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Verb conjugation

attraire

to attract (be attractive); to sue

Usage

An archaic verb, an old form of attirer (to attract), that survives today almost exclusively in formal legal French meaning to summon someone before a court (attraire quelqu'un en justice) — a term still heard, in the words of French legal dictionaries, 'au Palais' (at the courthouse) but nowhere else.

Examples
  • La société a été attraite devant le tribunal de commerce. — The company was summoned before the commercial court.
  • Il fut attrait en justice pour rupture de contrat. — He was brought before the court for breach of contract.
  • Ce terme n'est plus utilisé que dans le vocabulaire juridique. — This term is now only used in legal vocabulary.
Common mistake

Outside legal French, attraire has been entirely replaced by attirer (to attract) — using attraire in ordinary conversation will sound archaic or like a legal document.

Often confused with attirer.

Simple tenses

Present

jeattrais
tuattrais
il/elleattrait
nousattrayons
vousattrayez
ils/ellesattraient

Imperfect

jeattrayais
tuattrayais
il/elleattrayait
nousattrayions
vousattrayiez
ils/ellesattrayaient

Past historic (passé simple)

jeattrayai
tuattrayas
il/elleattraya
nousattrayâmes
vousattrayâtes
ils/ellesattrayèrent

Future

jeattrairai
tuattrairas
il/elleattraira
nousattrairons
vousattrairez
ils/ellesattrairont

Conditional

jeattrairais
tuattrairais
il/elleattrairait
nousattrairions
vousattrairiez
ils/ellesattrairaient

Subjunctive

jeattraie
tuattraies
il/elleattraie
nousattrayions
vousattrayiez
ils/ellesattraient

Subjunctive (imperfect)

jeattrayasse
tuattrayasses
il/elleattrayât
nousattrayassions
vousattrayassiez
ils/ellesattrayassent

Imperative

tuattrais
nousattrayons
vousattrayez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

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

Plus-que-parfait

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

Passé antérieur

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

Futur antérieur

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

Conditionnel passé

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

Subjonctif passé

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

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

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

Impératif passé

tuaie attrait
nousayons attrait
vousayez attrait

Other

Present participle

attrayant

Past participle

attrait

Infinitive

attraire

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "attraire" mean?

"attraire" means "to attract (be attractive); to sue".

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

The present of "attraire" is: je attrais, tu attrais, il/elle attrait, nous attrayons, vous attrayez, ils/elles attraient.

What is the Passé composé of "attraire"?

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

What is the Imperative of "attraire"?

The imperative of "attraire" is: tu attrais, nous attrayons, vous attrayez.