Old French

Conjugate Verbs

Introduction

Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories corresponding roughly to the northern half of modern France and parts of Belgium and Switzerland from around 1000 to 1300. This extinct language was known at the time as the langue d'oïl to distinguish it from the langue d'oc (also then called Provençal) which bordered these areas to the south.

Verbs

Old French verb is classified in weak and strong verbs.

Weak verbs form two groups, one with verb infinitives ending in -er and another in -ir/-re.

Strong verbs form three groups; the grouping is based on the perfect ending in Latin language (-i, -si, and -ui).

Sample verbs

Estre

Indicative

Person	Present	Past	Preterite	Future
Sg.1	sui	ere, iere, estoie	fui	ier, serai, estrai
Sg.2	ies, es	eres, ieres, estoies	fus	seras, estras
Sg.3	est	ere, iere, estoit	fu, fut	iert, sera, estra
Pl.1	som, somes	eriems, estions	fumes	iermes, serons, estrons
Pl.2	iestes, estes	estiez	fustes	serez, estrez
Pl.3	sont	erent, ierent, estoient	furent	seront

Verblist

aaiser, aaisier, aanchrer, abaier, abaissier, abandoner, abatre, abaubir, abaudir, abeer, abelir, aboivrer, abonder, abreger, abregier, abrier, abriger, abscondre, abstenir, acater, accepter, accreistre, accroupir, acepter, acertener, acesmer, achater, acherchier, acheter, acoardir, acoillir, acointer, acointier, acoler, acompaignier, acomplir, aconpaignier, aconter, acopler, acorder, acorre, acoster, acouchier, acounter, acoupler, acoustumer, acreanter, acreistre, acroistre, acuinter, acunter, acupler, acuser, adamagier, adeser, adestrer, admettre, administrer, adober, adolcir, adoler, adorer, adormir, adouber, adrecier, aduber, aduire, adurcir, adurir, aeiser, aencrer, afaitier, afamer, afeblir, aferir, afichier, afier, afoler, afrayer, afroier, afubler, agaitier, agenoiller, agenoillier, agister, agreer, aguisier, aidier, aieiser, aiesier, aimer, aiser, aisier, aisir, ajoster, alaitier, alegier, aler, alier, aller, allower, aloer, aloser, alouer, alumer, alurer, amasser, ambler, amender, amener, amer, amercier, amesurer, amoistir, amonester, amonter, amordre, ancontrer, ancumbrer, ancuser, andoctriner, andurer, anfrainner, angenrer, angoissier, anhardir, anluminer, anoncier, anpalir, anprisoner, anraciner, ansanglanter, anseler, anserrer, antendre, anterrer, antredoner, antrehair, antrehaïr, antrer, antresavoir, antrespargnier, anuier, anuitier, anuller, anuncier, anvaïr, anvoier, aorer, aorner, aourer, apaier, apaiier, apaisier, apalir, apareiller, apareillier, apareir, aparellier, aparillier, aparir, aparler, aparoir, aparoler, apartenir, apeler, apercevoir, apertenir, apoiier, apointier, aporter, apovrir, appetisser, applier, aprandre, aprendre, aprester, aprismer, aprocher, aprochier, aproismier, aprovender, apruichier, apuier, apurtenir, aquerre, aquintier, aquiter, arachier, araisnier, araisoner, arangier, ardeir, ardoir, ardre, arer, arester, arimer, ariver, armer, arouser, arracher, arrachier, arrester, asalir, ascolter, asembler, asemler, aseürer, asoter, asproier, assaier, assaillir, assalir, assaveir, asseger, assegier, asseoir, assercher, asseurer, asseürer, assimiler, assoiler, assoudre, astenir, atachier, ataindre, atalanter, atandre, atargier, ataster, ateindre, atendre, atirer, atirier, atochier, atorner, atraire, atranprer, atreire, atucher, aturner, auctorisier, auleguer, aumosner, avaler, avancer, avanchier, avancier, avanter, aveir, aveir chier, avenger, avengier, avenir, aver, averer, avertir, avironer, aviser, avochier, avogler, avoider, avoir, avoir chier, awaitier, aymer, baaillier, babiller, babillier, baer, baignier, bailler, baillier, baisier, baisser, baissier, bangnier, banir, baptisier, baptoier, barater, barguigner, barguignier, barrire, bastir, bataillier, batre, bauptizer, beer, behorder, beisier, beivre, beneir, beneïr, beneistre, beneïstre, bercer, berser, beter, bever, blanchir, blanchoier, blanchoiier, blasmer, blastengier, blechier, blecier, blesmir, boillir, boivre, bolengier, bolir, bondir, bouder, bouter, bracer, bracier, braire, brandir, breer, briser, brisier, brocher, brochier, broder, broicher, broier, broiier, brosder, brouder, bruir, brunir, buer, burnir, cachier, cacier, cadeir, caeir, calunjer, cangier, canonisier, canter, carger, carier, caroler, casser, cauteriser, caviller, ceder, ceindre, celer, cembler, cercer, cerchier, cerquier, certifier, cesser, chacer, chacier, chadeir, chair, chaïr, chaleir, chalenger, chalengier, chaloir, chalonger, chalongier, champir, changer, changier, chanpir, chanter, chargier, charmer, chastier, chastrer, chaucier, chaufer, chauffer, chaunger, chaunter, chaver, chavoir, chedeir, cheir, cheler, cheoir, chevalcer, chevalcher, chevalchier, chevauchier, chever, chevir, chevoir, chulcher, chulchier, cicatriser, cicatrisier, clamer, clore, coaillier, coarder, coillir, coisier, colchier, colorer, colper, coltiver, comander, combatre, comencer, comencier, communer, compasser, compeller, compiler, complaindre, compleindre, complir, composer, comprehender, conbatre, conceder, conceiver, conceivre, conceler, concevoir, conchier, conchiier, conclure, conçoivre, concreidre, condamner, condampner, condescendre, condicioner, condicionner, conduire, confermer, confesser, confire, confondre, conforter, congeier, conjoir, conjoïr, conjurer, conlauder, conmenchier, connoistre, conoistre, conplaindre, conquerre, conquester, conreer, conseillier, conseller, consentir, conserver, consirer, consivre, construire, consuire, contenir, conter, contester, contralier, contredire, contrefaire, contremander, contrepeser, contrepleder, contretenir, contribuir, conveier, converser, convertir, convicter, convoier, coper, corir, corner, coroner, corouner, corre, correcier, correer, correspondre, corroder, corrompre, corrozer, corteier, cosdre, coster, costoier, couchier, coudre, counter, countrefaire, coure, courre, couster, couvenir, couvoitier, covenir, coveter, covoiter, covoitier, covrir, crachier, craper, creanter, creindre, creire, creistre, cremir, crestre, crever, criembre, crier, criquer, croire, croissir, croistre, croster, crucefier, cueudre, cuider, cuidier, cuire, culcher, cultiver, cumancier, cumander, cumbatre, cumencer, cumencier, cunceivre, cunduire, cunforter, cunfundre, cunquere, cunquerre, cunquester, cunreer, cunseiler, cunseiller, cunsentir, cuntenir, cunter, cuntredire, curer, curre, curuner, cuvrir, damager, damagier, damnifier, dampner, dancer, dancier, dauber, deboissier, debrisier, decevoir, decevre, decheoir, deçoivre, decreistre, deduire, defendre, deffendre, definer, defubler, degaster, degoter, deguiser, deignier, delaier, delaissier, delitier, delivrer, demander, demener, dementer, demonstrer, demorer, demoustrer, dempner, demustrer, denuncier, departir, depecier, deporter, deraisnier, derumpre, derver, desabelir, desaencrer, desafubler, desagreer, desarmer, desbauchier, desbuschier, desçandre, descendre, deschargier, deschaucier, deschevaler, deschevauchier, desclamer, descloer, descolorer, descomforter, desconfire, desconforter, desconter, descontinuer, descouchier, descovrir, descreistre, descrier, descrire, descrivre, descunseillier, descupler, descuvrir, desdeignier, desenchanter, desencombrer, deseriter, deservir, desevrer, desfaire, desfandre, desfendre, desfere, desfier, desfigurer, desfubler, desguiser, desguisier, deshaitier, desheitier, desherberger, desherbergier, desirer, desirrer, desjeuner, desjeüner, desjoindre, deslacer, deslacier, desleer, deslicier, deslier, desmaillier, desmanbrer, desmanteler, desmembrer, desmentir, desmonter, desnoer, despendre, despenser, despire, desplaire, despleier, desplere, desploiier, despoillier, desprisoner, desprover, desraisnier, desrengier, desrompre, dessevrer, destachier, destaindre, destemprer, destorber, destorner, destraindre, destrecier, destrosser, destruire, desturber, desver, desvestir, desvoier, detenir, detrancier, detranprer, detrenchier, devaincre, devastar, deveir, devenir, deviser, devoir, devorer, devourer, differer, dire, disclaimer, discusser, disner, dobler, doctriner, doloir, dominer, doneier, doner, donter, dormir, doter, doubter, douloir, douner, douter, draoncler, drecer, drecier, drescer, dresser, duire, duner, durer, duter, eaisir, easer, eeser, effroier, effronter, effroyer, eidier, eiser, eisier, eisir, eissir, ellire, embasmer, embataillier, embaudir, embellir, embler, embracer, embrachier, embracier, embronchier, embrouder, embuignier, embuschier, empaner, empeechier, empenser, empirier, emplier, emploier, emploiier, empoirier, emprendre, emprisonner, emprunter, enarmer, enbaudir, enbracer, enbuschier, enbuscier, encercher, encerchier, enchaigner, enchanter, enchargier, enchaucer, enchaucier, enchevauchier, encliner, enclore, encloser, encombrer, encomencier, encontrer, encorager, encoragier, encoumencer, encountrer, encreistre, encrochier, encroistre, encuntrer, encuser, endamagier, enditer, enditier, endotriner, endurer, enfanter, enfaunter, enflamer, enfler, enfoir, enforcier, enfourmer, enfrener, engager, engagier, engendrer, engenrer, engignier, enginer, enginier, enginnier, englotir, engloutir, engoler, engouler, engraignier, engroissier, engrossir, enhabiter, enhaucier, enhauncer, enheriter, enmener, enmurer, enoiier, enoindre, enorer, enorter, enpirier, enprisoner, enprisonner, enprisuner, enprisunner, enquerre, enquester, enraciner, enragier, enricher, enrichier, enrichir, enroller, ensaignier, ensanglenter, ensegner, enseigner, enseignier, enseler, ensevelir, ensivre, entendre, entepreter, enterrer, entrabrasser, entracorder, entraimer, entramer, entraper, entrebaisier, entrecombatre, entredire, entreduner, entreferir, entrefier, entrelier, entremanecier, entremarchander, entremetre, entreparler, entreprendre, entrer, entretenir, entrevenir, entreveoir, entrevëoir, entrocire, entroublier, entuscher, enuier, envair, envaïr, enveier, envenimer, envoier, envoiier, envoisier, envoluper, eriter, erragier, errer, esbahir, esbaneier, esbanier, esbatre, esbaudir, esbleuir, esbloïr, escalder, escandir, escaper, escaufer, escerveler, eschalder, eschalfer, eschanger, eschangier, eschaper, eschargaitier, eschauder, eschaufer, eschauffer, escheoir, eschiver, esclarcir, esclicer, esclicier, escolter, escondire, escorchier, escorcier, escouter, escrier, escrire, escrivre, escuer, esculter, escumengier, escumer, escundire, escuser, escuter, eser, esere, esfacer, esfacier, esforcer, esforcier, esfreer, esfroier, esfronter, esgarder, esgarer, esgruner, esguarder, esjoir, esjoïr, eskolter, eslargir, eslire, esloignier, esluignier, esmaier, esmer, esmouvoir, esmoveir, esmovoir, espandre, espardre, espargner, espargnier, esparnier, esparpeillier, esparpiller, espaundre, especuler, espeer, espeier, espeler, espeller, espeluchier, esperer, esperoner, espessir, espier, espirer, espleitier, esploiter, esploitier, espoanter, espoenter, espoillier, espondre, esposer, espouser, esprover, espruver, espumer, espundre, espuser, esrachier, esragier, esrer, esricher, essaier, essaucer, essaucier, esser, essilier, essillier.

Paralleltexts

• La Chanson de Roland

References

• Lothar Wolf. Altfranzösisch, Entstehung und Charakteristik. Wbg Academic.
• Hans Rheinfelder. Altfranzösische Grammatik.
• Wagner, R.L.. l'Ancien français. Librairie Larousse. Paris, 1974.
• Jensen, Frede. Old French and Comparative Gallo-Romance Syntax. Tübingen, 1990.