Soutenir means to give support (emotionally, financially, or physically).

Example: Je l’ai soutenu pendant sa maladie. — I supported him/her during illness.

Prononciation: soutenir ≈ soo-tuh-NEER (IPA: /su.t(ə).niʁ/)

Conjugation: Présent, Passé composé, Imparfait, Plus-que-parfait, Futur simple

Personne	Soutenir Présent	Soutenir Passé composé	Soutenir Imparfait	Soutenir Plus-que-parfait	Soutenir Futur simple
je	je soutiens — I support / I am supporting	j’ai soutenu — I have supported / I supported	je soutenais — I was supporting / I used to support	j’avais soutenu — I had supported	je soutiendrai — I will support
tu	tu soutiens — you support	tu as soutenu — you have supported	tu soutenais — you were supporting	tu avais soutenu — you had supported	tu soutiendras — you will support
il/elle/on	il/elle/on soutient — he/she/one supports	il a soutenu — he has supported	il soutenait — he was supporting	il avait soutenu — he had supported	il soutiendra — he will support
nous	nous soutenons — we support	nous avons soutenu — we have supported	nous soutenions — we were supporting	nous avions soutenu — we had supported	nous soutiendrons — we will support
vous	vous soutenez — you (pl./formal) support	vous avez soutenu — you have supported	vous souteniez — you were supporting	vous aviez soutenu — you had supported	vous soutiendrez — you will support
ils/elles	ils soutiennent — they support	ils ont soutenu — they have supported	ils soutenaient — they were supporting	ils avaient soutenu — they had supported	ils soutiendront — they will support

Conjugation: Conditionnel présent, Subjonctif présent, Impératif, Passé simple

Personne	Soutenir Conditionnel présent	Soutenir Subjonctif présent	Soutenir Impératif	Soutenir Passé simple
je	je soutiendrais — I would support	que je soutienne — that I support	—	je soutins — I supported
tu	tu soutiendrais — you would support	que tu soutiennes — that you support	(tu) soutiens — support!	tu soutins — you supported
il/elle/on	il soutiendrait — he would support	qu’il soutienne — that he support	—	il soutint — he supported
nous	nous soutiendrions — we would support	que nous soutenions — that we support	nous soutenons — we support / let’s support	nous soutînmes — we supported
vous	vous soutiendriez — you would support	que vous souteniez — that you support	vous soutenez — you support (pl./formal)!	vous soutîntes — you supported
ils/elles	ils soutiendraient — they would support	qu’ils soutiennent — that they support	—	ils soutinrent — they supported

Auxiliary: always avoir

In compound tenses use avoir: j’ai soutenu, tu as soutenu, nous avons soutenu. Example: J’ai soutenu son projet hier. — I supported his/her project yesterday.

Soutenir: Past-participle agreement with avoir

Rule: With avoir, the past participle does not agree with the subject. It only agrees if a direct object (COD) comes before the verb.

Soutenir conjugation examples

Je soutiens ton projet.
— I support your project.

Elle a soutenu son équipe pendant la crise.
— She supported her team during the crisis.

Nous soutiendrons cette initiative l’année prochaine.
— We will support this initiative next year.Soutiens-le quand il en a besoin.
— Support him when he needs it.