Raconter conjugation: to tell in every tense

French verb conjugation: 150 verbs in every tense

The verb raconter means “to tell” and is a useful everyday verb (number 76 of the 150 on this site). As a regular -er verb of the 1st group it takes the usual endings, for example je raconte and nous racontons. In compound tenses it takes avoir (j’ai raconté), with the past participle raconté. Below you will find every tense, example sentences and a free printable PDF.

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raconter at a glance: meaning, group and auxiliary

Infinitive: raconter — to tell
Group: 1st group (-er verbs)
Type: Regular -er verb
Auxiliary: takes avoir
Construction: Transitive (direct object)
Conjugated like: chanter (to sing)
Frequency: No. 76 of the 150 most common French verbs

The endings are in bold. Tense names are given in French with the English equivalent in parentheses; pronouns and verb forms stay in French, as you will see and hear them.

Indicatif (indicative): raconter

`Présent (present tense)`

`Présent (present tense) of the verb raconter`
`je`	`raconte`
`tu`	`racontes`
`il`	`raconte`
`nous`	`racontons`
`vous`	`racontez`
`ils`	`racontent`

`Imparfait (imperfect)`

`Imparfait (imperfect) of the verb raconter`
`je`	`racontais`
`tu`	`racontais`
`il`	`racontait`
`nous`	`racontions`
`vous`	`racontiez`
`ils`	`racontaient`

`Passé simple (simple past, literary)`

`Passé simple (simple past, literary) of the verb raconter`
`je`	`racontai`
`tu`	`racontas`
`il`	`raconta`
`nous`	`racontâmes`
`vous`	`racontâtes`
`ils`	`racontèrent`

`Futur simple (simple future)`

`Futur simple (simple future) of the verb raconter`
`je`	`raconterai`
`tu`	`raconteras`
`il`	`racontera`
`nous`	`raconterons`
`vous`	`raconterez`
`ils`	`raconteront`

`Passé composé (compound past)`

`Passé composé (compound past) of the verb raconter`
`j’`	`ai raconté`
`tu`	`as raconté`
`il`	`a raconté`
`nous`	`avons raconté`
`vous`	`avez raconté`
`ils`	`ont raconté`

`Plus-que-parfait (pluperfect)`

`Plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) of the verb raconter`
`j’`	`avais raconté`
`tu`	`avais raconté`
`il`	`avait raconté`
`nous`	`avions raconté`
`vous`	`aviez raconté`
`ils`	`avaient raconté`

`Passé antérieur (past anterior)`

`Passé antérieur (past anterior) of the verb raconter`
`j’`	`eus raconté`
`tu`	`eus raconté`
`il`	`eut raconté`
`nous`	`eûmes raconté`
`vous`	`eûtes raconté`
`ils`	`eurent raconté`

`Futur antérieur (future perfect)`

`Futur antérieur (future perfect) of the verb raconter`
`j’`	`aurai raconté`
`tu`	`auras raconté`
`il`	`aura raconté`
`nous`	`aurons raconté`
`vous`	`aurez raconté`
`ils`	`auront raconté`

Conditionnel (conditional): raconter

`Conditionnel présent (present conditional)`

`Conditionnel présent (present conditional) of the verb raconter`
`je`	`raconterais`
`tu`	`raconterais`
`il`	`raconterait`
`nous`	`raconterions`
`vous`	`raconteriez`
`ils`	`raconteraient`

`Conditionnel passé (past conditional)`

`Conditionnel passé (past conditional) of the verb raconter`
`j’`	`aurais raconté`
`tu`	`aurais raconté`
`il`	`aurait raconté`
`nous`	`aurions raconté`
`vous`	`auriez raconté`
`ils`	`auraient raconté`

Subjonctif (subjunctive): raconter

`Subjonctif présent (present subjunctive)`

`Subjonctif présent (present subjunctive) of the verb raconter`
`que je`	`raconte`
`que tu`	`racontes`
`qu’il`	`raconte`
`que nous`	`racontions`
`que vous`	`racontiez`
`qu’ils`	`racontent`

`Subjonctif passé (past subjunctive)`

`Subjonctif passé (past subjunctive) of the verb raconter`
`que j’`	`aie raconté`
`que tu`	`aies raconté`
`qu’il`	`ait raconté`
`que nous`	`ayons raconté`
`que vous`	`ayez raconté`
`qu’ils`	`aient raconté`

`Subjonctif imparfait (imperfect subjunctive)`

`Subjonctif imparfait (imperfect subjunctive) of the verb raconter`
`que je`	`racontasse`
`que tu`	`racontasses`
`qu’il`	`racontât`
`que nous`	`racontassions`
`que vous`	`racontassiez`
`qu’ils`	`racontassent`

`Subjonctif plus-que-parfait (pluperfect subjunctive)`

`Subjonctif plus-que-parfait (pluperfect subjunctive) of the verb raconter`
`que j’`	`eusse raconté`
`que tu`	`eusses raconté`
`qu’il`	`eût raconté`
`que nous`	`eussions raconté`
`que vous`	`eussiez raconté`
`qu’ils`	`eussent raconté`

Impératif (imperative): raconter

`Impératif présent (imperative)`

`Impératif présent (imperative) of the verb raconter`
`(tu)`	`raconte`
`(nous)`	`racontons`
`(vous)`	`racontez`

`Impératif passé (past imperative)`

`Impératif passé (past imperative) of the verb raconter`
`(tu)`	`aie raconté`
`(nous)`	`ayons raconté`
`(vous)`	`ayez raconté`

Infinitive, participles and gerund of raconter

`Non-personal forms of the verb raconter`
`Infinitif présent (present infinitive)`	`raconter`
`Infinitif passé (past infinitive)`	`avoir raconté`
`Participe présent (present participle)`	`racontant`
`Participe passé (past participle)`	`raconté (masc. sing.), racontée (fem. sing.), racontés (masc. pl.), racontées (fem. pl.)`
`Gérondif présent (gerund, “while doing”)`	`en racontant`
`Gérondif passé (past gerund)`	`en ayant raconté`

Example sentences with raconter

Real French sentences, with the conjugated form in bold, followed by the tense.

Mamie raconte une histoire avant le coucher. Présent (present tense)
Hier, mon grand frère m’a raconté sa journée. Passé composé (compound past)
Je te raconterai la suite demain. Futur simple (simple future)
Chaque soir, il racontait ses aventures aux enfants. Imparfait (imperfect)
Allez, raconte-nous ce qui s’est passé ! Impératif présent (imperative)
Le vieux marin raconta sa tempête à tous les enfants. Passé simple (simple past, literary)
Je voudrais que tu racontes ce voyage devant la classe. Subjonctif présent (present subjunctive)
Elle aurait raconté toute l’histoire si on l’avait laissée parler. Conditionnel passé (past conditional)

Watch out with raconter

Use avoir

In compound tenses raconter takes avoir (j’ai raconté). The participle raconté agrees only with a direct object placed before the verb.

Easy endings

Regular -er verbs share the same endings (-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent). Silent endings are a classic spelling trap: je raconte and the subjunctive que je raconte sound the same as the plural forms.

Verbs that conjugate like raconter

chanter to sing
trouver to find
donner to give
parler to speak, to talk
aimer to love, to like
passer to pass, to spend
demander to ask
sembler to seem
laisser to leave, to let
rester to stay, to remain
penser to think
regarder to look at, to watch

Review the French tenses

Présent de l’indicatif present tense
Imparfait de l’indicatif imperfect
Passé simple simple past, literary
Futur simple simple future
Passé composé compound past
Plus-que-parfait pluperfect
Passé antérieur past anterior
Futur antérieur future perfect
Conditionnel présent present conditional
Conditionnel passé past conditional
Subjonctif présent present subjunctive
Subjonctif passé past subjunctive
Subjonctif imparfait imperfect subjunctive
Subjonctif plus-que-parfait pluperfect subjunctive
Impératif présent imperative
Impératif passé past imperative
Infinitif présent et passé infinitive, present and past
Participe présent et gérondif present participle and gerund
Participe passé past participle

Questions about raconter

`How do you conjugate raconter (to tell) in the present tense?`

In the présent: je raconte, tu racontes, il raconte, nous racontons, vous racontez, ils racontent.

`Does raconter take être or avoir in the passé composé?`

raconter takes avoir in compound tenses: j’ai raconté, nous avons raconté. The past participle is raconté.

`What are the future and conditional forms of raconter?`

Futur simple: je raconterai. Conditionnel présent: je raconterais. Both are built on the same stem (raconter-).

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The complete conjugation chart of raconter on A4 sheets in black and white, ready for your binder or flashcards.

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