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Verb conjugation

allumer

to light, to set alight (a candle, a fire, a cigar); to turn on (the light, a lightbulb, the television, the heating)

Usage

Allumer means to light something (allumer une bougie, un feu) or to turn on an electronic device or light (allumer la télé, la lumière) — the all-purpose "switch on" verb that predates electricity. Its opposite is éteindre.

Examples
  • Peux-tu allumer la lumière, s'il te plaît ? — Can you turn on the light, please?
  • Il a allumé un feu de camp sur la plage. — He lit a campfire on the beach.
  • N'oublie pas d'allumer ton ordinateur avant la réunion. — Don't forget to turn on your computer before the meeting.
Common mistake

Learners sometimes use ouvrir (to open) for turning on a device, following English "open the app," but for lights, screens, and appliances French uses allumer, reserving ouvrir for physical opening — doors, windows, packages.

Often confused with éteindre.

In real life
  • song Allumer le feu — Johnny Hallyday's 1998 hit, written by Zazie and composed by Pascal Obispo, was commissioned for his September 1998 Stade de France concerts and became a staple of his live shows.

Simple tenses

Present

jeallume
tuallumes
il/elleallume
nousallumons
vousallumez
ils/ellesallument

Imperfect

jeallumais
tuallumais
il/elleallumait
nousallumions
vousallumiez
ils/ellesallumaient

Past historic (passé simple)

jeallumai
tuallumas
il/ellealluma
nousallumâmes
vousallumâtes
ils/ellesallumèrent

Future

jeallumerai
tuallumeras
il/elleallumera
nousallumerons
vousallumerez
ils/ellesallumeront

Conditional

jeallumerais
tuallumerais
il/elleallumerait
nousallumerions
vousallumeriez
ils/ellesallumeraient

Subjunctive

jeallume
tuallumes
il/elleallume
nousallumions
vousallumiez
ils/ellesallument

Subjunctive (imperfect)

jeallumasse
tuallumasses
il/elleallumât
nousallumassions
vousallumassiez
ils/ellesallumassent

Imperative

tuallume
nousallumons
vousallumez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

jeai allumé
tuas allumé
il/ellea allumé
nousavons allumé
vousavez allumé
ils/ellesont allumé

Plus-que-parfait

jeavais allumé
tuavais allumé
il/elleavait allumé
nousavions allumé
vousaviez allumé
ils/ellesavaient allumé

Passé antérieur

jeeus allumé
tueus allumé
il/elleeut allumé
nouseûmes allumé
vouseûtes allumé
ils/elleseurent allumé

Futur antérieur

jeaurai allumé
tuauras allumé
il/elleaura allumé
nousaurons allumé
vousaurez allumé
ils/ellesauront allumé

Conditionnel passé

jeaurais allumé
tuaurais allumé
il/elleaurait allumé
nousaurions allumé
vousauriez allumé
ils/ellesauraient allumé

Subjonctif passé

jeaie allumé
tuaies allumé
il/elleait allumé
nousayons allumé
vousayez allumé
ils/ellesaient allumé

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

jeeusse allumé
tueusses allumé
il/elleeût allumé
nouseussions allumé
vouseussiez allumé
ils/elleseussent allumé

Impératif passé

tuaie allumé
nousayons allumé
vousayez allumé

Other

Present participle

allumant

Past participle

allumé

Infinitive

allumer

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "allumer" mean?

"allumer" means "to light, to set alight (a candle, a fire, a cigar); to turn on (the light, a lightbulb, the television, the heating)".

How do you conjugate "allumer" in the present tense?

The present of "allumer" is: je allume, tu allumes, il/elle allume, nous allumons, vous allumez, ils/elles allument.

What is the Passé composé of "allumer"?

The passé composé of "allumer" is: je ai allumé, tu as allumé, il/elle a allumé, nous avons allumé, vous avez allumé, ils/elles ont allumé.

What is the Imperative of "allumer"?

The imperative of "allumer" is: tu allume, nous allumons, vous allumez.

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