Key facts

Ronger

To gnaw · to gnaw/to eat away/to corrode

B2Irregular
Model
ger
Stem
rong
Past participle
rongé

Examples

Je ronge mon ongle.

I gnaw my nail.

Il ne ronge pas le bois.

It doesn't gnaw the wood.

Nous rongions tout.

We were gnawing everything.

Nous avons rongé le pain.

We gnawed the bread.

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
Jeronge
Ignaw
Turonges
Yougnaw
Ilronge
Hegnaws
Nousrongeons
Wegnaw
Vousrongez
Yougnaw
Ilsrongent
Theygnaw

Futur proche

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

Jevais ronger
Iam going to gnaw
Tuvas ronger
Youare going to gnaw
Ilva ronger
Heis going to gnaw
Nousallons ronger
Weare going to gnaw
Vousallez ronger
Youare going to gnaw
Ilsvont ronger
Theyare going to gnaw

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de ronger
Ihave just gnawed
Tuviens de ronger
Youhave just gnawed
Ilvient de ronger
Hehas just gnawed
Nousvenons de ronger
Wehave just gnawed
Vousvenez de ronger
Youhave just gnawed
Ilsviennent de ronger
Theyhave just gnawed

Passé composé

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

J'ai rongé
Ihave gnawed
Tuas rongé
Youhave gnawed
Ila rongé
Hehas gnawed
Nousavons rongé
Wehave gnawed
Vousavez rongé
Youhave gnawed
Ilsont rongé
Theyhave gnawed

Conditionnel présent

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

Jerongerais
Iwould gnaw
Turongerais
Youwould gnaw
Ilrongerait
Hewould gnaw
Nousrongerions
Wewould gnaw
Vousrongeriez
Youwould gnaw
Ilsrongeraient
Theywould gnaw

Futur simple

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

Jerongerai
Iwill gnaw
Turongeras
Youwill gnaw
Ilrongera
Hewill gnaw
Nousrongerons
Wewill gnaw
Vousrongerez
Youwill gnaw
Ilsrongeront
Theywill gnaw

Imparfait

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

Jerongeais
Iwas gnawing
Turongeais
Youwere gnawing
Ilrongeait
Hewas gnawing
Nousrongions
Were gnawing
Vousrongiez
Youwere gnawing
Ilsrongeaient
Theywere gnawing

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)ronge
Yougnaw
(Nous)rongeons
Wegnaw
(Vous)rongez
Yougnaw

Participe présent

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

rongeant
gnawing

Gérondif présent

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

en rongeant
gnawing

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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