je suis
In French, je suis means "i am".
je suis is the most straightforward way to say "I am" in French. You can use it to state who or what you are. For expressing ongoing actions, you should use the phrase je suis en train de.
How does it change in a sentence?
je suis is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb être (to be).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use je suis to mean "I am doing something" (for example, saying je suis manger for "I am eating"). In French, you should simply use the present tense je mange to cover both "I eat" and "I am eating".
Did you know?
- While 'je suis' means 'I am', it is also the exact same spelling as the verb 'suivre', meaning 'I follow'.
- French speakers use je suis for identity and location, but if they are 'tired' or 'hungry', they often use different verbs entirely, such as avoir (to have).
- In very informal spoken French, the je in je suis is often shortened to a 'j' sound, making the phrase sound like shui.
Examples in context
- Je suis nu !I am naked!This sentence shows how to use je suis to describe a state of being.Tatoeba #7528121 by Micsmithel, translation #4914781 by RobinvanderVliet
- Je suis joli ?I am handsome?This sentence uses je suis to ask a question about one's appearance.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 or position.Tatoeba #10363004 by sacredceltic, translation #10363003 by sacredceltic
- Je suis étudiantI am a student
- Je me présente, je suis Madame DupontAllow me to introduce myself, I am Mrs. Dupont
- Permettez-moi de me présenter, je suis Monsieur MartinAllow me to introduce myself, I am Mr. Martin
- Je suis en train de travaillerI am working
- Je suis fatigué(e)I am tired
- Je suis en train de mangerI am eating
- Je deviens fou/folleI am going crazy
- Je suis très heureux de vous rencontrer.I am very happy to meet you.
- Je suis en train de préparer le dîner.I am preparing dinner.
- 1689 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are meeting at a cafe.
- NathanSalut Manon, je suis en retard !Hi Manon, I am late!
- ManonNe t'inquiète pas, Nathan, je suis déjà là.Don't worry, Nathan, I am already here.
- NathanJe suis désolé de t'avoir fait attendre.I am sorry for making you wait.
- ManonCe n'est rien, je suis contente de te voir.It's nothing, I am happy to see you.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
