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Verb conjugation

clore

close (put an end to)

Usage

A formal, somewhat literary verb for closing or bringing something to an end — clore un débat, clore une session, clore un chapitre. Highly irregular and defective: it has no simple past in normal use, and is mostly encountered in writing or formal speech.

Examples
  • Le président a clos la séance à midi.The chairman closed the session at noon.
  • Cet incident clôt définitivement le débat.This incident definitively closes the debate.
  • L'auteur a choisi de clore son roman sur une note d'espoir.The author chose to end his novel on a note of hope.
Common mistake

Clore is more formal and literary than the everyday fermer — for closing a door, shop, or simple object, fermer is the natural choice; clore is reserved for abstract things like debates, sessions, or accounts.

Often confused with fermer.

Simple tenses

Present

jeclos
tuclos
il/elleclôt
nousclosons
vousclosez
ils/ellesclosent

Imperfect

je-
tu-
il/elle-
nous-
vous-
ils/elles-

Past historic (passé simple)

je-
tu-
il/elle-
nous-
vous-
ils/elles-

Future

jeclorai
tucloras
il/elleclora
nousclorons
vousclorez
ils/ellescloront

Conditional

jeclorais
tuclorais
il/elleclorait
nousclorions
vouscloriez
ils/ellescloraient

Subjunctive

jeclose
tucloses
il/elleclose
nousclosions
vousclosiez
ils/ellesclosent

Subjunctive (imperfect)

je-
tu-
il/elle-
nous-
vous-
ils/elles-

Imperative

tuclos
nousclosons
vousclosez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

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

Plus-que-parfait

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

Passé antérieur

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

Futur antérieur

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

Conditionnel passé

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

Subjonctif passé

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

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

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

Impératif passé

tuaie clos
nousayons clos
vousayez clos

Other

Present participle

closant

Past participle

clos

Infinitive

clore

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "clore" mean?

"clore" means "close (put an end to)".

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

The present of "clore" is: je clos, tu clos, il/elle clôt, nous closons, vous closez, ils/elles closent.

What is the Passé composé of "clore"?

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

What is the Imperative of "clore"?

The imperative of "clore" is: tu clos, nous closons, vous closez.