Key facts

Lever

To raise · to lift/to raise

B1Irregular
Stem
lev
Past participle
levé

Examples

Je lève la main.

I raise my hand.

Il ne lève pas le bras.

He doesn't lift his arm.

Nous levions le verre.

We were raising the glass.

Nous avons levé le sac.

We lifted the bag.

This verb is highly irregular. Prioritize repetition and active recall.

Présent

Indicative present — everyday actions, ongoing situations, and habits; the tense you rely on most in conversation.

Group 1
Jelève
Iraise
Tulèves
Youraise
Illève
Heraises
Nouslevons
Weraise
Vouslevez
Youraise
Ilslèvent
Theyraise

Futur proche

Near future with aller + infinitive — what you are about to do, very soon after the moment of speaking.

Jevais lever
Iam going to raise
Tuvas lever
Youare going to raise
Ilva lever
Heis going to raise
Nousallons lever
Weare going to raise
Vousallez lever
Youare going to raise
Ilsvont lever
Theyare going to raise

Passé récent

Recent past with venir de + infinitive — something that has just finished, still fresh in the speaker’s mind.

Jeviens de lever
Ihave just raised
Tuviens de lever
Youhave just raised
Ilvient de lever
Hehas just raised
Nousvenons de lever
Wehave just raised
Vousvenez de lever
Youhave just raised
Ilsviennent de lever
Theyhave just raised

Passé composé

Compound past with être or avoir + past participle — completed, one-off events and the backbone of spoken storytelling.

J'ai levé
Ihave raised
Tuas levé
Youhave raised
Ila levé
Hehas raised
Nousavons levé
Wehave raised
Vousavez levé
Youhave raised
Ilsont levé
Theyhave raised

Conditionnel présent

Conditional mood — polite requests, imagined outcomes, and what would happen under certain conditions.

Jelèverais
Iwould raise
Tulèverais
Youwould raise
Illèverait
Hewould raise
Nouslèverions
Wewould raise
Vouslèveriez
Youwould raise
Ilslèveraient
Theywould raise

Futur simple

Simple future — often more formal or literary than the near future; states intentions farther ahead in time.

Jelèverai
Iwill raise
Tulèveras
Youwill raise
Illèvera
Hewill raise
Nouslèverons
Wewill raise
Vouslèverez
Youwill raise
Ilslèveront
Theywill raise

Imparfait

Imperfect — repeated habits in the past, background description, and actions still in progress when something else occurred.

Jelevais
Iwas raising
Tulevais
Youwere raising
Illevait
Hewas raising
Nouslevions
Were raising
Vousleviez
Youwere raising
Ilslevaient
Theywere raising

Impératif présent

Present imperative — direct commands and friendly requests; only tu, nous, and vous person forms exist.

(Tu)lève
Youraise
(Nous)levons
Weraise
(Vous)levez
Youraise

Participe présent

Present participle — the -ant form in subordinate clauses, compound tenses, and many fixed expressions.

levant
raising

Gérondif présent

Gerund with en + present participle — simultaneous action, manner, or cause while something else is going on.

en levant
raising

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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