je suis
The English phrase "I am" is translated into French as je suis.
The phrase is used to state who or what the speaker is. It is the conjugation of the verb être for the pronoun je.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québécois French, the informal forms J'suis and Moi, chu are used in conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
je suis is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb être.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using je suis followed directly by an infinitive verb to mean "I am doing something". For example, in French, je suis manger does not mean "I am eating". Instead, je suis followed by a verb is the present tense of the verb suivre (to follow).
Did you know?
- The word suis is a linguistic oddity because it was shaped by the past tense of the verb 'to be' rather than following the standard evolution of the Latin present tense.
- The French verb être (to be) is one of the most irregular verbs in the language. Its forms are a mosaic of different Latin roots, which is why suis looks nothing like other present-tense verbs.
Examples in context
- Je suis nu !I am naked!This sentence shows how to express a state of being with je suis.Tatoeba #7528121 by Micsmithel, translation #4914781 by RobinvanderVliet
- Je suis joli ?I am handsome?This sentence uses je suis to ask a question about a personal quality.Tatoeba #3487857 by Aiji, translation #3487860 by Ricardo14
- Je suis à bord.I am on board.This sentence uses je suis to indicate a location.Tatoeba #10363004 by sacredceltic, translation #10363003 by sacredceltic
- Je suis MarieI am Marie
- Je suis médecinI am a doctor
- Moi, c'est PierreI am Pierre
- Je suis un artisteI am an artist
- Je suis le professeurI am the teacher
- Moi, c'est Anne.I am Anne.
- Moi, chu étudiant.I am a student.
- Je suis un Bruxellois.I am a person from Brussels.
- 1689 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are meeting for the first time at a party.
- LucasBonjour, je suis Lucas.Hello, I am Lucas.
- ChloéEnchantée, Lucas. Je suis Chloé.Nice to meet you, Lucas. I am Chloé.
- LucasTu es étudiante ici ?Are you a student here?
- ChloéOui, je suis en première année.Yes, I am in my first year.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
