Verb conjugation

confire

to preserve (food); to pickle (food)

Usage

Confire is a culinary verb meaning to slow-cook and preserve food in fat, sugar, or vinegar — it's the verb behind confit, as in canard confit (duck confit) or oignons confits (candied onions). It's a specialized cooking term, not everyday vocabulary.

Examples

On fait confire les cuisses de canard dans leur graisse. — The duck legs are slow-cooked and preserved in their own fat.
Ces fruits ont été confits dans du sucre. — This fruit was candied in sugar.
Le boucher confit lui-même son canard. — The butcher confits his own duck.

Common mistake

The past participle confit(e) has become a familiar menu word on its own (canard confit) — learners often don't realize it comes from a full, irregularly conjugated verb (je confis, il confit, nous confisons) rather than being a fixed adjective.

Simple tenses

Present

je	confis
tu	confis
il/elle	confit
nous	confisons
vous	confisez
ils/elles	confisent

Imperfect

je	confisais
tu	confisais
il/elle	confisait
nous	confisions
vous	confisiez
ils/elles	confisaient

Past historic (passé simple)

je	confis
tu	confis
il/elle	confit
nous	confîmes
vous	confîtes
ils/elles	confirent

Future

je	confirai
tu	confiras
il/elle	confira
nous	confirons
vous	confirez
ils/elles	confiront

Conditional

je	confirais
tu	confirais
il/elle	confirait
nous	confirions
vous	confiriez
ils/elles	confiraient

Subjunctive

je	confise
tu	confises
il/elle	confise
nous	confisions
vous	confisiez
ils/elles	confisent

Subjunctive (imperfect)

je	confisse
tu	confisses
il/elle	confît
nous	confissions
vous	confissiez
ils/elles	confissent

Imperative

tu	confis
nous	confisons
vous	confisez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

je	ai confit
tu	as confit
il/elle	a confit
nous	avons confit
vous	avez confit
ils/elles	ont confit

Plus-que-parfait

je	avais confit
tu	avais confit
il/elle	avait confit
nous	avions confit
vous	aviez confit
ils/elles	avaient confit

Passé antérieur

je	eus confit
tu	eus confit
il/elle	eut confit
nous	eûmes confit
vous	eûtes confit
ils/elles	eurent confit

Futur antérieur

je	aurai confit
tu	auras confit
il/elle	aura confit
nous	aurons confit
vous	aurez confit
ils/elles	auront confit

Conditionnel passé

je	aurais confit
tu	aurais confit
il/elle	aurait confit
nous	aurions confit
vous	auriez confit
ils/elles	auraient confit

Subjonctif passé

je	aie confit
tu	aies confit
il/elle	ait confit
nous	ayons confit
vous	ayez confit
ils/elles	aient confit

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

je	eusse confit
tu	eusses confit
il/elle	eût confit
nous	eussions confit
vous	eussiez confit
ils/elles	eussent confit

Impératif passé

tu	aie confit
nous	ayons confit
vous	ayez confit

Other

Present participle

confisant

Past participle

confit

Infinitive

confire

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "confire" mean?

"confire" means "to preserve (food); to pickle (food)".

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

The present of "confire" is: je confis, tu confis, il/elle confit, nous confisons, vous confisez, ils/elles confisent.

What is the Passé composé of "confire"?

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

What is the Imperative of "confire"?

The imperative of "confire" is: tu confis, nous confisons, vous confisez.

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