Present tense of the French verb prendre

Prendre is a French verb from the 3rd group that is higly irregular.

How to conjugate and pronounce prendre in the present tense?

Here is the conjugation of the verb prendre in the French present tense with its pronunciation.

What does prendre mean in French? When is it used?

The verb prendre has several meanings. The most important are the following:

1) Prendre = to take (an object)

Elle prend un livre dans l’étagère. = She takes a book off the shelf.

Paul prend un stylo sur son bureau. = Paul takes a pen from his desk.

2) Prendre = to have (a meal, something to eat)

Il prend son petit-déjeuner à 7h. = He has breakfast at 7 a.m.

Marie prend ses repas à la cantine. = Marie takes her meals in the canteen.

Est-ce que vous prenez du sucre ? = Do you take sugar?

Elle prend un café sur la terrasse. = She’s having coffee on the terrace.

Nous prenons un verre avec des amis. = We’re having a drink with friends.

3) Prendre = to take/to travel/to go (by car/plane/train…)

Je prends l’avion de 5 heures. = I’m taking the the 5 o’clock plane.

Ils prennent le train pour aller à Paris. = They take the train to Paris. / They are taking the train to Paris.

4) Prendre = to get/to buy

Laurent prend son pain dans la boulangerie d’à côté. = Laurent gets his bread from the bakery next door.

Je prends toujours mon billet à l’avance. = I always get my ticket in advance.

5) Prendre = to pick up/to fetch

Peux-tu passer me prendre ? = Can you pick me up?

Useful expressions and sentences to know with prendre

Here are some other French expressions with prendre that are commonly used in French:

Cela me prend la tête ! (informal) = It’s getting on my nerves!

Il me prend la tête ! (informal) = He drives me mad!

C’est à prendre ou à laisser. = You can take it or leave it.

Qu’est-ce qui te prend ? = What’s the matter with you?

Ce mécanicien prend cher de l’heure. = This mechanic’s hourly rate is high.

à prendre avant/durant/après les repas. = to be taken before/during/after meals.

Ce train/ce bus ne prend pas de voyageurs. = This train/this bus does not pick up passengers.

Now test yourself with a quiz on the conjugation of prendre in the present tense!

⇒ Aller – to go

⇒ Croire – to believe, to think

⇒ Devoir

⇒ Dire – to say, to tell