Key facts

Acheter

To buy

A2Irregular
Stem
achet
Past participle
acheté

Examples

J'achète du pain.

I play football.

Il n'achète pas de bonbons.

He doesn't play outside.

Nous achetions ici.

We used to play at the park.

Nous avons acheté un sac.

We played tennis.

This verb is highly irregular. Prioritize repetition and active recall.

Présent

Indicative present — everyday actions, ongoing situations, and habits; the tense you rely on most in conversation.

Group 1
J'achète
Ibuy
Tuachètes
Youbuy
Ilachète
Hebuys
Nousachetons
Webuy
Vousachetez
Youbuy
Ilsachètent
Theybuy

Futur proche

Near future with aller + infinitive — what you are about to do, very soon after the moment of speaking.

Jevais acheter
Iam going to buy
Tuvas acheter
Youare going to buy
Ilva acheter
Heis going to buy
Nousallons acheter
Weare going to buy
Vousallez acheter
Youare going to buy
Ilsvont acheter
Theyare going to buy

Passé récent

Recent past with venir de + infinitive — something that has just finished, still fresh in the speaker’s mind.

Jeviens d'acheter
Ihave just bought
Tuviens d'acheter
Youhave just bought
Ilvient d'acheter
Hehas just bought
Nousvenons d'acheter
Wehave just bought
Vousvenez d'acheter
Youhave just bought
Ilsviennent d'acheter
Theyhave just bought

Passé composé

Compound past with être or avoir + past participle — completed, one-off events and the backbone of spoken storytelling.

J'ai acheté
Ihave bought
Tuas acheté
Youhave bought
Ila acheté
Hehas bought
Nousavons acheté
Wehave bought
Vousavez acheté
Youhave bought
Ilsont acheté
Theyhave bought

Conditionnel présent

Conditional mood — polite requests, imagined outcomes, and what would happen under certain conditions.

J'achèterais
Iwould buy
Tuachèterais
Youwould buy
Ilachèterait
Hewould buy
Nousachèterions
Wewould buy
Vousachèteriez
Youwould buy
Ilsachèteraient
Theywould buy

Futur simple

Simple future — often more formal or literary than the near future; states intentions farther ahead in time.

J'achèterai
Iwill buy
Tuachèteras
Youwill buy
Ilachètera
Hewill buy
Nousachèterons
Wewill buy
Vousachèterez
Youwill buy
Ilsachèteront
Theywill buy

Imparfait

Imperfect — repeated habits in the past, background description, and actions still in progress when something else occurred.

J'achetais
Iwas buying
Tuachetais
Youwere buying
Ilachetait
Hewas buying
Nousachetions
Were buying
Vousachetiez
Youwere buying
Ilsachetaient
Theywere buying

Impératif présent

Present imperative — direct commands and friendly requests; only tu, nous, and vous person forms exist.

(Tu)achète
Youbuy
(Nous)achetons
Webuy
(Vous)achetez
Youbuy

Participe présent

Present participle — the -ant form in subordinate clauses, compound tenses, and many fixed expressions.

achetant
buying

Gérondif présent

Gerund with en + present participle — simultaneous action, manner, or cause while something else is going on.

en achetant
buying

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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