Key facts

Tracer

To draw · to draw (a line)/to trace

B1Irregular
Model
cer
Stem
trac
Past participle
tracé

Examples

Je trace un trait.

I draw a line.

Il ne trace pas de ligne.

He doesn't draw a line.

Nous tracions le plan.

We were drawing the plan.

Nous avons tracé le chemin.

We traced the path.

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
Jetrace
Idraw
Tutraces
Youdraw
Iltrace
Hedraws
Noustraçons
Wedraw
Voustracez
Youdraw
Ilstracent
Theydraw

Futur proche

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

Jevais tracer
Iam going to draw
Tuvas tracer
Youare going to draw
Ilva tracer
Heis going to draw
Nousallons tracer
Weare going to draw
Vousallez tracer
Youare going to draw
Ilsvont tracer
Theyare going to draw

Passé récent

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

Jeviens de tracer
Ihave just drawn
Tuviens de tracer
Youhave just drawn
Ilvient de tracer
Hehas just drawn
Nousvenons de tracer
Wehave just drawn
Vousvenez de tracer
Youhave just drawn
Ilsviennent de tracer
Theyhave just drawn

Passé composé

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

J'ai tracé
Ihave drawn
Tuas tracé
Youhave drawn
Ila tracé
Hehas drawn
Nousavons tracé
Wehave drawn
Vousavez tracé
Youhave drawn
Ilsont tracé
Theyhave drawn

Conditionnel présent

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

Jetracerais
Iwould draw
Tutracerais
Youwould draw
Iltracerait
Hewould draw
Noustracerions
Wewould draw
Voustraceriez
Youwould draw
Ilstraceraient
Theywould draw

Futur simple

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

Jetracerai
Iwill draw
Tutraceras
Youwill draw
Iltracera
Hewill draw
Noustracerons
Wewill draw
Voustracerez
Youwill draw
Ilstraceront
Theywill draw

Imparfait

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

Jetraçais
Iwas drawing
Tutraçais
Youwere drawing
Iltraçait
Hewas drawing
Noustracions
Were drawing
Voustraciez
Youwere drawing
Ilstraçaient
Theywere drawing

Impératif présent

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

(Tu)trace
Youdraw
(Nous)traçons
Wedraw
(Vous)tracez
Youdraw

Participe présent

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

traçant
drawing

Gérondif présent

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

en traçant
drawing

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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