Employer Conjugation in French: Full Charts, Rules & Examples

Learning the employer conjugation in French is a vital milestone for intermediate and advanced students. While employer belongs to the standard first group of regular -er verbs, it features a crucial stem change that often confuses English speakers: the shift from y to i.

In this complete guide, you will learn the rules behind this spelling shift, study complete conjugation charts across every major tense, and understand how to use employer accurately in conversation.

1. Meaning and Usage of "Employer"

The verb employer primarily translates to two English verbs depending on context:

  • To use / To utilize: Referring to words, strategies, tools, or resources.
  • To hire / To employ: Referring to staff or workers.
  • Reflexive form (s'employer à): Means "to strive to" or "to apply oneself to".

Example: Il emploie des termes très techniques. (He uses very technical terms.) Example: Cette société emploie trois cents personnes. (This company employs three hundred people.) Example: Elle s'emploie à terminer son projet à temps. (She strives to finish her project on time.)

2. The Golden Rule: Y becomes I before Silent E

Like all verbs ending in -oyer (e.g., nettoyer, choyer) and -uyer (e.g., appuyer), employer replaces the letter y with an i whenever the ending contains an unpronounced, silent e.

  • Silent ending (Stem with I): J'emploie, tu emploies, il emploie, ils emploient.
  • Pronounced ending (Stem with Y): Nous employons, vous employez.
  • Future and Conditional: Because the endings begin with a mute e syllable (-erai, -erais), the stem consistently uses i throughout (j'emploierai, nous emploierions).

    • 3. Comprehensive Conjugation Tables

    Present Indicative (Présent)

    Compound Past (Passé Composé)

    Subject Pronoun Conjugation English Equivalent
    :--- :--- :---
    J' emploie I use / employ
    Tu emploies You use (informal)
    Il / Elle / On emploie He / She / One uses
    Nous employons We use
    Vous employez You use (formal/plural)
    Ils / Elles emploient They use

Employer uses the auxiliary verb avoir followed by the past participle employé.

  • J'ai employé (I used / I have used)
  • Tu as employé (You used)
  • Il/Elle a employé (He/She used)
  • Nous avons employé (We used)
  • Vous avez employé (You used)
  • Ils/Elles ont employé (They used)

    • Imperfect (Imparfait)

Notice the double vowel sound in the nous and vous forms (-yions, -yiez):

  • J'employais (I was using / used)
  • Tu employais
  • Il/Elle employait
  • Nous employions
  • Vous employiez
  • Ils/Elles employaient

    • Simple Future (Futur Simple)

The stem change applies to all subjects in the future tense:

  • J'emploierai (I will use)
  • Tu emploieras (You will use)
  • Il/Elle emploiera (He/She will use)
  • Nous emploierons (We will use)
  • Vous emploierez (You will use)
  • Ils/Elles emploieront (They will use)

    • Present Conditional (Conditionnel Présent)

  • J'emploierais (I would use)
  • Tu emploierais
  • Il/Elle emploierait
  • Nous emploierions
  • Vous ploieriez
  • Ils/Elles emploieraient

    • Present Subjunctive (Subjonctif Présent)

  • Que j'emploie
  • Que tu emploies
  • Qu'il/elle emploie
  • Que nous employions
  • Que vous employiez
  • Qu'ils/elles emploient

    • Imperative (Impératif)

  • Emploie ! (Use! - singular)
  • Employons ! (Let's use!)
  • Employez ! (Use! - formal/plural)

    • 4. Employer vs. Utiliser: What is the Difference?

Many French students wonder when to choose employer over utiliser. While both can mean "to use", utiliser is more informal and utilitarian (e.g., using a pen, a phone, or an app). In contrast, employer carries a more formal tone and is preferred when discussing abstract methods, language registers, or hiring personnel.

By practicing the stem changes across the present, future, and subjunctive tenses, you will confidently master the conjugation of employer in any professional or academic setting.