Key facts

Référer

To refer

B2Irregular
Stem
référ
Past participle
référé

Examples

Je réfère au code.

I refer to the code.

Il ne réfère pas au livre.

He doesn't refer to the book.

Nous référions à lui.

We were referring to him.

Nous avons référé au cas.

We referred to the case.

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
Jeréfère
Irefer
Turéfères
Yourefer
Ilréfère
Herefers
Nousréférons
Werefer
Vousréférez
Yourefer
Ilsréfèrent
Theyrefer

Futur proche

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

Jevais référer
Iam going to refer
Tuvas référer
Youare going to refer
Ilva référer
Heis going to refer
Nousallons référer
Weare going to refer
Vousallez référer
Youare going to refer
Ilsvont référer
Theyare going to refer

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de référer
Ihave just referred
Tuviens de référer
Youhave just referred
Ilvient de référer
Hehas just referred
Nousvenons de référer
Wehave just referred
Vousvenez de référer
Youhave just referred
Ilsviennent de référer
Theyhave just referred

Passé composé

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

J'ai référé
Ihave referred
Tuas référé
Youhave referred
Ila référé
Hehas referred
Nousavons référé
Wehave referred
Vousavez référé
Youhave referred
Ilsont référé
Theyhave referred

Conditionnel présent

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

Jeréférerais
Iwould refer
Turéférerais
Youwould refer
Ilréférerait
Hewould refer
Nousréférerions
Wewould refer
Vousréféreriez
Youwould refer
Ilsréféreraient
Theywould refer

Futur simple

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

Jeréférerai
Iwill refer
Turéféreras
Youwill refer
Ilréférera
Hewill refer
Nousréférerons
Wewill refer
Vousréférerez
Youwill refer
Ilsréféreront
Theywill refer

Imparfait

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

Jeréférais
Iwas referring
Turéférais
Youwere referring
Ilréférait
Hewas referring
Nousréférions
Were referring
Vousréfériez
Youwere referring
Ilsréféraient
Theywere referring

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)réfère
Yourefer
(Nous)référons
Werefer
(Vous)référez
Yourefer

Participe présent

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

référant
referring

Gérondif présent

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

en référant
referring

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

Croissant Verbs — application icon

Practice Référer in the app

Référer | Verbs | Croissant Verbs