Verb conjugation

asseoir

to sit (someone) down, to seat, make sit; to sit down, sit up, take a seat

Usage

An essential, highly irregular verb: to seat someone (asseoir un enfant) or, reflexively (s'asseoir), to sit down — one of the most common action verbs in French. Figuratively, it also means to establish firmly (asseoir son autorité, sa réputation).

Examples

Assieds-toi, je t'en prie. — Sit down, please.
Elle a assis le bébé sur la chaise haute. — She sat the baby down in the high chair.
Ce succès a assis son autorité dans l'entreprise. — This success established his authority within the company.

Common mistake

asseoir has two accepted conjugation patterns (j'assois/j'assieds, il assoit/il assied) that both remain correct in modern French — learners get thrown by seeing both forms in different textbooks and assuming one of them must be wrong.

In real life

expression asseoir son autorité — A standard French idiom meaning to firmly establish one's authority or standing, widely documented in French dictionaries and used constantly in political and professional writing.

Simple tenses

Present

je	assois
tu	assois
il/elle	assoit
nous	assoyons
vous	assoyez
ils/elles	assoient

Imperfect

je	assoyais
tu	assoyais
il/elle	assoyait
nous	assoyions
vous	assoyiez
ils/elles	assoyaient

Past historic (passé simple)

je	assis
tu	assis
il/elle	assit
nous	assîmes
vous	assîtes
ils/elles	assirent

Future

je	assoirai
tu	assoiras
il/elle	assoira
nous	assoirons
vous	assoirez
ils/elles	assoiront

Conditional

je	assoirais
tu	assoirais
il/elle	assoirait
nous	assoirions
vous	assoiriez
ils/elles	assoiraient

Subjunctive

je	assoie
tu	assoies
il/elle	assoie
nous	assoyions
vous	assoyiez
ils/elles	assoient

Subjunctive (imperfect)

je	assisse
tu	assisses
il/elle	assît
nous	assissions
vous	assissiez
ils/elles	assissent

Imperative

tu	assois
nous	assoyons
vous	assoyez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

je	ai assis
tu	as assis
il/elle	a assis
nous	avons assis
vous	avez assis
ils/elles	ont assis

Plus-que-parfait

je	avais assis
tu	avais assis
il/elle	avait assis
nous	avions assis
vous	aviez assis
ils/elles	avaient assis

Passé antérieur

je	eus assis
tu	eus assis
il/elle	eut assis
nous	eûmes assis
vous	eûtes assis
ils/elles	eurent assis

Futur antérieur

je	aurai assis
tu	auras assis
il/elle	aura assis
nous	aurons assis
vous	aurez assis
ils/elles	auront assis

Conditionnel passé

je	aurais assis
tu	aurais assis
il/elle	aurait assis
nous	aurions assis
vous	auriez assis
ils/elles	auraient assis

Subjonctif passé

je	aie assis
tu	aies assis
il/elle	ait assis
nous	ayons assis
vous	ayez assis
ils/elles	aient assis

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

je	eusse assis
tu	eusses assis
il/elle	eût assis
nous	eussions assis
vous	eussiez assis
ils/elles	eussent assis

Impératif passé

tu	aie assis
nous	ayons assis
vous	ayez assis

Other

Present participle

assoyant

Past participle

assis

Infinitive

asseoir

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "asseoir" mean?

"asseoir" means "to sit (someone) down, to seat, make sit; to sit down, sit up, take a seat".

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

The present of "asseoir" is: je assois, tu assois, il/elle assoit, nous assoyons, vous assoyez, ils/elles assoient.

What is the Passé composé of "asseoir"?

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

What is the Imperative of "asseoir"?

The imperative of "asseoir" is: tu assois, nous assoyons, vous assoyez.

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