French Verb Focus: Partir (To Leave)

Partir is an irregular verb, and one of those that forms the compound tenses, such as the perfect tense, with etre. It is an extremely useful verb meaning to leave, to go, to start from, to leave from, to come from, and so on. An important verb to learn!

PRESENT TENSE

Je pars – I leave, I am leaving
Tu pars – you leave, you are leaving (singular, familiar)
Il part – he/it leaves, he/it is leaving
Elle part – she/it leaves, she/it is leaving
Nous partons – we leave, we are leaving
Vous partez – you leave, you are leaving (polite, plural)
Ils partent – they leave, they are leaving (m.)
Elles partent – they leave, they are leaving (f.)

PERFECT TENSE (PASSE COMPOSE)

Je suis parti(e) – I have left, I left, I did leave
Tu es parti(e) – you have left, you left, you did leave
Il est parti – he/it has left, he/it left, he/it did leave
Elle est partie – she/it has left, she/it left, she/it did leave
Nous sommes parti(e)s – we have left, we left, we did leave
Vous êtes parti(e)(s) – you have left, you left, you did leave
Ils sont partis – they have left, they left, they did leave
Elles sont parties – they have left, they left, they did leave

FUTURE TENSE

Je partirai avant eux. – I will leave before they do.
Tu partiras pour la France lundi matin. – You will go to France on Monday morning.
Il partira pour le bureau dans une heure. – He will set off for the office in an hour’s time.
Elle partira bien. – She will get off to a good start.
Nous partirons à pied. – We will set off on foot.
Vous partirez en voiture ou en avion? – Will you drive or fly?
Ils partiront en vacances la semaine prochaine. – They will go on holiday next week.
Elles partiront avec moi. – They will leave with me.

IMPERFECT TENSE

Le train partait quand nous sommes arrives à la gare. – The train was leaving when we arrived at the station.

CONDITIONAL TENSE

Je partirais de la maison si je pouvais. – I would leave home if I could.

IMPERATIVE

pars – leave (tu form)
partons – let’s leave
partez – leave (vous form)

SUBJUNCTIVE

Il faut que je parte avant midi. – I must leave before midday.

With thanks to Elizabeth Allen