Finir — to finish | French Verb Chart
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📚 This is the overview. « finir » is taught level by level — pick your CEFR level below for a full lesson (explanation, pronunciation, exercises & games).
Présent (Indicatif)
- je finisI finish
- tu finisyou finish
- il / elle finithe / she finishes
- nous finissonswe finish
- vous finissezyou finish
- ils / elles finissentthey finish
Passé composé (Indicatif)
- j’ai finiI finished
- tu as finiyou finished
- il / elle a finihe / she finished
- nous avons finiwe finished
- vous avez finiyou finished
- ils / elles ont finithey finished
Imparfait (Indicatif)
- je finissaisI was finishing
- tu finissaisyou were finishing
- il / elle finissaithe / she was finishing
- nous finissionswe were finishing
- vous finissiezyou were finishing
- ils / elles finissaientthey were finishing
Futur simple (Indicatif)
- je finiraiI will finish
- tu finirasyou will finish
- il / elle finirahe / she will finish
- nous finironswe will finish
- vous finirezyou will finish
- ils / elles finirontthey will finish
Conditionnel présent
- je finiraisI would finish
- tu finiraisyou would finish
- il / elle finiraithe / she would finish
- nous finirionswe would finish
- vous finiriezyou would finish
- ils / elles finiraientthey would finish
Subjonctif présent
- que je finissethat I finish
- que tu finissesthat you finish
- qu’il / elle finissethat he / she finish
- que nous finissionsthat we finish
- que vous finissiezthat you finish
- qu’ils / elles finissentthat they finish
Impératif, Participe & Infinitif
- finirinfinitive
- finissantpresent participle
- en finissantgerund (gérondif)
- finipast participle
- finis · finissons · finissezimperative
- avoirauxiliary in compound tenses
🎬 The 20-second version
Five phrases with « finir » — guess before the reveal. Practise with the free games → Open this short as a page — transcript included →
📘 How to use Finir
- To finish: je finis mon travail — finir de + infinitive: j’ai fini de manger.
- Finir par + infinitive = to end up doing: il a fini par accepter.
- THE model for regular -ir verbs: the plural adds -iss- (nous finissons).
- Endings: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent.
🔑 Key forms
🔊 Common expressions
🇬🇧 Finir in plain English: the model student of French verbs
Finir — to finish — is the OPPOSITE of irregular: it’s the official model of the second group, the pattern hundreds of -ir verbs copy exactly. Present: je finis, tu finis, il finit, then the signature -iss- plural — nous finissons, vous finissez, ils finissent. That -iss- carries the imparfait (je finissais) and subjonctif (que je finisse); futur je finirai on the intact infinitive; passé composé j’ai fini — and « fini ! » alone closes games, meals and arguments across the francophone world. Learn this one table and choisir (je choisis, nous choisissons), réussir (succeed), grandir, réfléchir, obéir, remplir and their hundred cousins conjugate themselves — the single best return-on-memory in French grammar after the -er verbs.
Two constructions upgrade finir from verb to storyteller. Finir de + infinitive: to finish doing — « j’ai fini de manger ». Finir par + infinitive: to end up doing — « il a fini par accepter » (he ended up accepting), the phrase French reaches for wherever English says “eventually”. Both take avoir, both appear daily, and the pair (de = completion, par = eventual outcome) is worth a flashcard each. Recognition tip for the whole second group: if an -ir verb’s nous-form has -issons, it’s a finir clone and 100% regular; if not (nous partons, nous dormons), it belongs to the sortir family two charts up. One question — « nous form? » — sorts every -ir verb you will ever meet.
FAQ
Is finir regular?
Perfectly — it IS the regular -ir model. Je finis, nous finissons, j’ai fini: memorise it once and hundreds of second-group verbs come free.
What does « finir par » mean?
To end up doing: « on a fini par trouver » — we found it in the end. Finir de is plain completion: « finis de manger ! »
Which verbs follow the finir pattern?
Choisir, réussir, grandir, réfléchir, obéir, remplir, applaudir, guérir… — any -ir verb whose nous-form runs -issons.
🔊 Example sentences
✍️ Practice
Nous ___ le travail demain. (finir, future)
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finirons
Hier, ils ___ tôt. (finir, passé composé)
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ont fini
Vous ___ bientôt ? (finir, present)
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finissez
« choisir » follows finir : vous ___ (present, choisir)
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choisissez
Il a fini ___ accepter. (ended up doing)
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par
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🎯 More practice — conjugation drill — all six tenses
je ___ (Finir — present)
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finis
tu ___ (Finir — passé composé)
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as fini
il ___ (Finir — imperfect)
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finissait
nous ___ (Finir — future)
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finirons
vous ___ (Finir — conditional)
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finiriez
Go further: this chart is one small piece — get the full picture in our guide Master the present tense — the full beginner guide.
Finir conjugation FAQ
What is the present tense of finir?
je finis, tu finis, il / elle finit, nous finissons, vous finissez, ils / elles finissent. Full charts for every tense are above, each form with audio.
What is the past participle of finir?
fini — the passé composé is « j’ai fini ». Finir uses avoir as its auxiliary verb.
How do you say finir in the future tense?
« je finirai » — the future stem never changes across persons, only the endings do.
What does finir mean in English?
to finish. It is one of the essential French verbs — drill the present first, then the passé composé; those two tenses carry most conversations.
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🎬 All seven CEFR levels, end to end
« finir » at every CEFR level — the tense, its forms and the mechanic that makes it stick. Practise it with the free games →