J'écris
The English phrase "I am writing" is translated into French as J'écris.
The phrase J'écris is used to state that the speaker is currently performing the act of writing.
Which one should you use?
You may encounter Je suis en train d'écrire in informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
French does not have a separate continuous aspect like the English "am writing", so the simple present J'écris is used for both "I write" and "I am writing".
Did you know?
- The act of writing can be described as noircir du papier, which literally means 'to blacken paper', a poetic way to say one is writing prolifically or drafting quickly.
- The phrase Je suis en train d'écrire uses the word train, which usually means a locomotive, to express that the speaker is in the middle of the process of writing.
- In French, if you are writing a check or a formal document, you might use the expression dresser un acte, which literally means 'to erect an act' rather than 'to write'.
Examples in context
- J'écris cette lettre à ma femme.I am writing this letter to my wife.This sentence is useful for showing how to express writing a letter to a specific person using J'écris.Tatoeba #1786452 by sacredceltic, translation #1785757 by Amastan
- La personne à qui j'écris est ma mère.The person I am writing to is my mother.This sentence shows how to identify the recipient of the writing action using J'écris.Tatoeba #5105552 by gege_veggie, translation #4478813 by DostKaplan
- J'écris des articles à propos des grèves.I am writing articles about strikes.This sentence demonstrates using J'écris to describe the subject matter of what is being written.Tatoeba #927926 by sacredceltic, translation #436457 by lukaszpp
- J'écris pour vous informer de l'avancement du projet.I am writing to inform you of the project's progress.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is working at her desk and Lucas enters the room.
- LéaNe me dérange pas, j'écris un mail.Don't disturb me, I am writing an email.
- LucasD'accord, je reviendrai plus tard.Okay, I will come back later.
- LéaMerci, j'écris très vite maintenant.Thanks, I am writing very quickly now.
- LucasPas de problème, bon courage Léa !No problem, good luck Léa!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
