/de.sɑ̃dʁ/
Translation
to go down, to descend, to get off
Word origin
From Latin descendere, from de ('down') plus scandere ('to climb'). The same root scandere gives English 'ascend' and 'scan'.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- descendere
- English cognates
- descend, ascend
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -re (vendre-style) conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | descends | descendais | descenis | descendrai | descendrais |
| tu | descends | descendais | descenis | descendras | descendrais |
| il/elle | descend | descendait | descenit | descendra | descendrait |
| nous | descendons | descendions | descenîmes | descendrons | descendrions |
| vous | descendez | descendiez | descenîtes | descendrez | descendriez |
| ils/elles | descendent | descendaient | descenirent | descendront | descendraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | descende | descenisse |
| tu | descendes | descenisses |
| il/elle | descende | descenît |
| nous | descendions | descenissions |
| vous | descendiez | descenissiez |
| ils/elles | descendent | descenissent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | descends |
| nous | descendons |
| vous | descendez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- descendant
- Past participle
- descenu
Examples
.
We are getting off at the next stop.
descendue .
She went down into the street to see what was happening.
, .
Come down quickly, the taxi is already waiting for us.
l' .
The price of petrol has finally started to come down.
descendu 'au rez--chaussée.
They carried the suitcases down to the ground floor.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(1)Grammar articles
(7)avoir or être: Choosing the French Auxiliary in the Passé Composé
French Grammar Cheatsheet: The Essentials, One Page
Conjugating French -re Verbs in the Present Tense
French Verb Conjugation: The Complete Rules with Examples
French Intermediate Grammar (B1-B2): The Things That Stop You at the Plateau
French Passé Composé: avoir or être + Past Participle and the MRS VANDERTRAMP Set
The French Pluperfect (le plus-que-parfait): The Past Before the Past
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 11.