Key facts

Retracer

To retrace · to retrace/to recount/to sketch

C1Irregular
Model
cer
Stem
retrac
Past participle
retracé

Examples

Je retrace le plan.

I redraw the plan.

Il ne retrace pas sa vie.

He doesn't trace his life.

-

We were tracing Lucie.

-

We traced Marc.

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
Jeretrace
Turetraces
Youretrace
Ilretrace
Heretraces
Nousretraçons
Weretrace
Vousretracez
Youretrace
Ilsretracent
Theyretrace

Futur proche

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

Jevais retracer
Iam going to retrace
Tuvas retracer
Youare going to retrace
Ilva retracer
Heis going to retrace
Nousallons retracer
Weare going to retrace
Vousallez retracer
Youare going to retrace
Ilsvont retracer
Theyare going to retrace

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de retracer
Ihave just retraced
Tuviens de retracer
Youhave just retraced
Ilvient de retracer
Hehas just retraced
Nousvenons de retracer
Wehave just retraced
Vousvenez de retracer
Youhave just retraced
Ilsviennent de retracer
Theyhave just retraced

Passé composé

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

J'ai retracé
Ihave retraced
Tuas retracé
Youhave retraced
Ila retracé
Hehas retraced
Nousavons retracé
Wehave retraced
Vousavez retracé
Youhave retraced
Ilsont retracé
Theyhave retraced

Conditionnel présent

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

Jeretracerais
Iwould retrace
Turetracerais
Youwould retrace
Ilretracerait
Hewould retrace
Nousretracerions
Wewould retrace
Vousretraceriez
Youwould retrace
Ilsretraceraient
Theywould retrace

Futur simple

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

Jeretracerai
Iwill retrace
Turetraceras
Youwill retrace
Ilretracera
Hewill retrace
Nousretracerons
Wewill retrace
Vousretracerez
Youwill retrace
Ilsretraceront
Theywill retrace

Imparfait

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

Jeretraçais
Iwas retracing
Turetraçais
Youwere retracing
Ilretraçait
Hewas retracing
Nousretracions
Were retracing
Vousretraciez
Youwere retracing
Ilsretraçaient
Theywere retracing

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)retrace
(Nous)retraçons
Weretrace
(Vous)retracez
Youretrace

Participe présent

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

retraçant
retracing

Gérondif présent

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

en retraçant
retracing

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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