mettre

Irregular Verb Mettre (To Put)

Level 1

Mettre is an irregular verb used for physical placement, getting dressed, and expressing time duration. It follows a specific pattern where the stem drops a 't' in the singular forms (je mets) but keeps it in the plural (nous mettons).

How It Works

The verb mettre is essential for daily life in French. Here is how to use it:

1. Conjugation Pattern
In the present tense, mettre drops the second 't' of the stem in the singular forms:

  • je mets (I put)
  • tu mets (you put)
  • il/elle/on met (he/she/one puts)

In the plural forms, the double 't' returns:

  • nous mettons (we put)
  • vous mettez (you put)
  • ils/elles mettent (they put)

2. Common Uses

  • Physical Placement: Putting an object somewhere. (Je mets le livre sur le bureau.)
  • Clothing: The act of putting clothes on. Note that porter is used for the state of wearing them.
  • Time: Expressing how long a task takes. (Je mets dix minutes pour venir.)
  • Electronics: Turning something on, like the radio or TV.
  • Setting the Table: A common idiomatic use. (Je mets la table.)

3. Starting an Action
When used as a reflexive verb with the preposition à, se mettre à means "to start" or "to begin" doing something. (Je me mets à travailler.)

Examples (5)

  1. Je mets mes chaussures.

    I am putting on my shoes.

    Word by Word: I put my shoes.

    Here, 'mettre' describes the action of getting dressed.

  2. Tu mets le lait dans le frigo ?

    Are you putting the milk in the fridge?

    Word by Word: You put the milk in the fridge?

    This shows the core meaning of placing an object in a location.

  3. Elle met une heure pour finir ses devoirs.

    It takes her an hour to finish her homework.

    Word by Word: She puts one hour for to finish her homework.

    When used with a time duration, 'mettre' means 'to take time'.

  4. Nous mettons la table pour le dîner.

    We are setting the table for dinner.

    Word by Word: We put the table for the dinner.

    'Mettre la table' is a common idiomatic expression meaning 'to set the table'.

  5. Ils mettent la radio le matin.

    They turn on the radio in the morning.

    Word by Word: They put the radio the morning.

    'Mettre' is frequently used to mean 'to turn on' an appliance.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a double 't' in the singular forms.

    Je metts mon manteau.
    Je mets mon manteau.

    In the singular (je, tu, il/elle/on), the stem loses one 't'. Only the plural forms (nous, vous, ils/elles) use the double 't'.

  • Using 'prendre' where 'mettre' is the usual verb for how long you need.

    Different MeaningJe prends une heure pour cuisiner.
    Je mets une heure à cuisiner.

    'Je prends une heure pour cuisiner' is correct, but it means you choose to set aside an hour. To say how long a task takes you, use 'mettre': 'Je mets une heure à cuisiner'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

mettreLevel 1Irregular Verb Mettre (To Put)

Learn This First

To learn the conjugation of the irregular verb 'mettre', you first need to be familiar with French subject pronouns and the general behavior of verbs ending in -re. Understanding basic sentence structure will also help you use the verb correctly in context.

Words in This Pattern

mettre