Key facts

Rétrécir

To shrink · to shrink/to narrow

B2Regular
Stem
rétréc
Past participle
rétréci

Examples

Je rétrécis le trou.

I narrow the hole.

Il ne rétrécit pas bien.

It does not shrink well.

Nous rétrécissions.

We were shrinking.

Nous avons rétréci le bas.

We shrank the bottom.

Présent

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

Group 2
Jerétrécis
Ishrink
Turétrécis
Youshrink
Ilrétrécit
Heshrinks
Nousrétrécissons
Weshrink
Vousrétrécissez
Youshrink
Ilsrétrécissent
Theyshrink

Futur proche

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

Jevais rétrécir
Iam going to shrink
Tuvas rétrécir
Youare going to shrink
Ilva rétrécir
Heis going to shrink
Nousallons rétrécir
Weare going to shrink
Vousallez rétrécir
Youare going to shrink
Ilsvont rétrécir
Theyare going to shrink

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de rétrécir
Ihave just shrunk
Tuviens de rétrécir
Youhave just shrunk
Ilvient de rétrécir
Hehas just shrunk
Nousvenons de rétrécir
Wehave just shrunk
Vousvenez de rétrécir
Youhave just shrunk
Ilsviennent de rétrécir
Theyhave just shrunk

Passé composé

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

J'ai rétréci
Ihave shrunk
Tuas rétréci
Youhave shrunk
Ila rétréci
Hehas shrunk
Nousavons rétréci
Wehave shrunk
Vousavez rétréci
Youhave shrunk
Ilsont rétréci
Theyhave shrunk

Conditionnel présent

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

Jerétrécirais
Iwould shrink
Turétrécirais
Youwould shrink
Ilrétrécirait
Hewould shrink
Nousrétrécirions
Wewould shrink
Vousrétréciriez
Youwould shrink
Ilsrétréciraient
Theywould shrink

Futur simple

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

Jerétrécirai
Iwill shrink
Turétréciras
Youwill shrink
Ilrétrécira
Hewill shrink
Nousrétrécirons
Wewill shrink
Vousrétrécirez
Youwill shrink
Ilsrétréciront
Theywill shrink

Imparfait

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

Jerétrécissais
Iwas shrinking
Turétrécissais
Youwere shrinking
Ilrétrécissait
Hewas shrinking
Nousrétrécissions
Were shrinking
Vousrétrécissiez
Youwere shrinking
Ilsrétrécissaient
Theywere shrinking

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)rétrécis
Youshrink
(Nous)rétrécissons
Weshrink
(Vous)rétrécissez
Youshrink

Participe présent

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

rétrécissant
shrinking

Gérondif présent

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

en rétrécissant
shrinking

Similar conjugation models (Regular)

Croissant Verbs — application icon

Practice Rétrécir in the app

Rétrécir | Verbs | Croissant Verbs