Key facts

Semer

To sow · to sow/to scatter/to lose (someone)

B1Irregular
Stem
sem
Past participle
semé

Examples

Je sème le blé.

I sow the wheat.

Il ne sème pas de fleurs.

He doesn't sow flowers.

Nous semions tout.

We were sowing everything.

Nous avons semé le grain.

We sowed the grain.

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
Jesème
Isow
Tusèmes
Yousow
Ilsème
Hesows
Noussemons
Wesow
Voussemez
Yousow
Ilssèment
Theysow

Futur proche

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

Jevais semer
Iam going to sow
Tuvas semer
Youare going to sow
Ilva semer
Heis going to sow
Nousallons semer
Weare going to sow
Vousallez semer
Youare going to sow
Ilsvont semer
Theyare going to sow

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de semer
Ihave just sown
Tuviens de semer
Youhave just sown
Ilvient de semer
Hehas just sown
Nousvenons de semer
Wehave just sown
Vousvenez de semer
Youhave just sown
Ilsviennent de semer
Theyhave just sown

Passé composé

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

J'ai semé
Ihave sown
Tuas semé
Youhave sown
Ila semé
Hehas sown
Nousavons semé
Wehave sown
Vousavez semé
Youhave sown
Ilsont semé
Theyhave sown

Conditionnel présent

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

Jesèmerais
Iwould sow
Tusèmerais
Youwould sow
Ilsèmerait
Hewould sow
Noussèmerions
Wewould sow
Voussèmeriez
Youwould sow
Ilssèmeraient
Theywould sow

Futur simple

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

Jesèmerai
Iwill sow
Tusèmeras
Youwill sow
Ilsèmera
Hewill sow
Noussèmerons
Wewill sow
Voussèmerez
Youwill sow
Ilssèmeront
Theywill sow

Imparfait

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

Jesemais
Iwas sowing
Tusemais
Youwere sowing
Ilsemait
Hewas sowing
Noussemions
Were sowing
Voussemiez
Youwere sowing
Ilssemaient
Theywere sowing

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)sème
Yousow
(Nous)semons
Wesow
(Vous)semez
Yousow

Participe présent

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

semant
sowing

Gérondif présent

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

en semant
sowing

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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