Ôter is the verb you read more often than you say. It turns up on signs and in instructions (ôtez le couvercle avant de chauffer), in polite requests to take off a coat or a hat, and in maths lessons, where ôter 3 de 10 means take 3 away from 10. In conversation most French speakers reach for enlever or retirer instead, so the useful thing to know about ôter is not just how it conjugates but when it sounds right.
Ôter is a fully regular first-group verb, so the stem ôt- carries every form and the endings are the standard -er set. Two details matter in writing. The circumflex sits on the stem, not on an ending, so it stays in every single form, from j'ôte to nous ôterons to que vous ôtiez. And because the verb starts with a vowel, je elides to j' throughout: j'ôte, j'ôtais, j'ôterai, j'ai ôté. The subjunctive matches the present except in the nous and vous forms, which take an extra i: que nous ôtions, que vous ôtiez.
Ôter in context
Présent
On ôte ses chaussures avant d'entrer. You take your shoes off before going in.
Imparfait
Il ôtait son chapeau chaque fois qu'il croisait un voisin. He would take off his hat every time he passed a neighbour.
Passé composé
J'ai ôté une ligne du contrat. I removed a line from the contract.
Futur simple
Nous ôterons les affiches après le concert. We'll take the posters down after the concert.
Subjonctif présent
Il faut que vous ôtiez votre manteau à l'entrée. You'll need to take your coat off at the entrance.
Common mistakes with ôter
Dropping the circumflex
✗ J'ote mon manteau.
✓ J'ôte mon manteau. — I'm taking my coat off.
The circumflex is part of the stem and appears in every form of the verb. Unlike the optional circumflexes touched by the 1990 spelling reform, this one is not optional, because it sits on the o of the root.
Failing to elide je
✗ Je ôte le couvercle.
✓ J'ôte le couvercle. — I'm taking the lid off.
Je becomes j' before a vowel sound, and the circumflex does not block that: ô is still a vowel. The same applies right through the verb, including j'ôtais and j'ai ôté.
Using ôter in casual speech
✗ Ôte tes chaussures, on va manger.
✓ Enlève tes chaussures, on va manger. — Take your shoes off, we're about to eat.
Ôter is correct here but sounds bookish at a family dinner. Everyday French uses enlever, or retirer when the action is deliberate. Keep ôter for written instructions and formal register.
Expressions with ôter
ôter ses chaussures
to take off one's shoes
ôter un doute
to clear up a doubt
ça m'ôte un poids
that's a weight off my mind
ôte-toi de là
get out of the way
Frequently asked questions
Is ôter a regular verb?
Yes. It is a regular first-group -er verb with no stem change: ôt- stays constant from j'ôte through nous ôterons to que vous ôtiez. The only thing that sets it apart in writing is the circumflex, which never disappears.
What is the difference between ôter, enlever and retirer?
All three can mean to remove, but the register differs. Enlever is the neutral everyday choice: enlève ton manteau. Retirer suggests pulling something back or out, and is common in official contexts: retirer de l'argent, retirer sa candidature. Ôter is the most formal and is mostly found in writing and fixed phrases.
What is the past participle of ôter?
It is ôté, giving j'ai ôté. Since the verb takes avoir, the participle agrees only when a direct object comes first: la page que j'ai ôtée du dossier. The circumflex stays in the participle and in the feminine and plural forms.
Why does ôter keep its circumflex?
The circumflex marks a letter that disappeared from older spelling, and it sits on the o of the root rather than on an ending, so every form inherits it. The 1990 spelling reform made some circumflexes optional on i and u, but never on o or a, which is why ôter is still written this way.
Is ôter still used in modern French?
Yes, though mostly in writing and in set phrases. You will meet it in instructions and recipes (ôtez du feu), in the phrase ôter un doute, and in the reflexive ôte-toi de là. In spoken French, enlever has taken over almost everywhere.