Learn Simple Conjugations of "Rappeler" (to Call Back)

If you can remember that appeler is the French verb that means "to call," it may be easier to remember that rappeler means "to call back," "to recall," or "to remember." When you want to place rappeler into the present, future, or past tense, however, you will need to conjugate it. That is the topic of this French lesson.

The Basic Conjugations of Rappeler

Just like appeler, rappeler is a stem-changing verb and that can make it a challenge to learn. You will have a much easier time with both verbs if you learn them together because they share the same conjugation pattern.

The stem change occurs in some forms of the verb when the single l changes to a double ll.  Other than that, these verbs are conjugated just like a regular -er verb. 

Beginning with the indicative mood, use the chart to study which endings should be attached to the verb stem (rappel-) and when the extra letter is required. Simply match the subject pronoun to the proper tense for your subject: "I am recalling" is je rappelle and "we called back" is nous rappelions.

	Present	Future	Imperfect
je	rappelle	rappellerai	rappelais
tu	rappelles	rappelleras	rappelais
il	rappelle	rappellera	rappelait
nous	rappelons	rappellerons	rappelions
vous	rappelez	rappellerez	rappeliez
ils	rappellent	rappelleront	rappelaient

The Present Participle of Rappeler

The present participle of rappeler requires the stem change as well. It also gets an -ant ending to produce the word rappelant.

Rappeler in the Compound Past Tense

You will need the past participle rappelé to form the compound past tense, known in French as passé composé. First, however, you will conjugate the auxiliary verb avoir to the present tense appropriate to the subject. For example, "I recalled" is j'ai rappelé and "we called back" is nous avons rappelé.

More Simple Conjugations of Rappeler

Among the other simple conjugations you may need for rappeler are the subjunctive and the conditional. The former draws the act of recalling into question while the latter places conditions on it. In French literature, you will likely find the passé simple and imperfect subjunctive forms of rappeler.

	Subjunctive	Conditional	Passé Simple	Imperfect Subjunctive
je	rappelle	rappellerais	rappelai	rappelasse
tu	rappelles	rappellerais	rappelas	rappelasses
il	rappelle	rappellerait	rappela	rappelât
nous	rappelions	rappellerions	rappelâmes	rappelassions
vous	rappeliez	rappelleriez	rappelâtes	rappelassiez
ils	rappellent	rappelleraient	rappelèrent	rappelassent

If you need to use rappeller in the French imperative, know that you can skip the subject pronoun. Keep these direct statements brief by using rappelle rather than tu rappelle.

	Imperative
(tu)	rappelle
(nous)	rappelons
(vous)	rappelez