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Verb conjugation

distiller

to distill

Usage

"To distill" in the literal, industrial sense (distiller du vin pour faire du cognac) and, figuratively, to give off something slowly and deliberately — often something negative, as in distiller son venin or distiller la peur.

Examples
  • Cette région distille un cognac réputé.This region distills a well-known cognac.
  • Le chroniqueur distille son venin chaque semaine.The columnist doles out his venom every week.
  • Le film distille une tension permanente.The film gives off a constant sense of tension.
Common mistake

The figurative sense (distiller son venin/sa hargne, drip-feeding negativity) is at least as common in everyday journalism as the literal alcohol sense — learners who only know the literal meaning miss it in news articles.

Simple tenses

Present

jedistille
tudistilles
il/elledistille
nousdistillons
vousdistillez
ils/ellesdistillent

Imperfect

jedistillais
tudistillais
il/elledistillait
nousdistillions
vousdistilliez
ils/ellesdistillaient

Past historic (passé simple)

jedistillai
tudistillas
il/elledistilla
nousdistillâmes
vousdistillâtes
ils/ellesdistillèrent

Future

jedistillerai
tudistilleras
il/elledistillera
nousdistillerons
vousdistillerez
ils/ellesdistilleront

Conditional

jedistillerais
tudistillerais
il/elledistillerait
nousdistillerions
vousdistilleriez
ils/ellesdistilleraient

Subjunctive

jedistille
tudistilles
il/elledistille
nousdistillions
vousdistilliez
ils/ellesdistillent

Subjunctive (imperfect)

jedistillasse
tudistillasses
il/elledistillât
nousdistillassions
vousdistillassiez
ils/ellesdistillassent

Imperative

tudistille
nousdistillons
vousdistillez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

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

Plus-que-parfait

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

Passé antérieur

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

Futur antérieur

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

Conditionnel passé

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

Subjonctif passé

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

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

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

Impératif passé

tuaie distillé
nousayons distillé
vousayez distillé

Other

Present participle

distillant

Past participle

distillé

Infinitive

distiller

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "distiller" mean?

"distiller" means "to distill".

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

The present of "distiller" is: je distille, tu distilles, il/elle distille, nous distillons, vous distillez, ils/elles distillent.

What is the Passé composé of "distiller"?

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

What is the Imperative of "distiller"?

The imperative of "distiller" is: tu distille, nous distillons, vous distillez.