exister

Exister is a French verb meaning "to exist." It is an intransitive, regular first-conjugation verb used to express the state of being or the presence of someone, something, or an idea. In everyday language, it appears in impersonal constructions such as il existe (it exists) and in phrases that discuss existence, reality, or actuality.

Etymology and cognates: Exister derives from the Latin existere, formed from ex- “out” and sistere “to stand.” It is a cognate of English exist and Spanish existir, reflecting shared Latin roots.

Conjugation overview: Exister follows the standard -er verb pattern. Present indicative forms are j’existe, tu existes, il existe, nous existons, vous existez, ils existent. The passé composé is formed with the auxiliary avoir: j’ai existé, tu as existé, il a existé, nous avons existé, vous avez existé, ils ont existé. The imperfect is j’existais, tu existais, il existait, nous existions, vous existiez, ils existaient; the future is j’existerai, tu existeras, il existera, nous existerons, vous existerez, ils existeront. The subjunctive present appears as que j’existe, que tu existes, qu’il existe, que nous existions, que vous existiez, qu’ils existent.

Usage notes: Exister is primarily used to state that something is there or is real, rather than to describe an essential attribute. It is often preferred to être when referring to inherent qualities (un objet existe, mais il est précieux). The verb can be used in abstract or existential contexts, as in il existe des solutions, or in philosophical or literary registers. It can also appear in phrases meaning to bring into existence, such as faire exister ou créer quelque chose, or to exist in a legal sense (exister juridiquement).