Key facts

Obliger

To oblige · to force/to oblige

B1Irregular
Model
ger
Stem
oblig
Past participle
obligé

Examples

J'oblige Paul.

I force Paul.

Il n'oblige pas son fils.

He doesn't force his son.

Nous obligions tout.

We were forcing everything.

Nous avons obligé Marie.

We forced Marie.

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
J'oblige
Tuobliges
Youoblige
Iloblige
Heobliges
Nousobligeons
Weoblige
Vousobligez
Youoblige
Ilsobligent
Theyoblige

Futur proche

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

Jevais obliger
Iam going to oblige
Tuvas obliger
Youare going to oblige
Ilva obliger
Heis going to oblige
Nousallons obliger
Weare going to oblige
Vousallez obliger
Youare going to oblige
Ilsvont obliger
Theyare going to oblige

Passé récent

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

Jeviens d'obliger
Ihave just obliged
Tuviens d'obliger
Youhave just obliged
Ilvient d'obliger
Hehas just obliged
Nousvenons d'obliger
Wehave just obliged
Vousvenez d'obliger
Youhave just obliged
Ilsviennent d'obliger
Theyhave just obliged

Passé composé

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

J'ai obligé
Ihave obliged
Tuas obligé
Youhave obliged
Ila obligé
Hehas obliged
Nousavons obligé
Wehave obliged
Vousavez obligé
Youhave obliged
Ilsont obligé
Theyhave obliged

Conditionnel présent

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

J'obligerais
Iwould oblige
Tuobligerais
Youwould oblige
Ilobligerait
Hewould oblige
Nousobligerions
Wewould oblige
Vousobligeriez
Youwould oblige
Ilsobligeraient
Theywould oblige

Futur simple

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

J'obligerai
Iwill oblige
Tuobligeras
Youwill oblige
Ilobligera
Hewill oblige
Nousobligerons
Wewill oblige
Vousobligerez
Youwill oblige
Ilsobligeront
Theywill oblige

Imparfait

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

J'obligeais
Iwas obliging
Tuobligeais
Youwere obliging
Ilobligeait
Hewas obliging
Nousobligions
Were obliging
Vousobligiez
Youwere obliging
Ilsobligeaient
Theywere obliging

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)oblige
(Nous)obligeons
Weoblige
(Vous)obligez
Youoblige

Participe présent

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

obligeant
obliging

Gérondif présent

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

en obligeant
obliging

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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