You are watching: What does sortir mean in french
Like the one friend we all know, it might be complicated, however it’s additionally really helpful. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
Why does sortir have actually two auxiliary verbs in the past tense?
First things first: together if French verb conjugation no tricky enough, why the heck carry out you need to choose in between être and avoir together an auxiliary verb because that sortir?
Essentially, the French wanted to rental the very same verb to suggest a living biology or aware object (like a robot!) leave or arising from somewhere, or someone taking or letting it out. The auxiliary used with sortir in the previous tense just helps distinguish its meaning.
So, also though it might seem complicated, the goal of having two various auxiliary verb is ultimately, clarity!
Être + sortir
Être and also the previous participle of sortir basically means “took oneself out”.
For example, Elle est sortie de la maison hantée en hurlant. (She left the haunted house, screaming.) Or Quand le tigre est sorti de sa caverne, le zoo était fermé. Dommage pour les visiteurs qui espéraient le voir ! (When the tiger came out of his cave, the zoo was closed. Too bad for the visitors who to be hoping to check out him!)
You might think i made a mistake with those example sentences – is it sortie or sorti? unfortunately for those the us engaged in the battle that is discovering French verb — however fortunately because that me, who might get fired if i make too countless mistakes — both of those sentences room correct.
In many cases, when être is one auxiliary, the verb and the subject need to agree. So, if the topic is masculine, the participle is sorti. If the topic is feminine, the becomes sortie.
If the subject is plural, you have to make the agree, too. Because that example, Nous sommes sortis de l’école tôt aujourd’hui. (We obtained out of school early on today.)
And let’s take it increase a notch -if everyone/everything in a group is feminine, then you have to add an e and also an s! like so: Nous sommes sorties de l’école tôt aujourd’hui. (We (girls) gained out that school early on today.).
Keep in mental that when I to speak “feminine” and also “masculine”, ns not simply talking around people. For example, maybe the school I mentioned over is a college for dogs, or probably a institution for wonder objects. That last instance sounds a little bit odd, however in possibly confusing situations like this, why not acquire a little creative?
Avoir + sortir
Avoir and also the past participle that sortir method “took something/someone out.”
For example, Tu as sorti les valises hier soir ? (Did you gain out the suitcases critical night?), or Geraldine et Brigitte ont sorti le chien. (Geraldine and Brigitte let the end the dog.)
Good news! when avoir is the auxiliary, friend don’t have to agree the subject and also the participle. You can see that in the 2nd example above – if sortir had to agree with the subject, it would take on an e and an s!
How to conjugate sortir
Now the we’ve got that down, let’s relocate onto how to conjugate sortir. Below, you’ll uncover this verb in its most usual tenses. If you desire to check out even more tenses, examine out this link guide.
How to conjugate sortir in the existing simple
What the means: to take or go out
Pronoun | Ending | Result |
Je | s | sors |
Tu | s | sors |
Il/elle/on | t | sort |
Nous | ons | sortons |
Vous | ez | sortez |
Ils/ells | ent | sortent |
Example sentence : Mon voisin sort de sa maison chaque matin à 8h. (My neighbor comes the end of his home every morning in ~ 8:00.)
How come conjugate sortir in the passé composé
What the means: gained out/took out
Note: remember our conversation above: Sortir have the right to have either être or avoir as an assistant verb, which affects what it means. Prefer so….
Être + sortir (Remember that the previous participle that sortir has to agree through the subject.)
What the means: take it oneself out
Pronoun | Ending | Result |
Je | i/ie | suis sorti/sortie |
Tu | i/ie | es sorti/sortie |
Il/elle/on | i/ie | est sorti/sortie |
Nous | is/ies | sommes sortis/sommes sorties |
Vous | i/ie/is/ies | êtes sorti/êtes sortie/êtes sortis/êtes sorties |
Ils/ells | is/ies | sont sortis/sont sorties |
Example sentence: Un autre gâteau brûlé ! Nous sommes vite sortis de la cuisine. (Another burned cake! we got quickly out the the kitchen.)
Avoir + sortir (Remember the the past participle of sortir DOES not agree v the subject.)
What that means: take it someone/something out
Pronoun | Ending | Result |
Je | i | ai sorti |
Tu | i | as sorti |
Il/elle/on | i | a sorti |
Nous | I | avons sorti |
Vous | I | avez sorti |
Ils/ells | I | ont sorti |
Example sentence: Nous avons sorti le gâteau du four. Zut – Il était brûlé ! (We took the cake the end of the oven. Bland – it to be burnt!)
How come conjugate sortir in the imparfait
What it means:
used to/would go out/take out
Pronoun | Ending | Example |
Je | ais | sortais |
Tu | ais | sortais |
Il/elle/on | ait | sortait |
Nous | ions | sortions |
Vous | iez | sortiez |
Ils/ells | aient | sortaient |
Example : Tous les soirs elle sortait la poubelle. (Every evening she took the end the garbage.)
How to conjugate sortir in the future simple
What it means: will certainly go out/take out
Pronoun | Ending | Example |
Je | ai | sortirai |
Tu | as | sortiras |
Il/elle/on | a | sortira |
Nous | ons | sortirons |
Vous | ez | sortirez |
Ils/ells | ont | sortiront |
Example : À quelle heure sortiront-ils de la répétition ? (What time will certainly they get out that rehearsal?)
How to conjugate sortir in the conditional
What means: would go out/take out
Pronoun | Ending | Example |
Je | ais | sortirais |
Tu | ais | sortirais |
Il/elle/on | ait | sortirait |
Nous | ions | sortirions |
Vous | iez | sortiriez |
Ils/ells | aient | sortiraient |
Example : Elles ne sortiraient ce soir que si nous allions au cinéma. (They would only go the end tonight if we saw the movies.)
How come conjugate sortir in the subjunctive
What that means: that
Pronoun | Ending | Example |
Je | e | sorte |
Tu | es | sortes |
Il/elle/on | e | sorte |
Nous | ions | sortions |
Vous | iez | sortiez |
Ils/ells | ent | sortent |
The imperative forms of sortir
If you prefer French movies and also TV shows, and/or if you’ve ever watched or parented a French-speaking toddler, you may be at least slightly familiar with these….
Sors (tu)
Example: Sors de là ! (Get the end of there!)
Sortez (vous)
Sortons (nous)
Example: On passe beaucoup trop de temps à se demander quoi faire ! Sortons d’ici tout de suite ! (We spend way too lot time questioning ourselves what come do! Let’s get out of below right away!)
C’est bon, top top a gagné à cache-cache ! Sortons de notre at sight cachette ! (Well, we’ve won hide-and-seek! Let’s gain out of our super hiding place!)
14 expressions with sortir
There space a number of expressions that use sortir. Below are some of the most common.
As you’ll view from this list, prefer in English, sortir deserve to be take away literally or in a an ext abstract way, like when you’re talking around movie release dates, because that example.
sortir avec quelqu’un – to walk out with someone. As in English, this usually means in a romantic, constant way. Example: Elle n’a pas du tout envie de sortir avec toi – elle sort avec Brad Pitt ! (She has actually no desire whatsoever to day you – she’s date Brad Pitt!) yet it could also be provided in a more neutral context. Because that example: Je suis sortie avec mes meilleurs amis hier soir. (I walk out with my best friends critical night.)
sortir couvert – This expression initially meant come go outside with a coat on. Through extension, through the arrival of for sure sex awareness campaigns, this likewise came to mean, “When you walk out trying to find love, always bring a condom.”
sortir de là – obtain out of there!
sortir du lot – Stand out from the crowd
sortir du placard – to come the end of the closet (openly explain one’s homosexuality)
sortir en boîte – to go out to the club
sortir ensemble – to be date (similar to sortir avec).
sortir le cool jeu – to pull out all the stops (do your utmost to impress someone)
sortir les poubelles – come take out the trash/bins
sortir un album – to release an album
D’où sors-tu/ D’où sortez-vous/D’où sort-il/elle/D’où sortent-ils/D’où sortent-elles – where did you/he/she/they come from?
faire sortir de force – to force someone out of somewhere. Il a trop bu et le videur l’a fait sortir de pressure du bar. (He drank also much and also the bouncer threw him out of the bar.)
Ne pas être sorti(e)(s) de l’auberge – to not be the end of the woods however (i.e., not out of problem yet). On a évité de justesse ce chien qui mord tout le monde, mais nous ne sommes pas sortis de l’auberge – on dit qu’il y a des loups par ici ! (We right avoided that dog that bites everyone, yet we’re not out of the woods however – they speak there space wolves roughly here!)
s’en sortir – to manage, to obtain by. Example : Je pensais que le parkour était trop difficile, mais finalement je m’en sors pas mal ! (I thought parkour was too hard, yet actually, I’m not doing also badly!)
How to usage sortir together a noun

Sortie, the noun regarded sortir, have the right to mean plenty of things. let’s look in ~ the many common:
– one exit. If you’ve been to a French-speaking country, you’ve most likely seen or learned come say this word.
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Une sortie de secours is one emergency exit.
– a relax date. Example: Voici les sorties cinema de la semaine. (Here space the brand-new movie releases because that this week.)
– an excursion.
Une sortie en famille is a family members outing
Une sortie scolaire is a school trip (field trip)
Mastering sortir could not seem easy, however it’s possible. Practice conjugation and also your French together courses, et tu vas t’en sortir!