French Verb Focus: Sortir (To Go Out)

Verbe sortir – to go out

Sortir is one of the irregular verbs that forms compound tenses (such as the perfect tense) with être. It is a common verb that means to go out as well as to leave, to bring something out, to finish school or work, and so on. It is not a very difficult verb to learn.

PRESENT TENSE

Je sors – I go out, I am going out
Tu sors – you go out, you are going out (singular, familiar)
Il sort – he/it goes out, he/it is going out
Elle sort – she/it goes out, she/it is going out
Nous sortons – we go out, we are going out
Vous sortez – you go out, you are going out (polite, plural)
Ils sortent – they go out, they are going out (m.)
Elles sortent – they go out, they are going out (f.)

PERFECT TENSE (PASSE COMPOSE)

Je suis sorti(e) – I have gone out, I went out, I did go out
Tu es sorti(e) – you have gone out, you went out, you did go out
Il est sorti – he/it has gone out, he/it went out, he/it did go out
Elle est sortie – she/it has gone out, she/it went out, she/it did go out
Nous sommes sorti(e)s – we have gone out, we went out, we did go out
Vous etes sorti(e)(s) – you have gone out, you went out, you did go out
Ils sont sortis – they have gone out, they went out, they did go out (m.)
Elles sont sorties – they have gone out, they went out, they did go out (f.)

FUTURE TENSE

Je sortirai faire des courses. – I will go out shopping.
Est-ce que tu sortiras dîner avec lui? – Will you go out to dinner with him?
Il sortira de l’hôpital la semaine prochaine. – He will come out of hospital next week.
Elle sortira beaucoup pendant les vacances. – She will go out a lot during the holidays.
Nous sortirons le champagne. – We will get out the champagne.
Vous sortirez des Etats-Unis l’année prochaine. – You will the United States next year.
Ils ne sortiront pas chaque soir. – They will not go out every evening.
Elles sortiront en voiture. – They will will go out for a drive.

IMPERFECT TENSE

Je sortais du bureau à cinq heures et demie. – I used to finish work at half past five.

CONDITIONAL TENSE

Je sortirais avec mes amis si j’avais le temps. – I would go out with my friends if I had time.

IMPERATIVE

Sors à bicyclette. – Go out (tu form) for a cycle ride.
Sortons des chaises dans le jardin. – Let’s take some chairs out into the garden.
Ne sortez pas du sujet. – Don’t go off (vous form) the subject.

SUBJUNCTIVE

Il faut que je sorte acheter des fruits. – I must go out to buy some fruit.

With thanks to Elizabeth Allen