) vieillissions — the nous form of vieillir in the imperfect is vieillissions.
  5. B) vieillira — the il/elle form of vieillir in the future is vieillira.
  6. D) vieillirais — the je form of vieillir in the conditional is vieillirais.
  7. C) vieillisses — the tu form of vieillir in the present subjunctive is vieillisses.
  8. B) vieillis — the tu form of vieillir in the imperative (affirmative) is vieillis.
  9. B) vieilli — the past participle of vieillir is vieilli; perfect tenses use avoir + vieilli.
  10. A) to grow old — vieillir means “to grow old” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does vieillir mean in English?

vieillir means “to grow old”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je vieillis avec le temps.” (“I grow old with time.”).

Which auxiliary does vieillir take in the passé composé?

vieillir takes avoir: ai vieilli. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of vieillir to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — vieillis*, vieillis, vieillit, vieillissons, vieillissez, *vieillissent. 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 vieillir?

On the full conjugation page for vieillir, which has every tense, and on the vieillir 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 grow old with time.” should become “Je vieillis avec le temps”. Then try the passé composé: “I have grown old with time.” should become “J'ai vieilli avec le temps”. Finally, try the future: “I will grow old with time tomorrow.” should become “Je vieillirai avec le temps”. 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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