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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.