Essential French Grammar (2012)
Verbs
Comparison of English and French Verbs
English verbs are rather simple to learn. They require very few changes of endings, and the ones which are required are relatively uniform. For example, the present tense of the verb “to sing” is: I sing; you sing; he, she, it sings; we sing; you (PL.) sing; they sing.
French verbs are more complex. French verbs require more endings which vary according to the person and number of the subject. There are three main types of verbs or conjugations, and most verbs may be used correctly by following the model or sample verb for that conjugation. The three conjugations are:
MODEL VERB |
||
IST CONJ. |
verbs whose infinitive4 ends in -er |
parler (to speak) |
2ND CONJ. |
verbs whose infinitive ends in -ir |
finir (to finish) |
3RD CONJ. |
verbs whose infinitive ends in -re |
vendre (to sell) |
The great majority of French verbs belong to the 1st conjugation and, with very few exceptions, the verbs in this conjugation are regular, that is, they take endings or are conjugated exactly the way the model verb parler is conjugated.
The Present Tense
Comparison of Present Tense in French and English
Although we are usually not aware of it, in English we have three different ways of expressing an action in the present. We can say “I walk,” or (progressive) “I am walking,” or (emphatic) “I do walk.” There are slight shades of meaning which distinguish these forms. In French, however, there is only one way of expressing an action in the present, and this one way conveys all the meanings of the three English constructions.
1st Conjugation Verbs (Infinitive ending -er)
parler (to speak) |
|
je parle |
I speak, am speaking |
tu parles |
you (FAM. SING.) speak, are speaking |
il (elle) parle |
he (she) speaks, is speaking |
nous parlons |
we speak, are speaking |
vous parlez |
you speak, are speaking |
ils (elles) parlent |
they speak, are speaking |
Several points should be noted:
1. The tu form is the familiar singular, used only to address close friends, close relatives (such as members of one’s family), children, and animals. A tourist will probably have no occasion to use this form and should always use vous, which can refer to both singular and plural subjects, the same as the pronoun “you” in English.
2. All the singular forms and the third person plural (je parle, tu parses, il parle, ils parlent) are pronounced alike.
3. The first person plural (the nous form) of all verbs of all conjugations and in all tenses, with only one exception (nous sommes, we are), ends in -ons:
4. The vous form of all verbs in all tenses, with very few exceptions, ends in -ez.
5. The third person plural (ils and elles) form of all verbs in all tenses without exception ends in -nt.
2nd Conjugation Verbs (Infinitive ending -ir)
finir (to finish) |
|
je finis |
I finish, am finishing |
tu finis |
you finish, are finishing |
il (elle) finit |
he (she) finishes, is finishing |
nous finissons |
we finish, are finishing |
vous finissez |
you finish, are finishing |
ils (elles) finissent |
they finish, are finishing |
Notes on the second conjugation:
1. All the singular forms (je finis, tu finis, il finit) are pronounced alike.
2. The plural endings are the same as for the 1st conjugation (-ons, -ez, -ent) except that -iss- is placed before them.
3. There are not many verbs that follow the pattern of finir. The following are the most important and probably the only ones a tourist is likely to need:
bâtir (to build) |
remplir (to fill) |
choisir (to choose) |
réussir (to succeed) |
4. Two common verbs ending in -ir are conjugated like 1st conjugation verbs.
5. A number of important verbs ending in -ir are irregular and are discussed in the irregular verb section, p. 34.
3rd Conjugation Verbs (Infinitive ending -re)
vendre (to sell) |
|
je vends |
I sell, am selling |
tu vends |
you sell, are selling |
il (elle) vend |
he (she) sells, is selling |
nous vendons |
we sell, are selling |
vous vendez |
you sell, are selling |
ils (elles) vendent |
they sell, are selling |
Notes on the third conjugation:
1. All the singular forms are pronounced alike (je vends, tu vends, il vend).
2. The plural endings are the same as for the ist conjugation (-ons, -ez, -ent).
3. There are not many verbs that follow exactly the pattern of vendre. The following are the most important:5
4. A number of important -re verbs are irregular and are discussed in the irregular verb section which follows.
The Present Tense of Common Irregular Verbs
The following irregular verbs are so frequently used that the student will do well to memorize their forms.
The Command or Imperative Form
How to Form Commands
The command form (“Speak!”) is the vous form of the present tense of the verb without the subject pronoun.
The command is usually softened by adding s’il vous plaît (please).
Parlez plus haut, s’il vous plaît.
Speak louder, please.
Descendez vite, s‘il vous plaît.
Come down quickly, please.
How to Avoid the Command Form
A substitute for the command form is the use of the vous form of the verb vouloir (to wish, want) plus the infinitive of the working verb in the normal question word order (see rule 2, page 17). The word bien is often inserted after the word vous to soften the statement. This construction is equivalent to the English phrase “Will you please ... ?”
Voulez-vous (bien) parlez plus haut?
Will you please speak louder?
Voulez-vous (bien) laisser la clé?
Will you please leave the key?
First Person Plural Commands
The first person plural command “Let’s speak!” is the present tense of the verb without the subject pronoun nous.
Allons! (Let’s go!) |
Lisons! (Let’s read!) |
Bâtissons! (Let’s build!) |
Ouvrons! (Let’s open!) |
Irregular Command Forms
The verb être (to be) has irregular command forms:
Soyez ici à quatre heures. |
Be here at four o‘clock. |
Soyons heureux. |
Let’s be happy. |
The Passé Composé or Past Indefinite Tense
Comparison of the Past Indefinite Tense in French and English
French, like English, has several ways of expressing a past event. The past tense which is most important and most useful in French is called le passé composé. It corresponds to the English simple past (I spoke, I finished, I bought) as well as to the English present perfect (I have spoken, I have finished, I have bought).
How to Form the Passé Composé and the Past Participle
The passé composé of most verbs is formed by using the present tense of the verb avoir (to have) and the past participle. This is very similar to the way in which the present perfect tense in English is formed. The past participle ends in -é for the first conjugation verbs (parler, parlé), in -i for the second conjugation verbs (finir, fini), and in -u for the third conjugation verbs (vendre, vendu).
Study the following models:
IST CONJ. VERBS |
|
(visiter—to visit) |
|
j‘ai visité |
I visited, have visited |
tu as visité |
you visited, have visited |
il (elle) a visité |
he (she) visited, has visited |
nous avons visité |
we visited, have visited |
vous avez visité |
you visited, have visited |
ils (elles) ont visité |
they visited, have visited |
2ND CONJ. VERBS |
|
(choisir—to choose) |
|
j’ai choisi |
I chose, have chosen |
tu as choisi |
you chose, have chosen |
il (elle) a choisi |
he (she) chose, has chosen |
nous avons choisi |
we chose, have chosen |
vous avez choisi |
you chose, have chosen |
ils (elles) ont choisi |
they chose, have chosen |
3RD CONJ. VERBS |
|
(perdre—to lose) |
|
j‘ai perdu |
I lost, have lost |
tu as perdu |
you lost, have lost |
il (elle) a perdu |
he (she) lost, has lost |
nous avons perdu |
we lost, have lost |
vous avez perdu |
you lost, have lost |
ils (elles) ont perdu |
they lost, have lost |
Verbs with Irregular Past Participles
INFINITIVE |
PAST PARTICIPLE |
s’asseoir (to be seated) |
assis (seated) |
avoir (to have) |
eu (had) |
boire (to drink) |
bu (drunk) |
conduire (to conduct) |
conduit (conducted) |
connaître (to know) |
connu (known) |
courir (to run) |
couru (run) |
croire (to believe) |
cru (believed) |
devoir (to owe; must) |
dû (ought) |
dire (to say, tell) |
dit (said, told) |
être (to be) |
été (been) |
écrire (to write) |
écrit (written) |
faire (to do, make) |
fait (done, made) |
lire (to read) |
lu (read) |
mettre (to put) |
mis (put) |
mourir (to die) |
mort (died) |
naître (to be born) |
né (born) |
offrir (to offer) |
offert (offered) |
ouvrir (to open) |
ouvert (opened) |
partir (to leave) |
parti (left) |
pouvoir (to be able) |
pu (been able) |
prendre (to take) |
pris (taken) |
recevoir (to receive) |
reçu (received) |
rire (laugh) |
ri (laughed) |
savoir (to know) |
su (known) |
venir (to come) |
venu (come) |
voir (to see) |
vu (seen) |
vouloir (to wish, want) |
voulu (wished, wanted) |
How to Use the Passé Composé
Study the following sentences which contain examples of the past tense:
Nous avons dépensé beaucoup d’argent.
We spent (have spent) a lot of money.
J‘ai déjà reçu l’invitation.
I have already received the invitation.
Elle a été malade la semaine dernière.
She was ill last week.
Verbs Which Form Their Compound Tenses Using être as the Auxiliary Verb
The following sixteen verbs use être and not avoir as the auxiliary verb to form the passé composé and other compound tenses.6
aller (to go)
arriver (to arrive)
descendre (to descend)
devenir (to become)
entrer (to enter)
monter (to go up)
mourir (to die)
naître (to be born)
partir (to leave)
rentrer (to return)
rester (to remain)
retourner (to return)
revenir (to come back)
sortir (to go out)
tomber (to fall)
venir (to come)
The past participle of verbs conjugated with être as the auxiliary verb change endings so as to agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb. If the subject is feminine singular, an -e is added to the past participle. If the subject is masculine plural, a -s is added, and if it is feminine plural an -es is added. (These changes do not affect pronunciation, however, except in the case of the verb mourir, past participle: mort, morts, morte, mortes. The addition of the -e in the feminine singular and plural forms causes the t to be sounded.)
Study the conjugation of the verb sortir in the passé composé. Observe the changes which the past participle makes in order to agree in gender and number with the subject.
sortir (to leave, go out) |
|
je suis sorti |
I (MASC.) left, have left |
je suis sortie |
I (FEM.) left, have left |
tu es sorti |
you (MASC. FAM.) left, have left |
tu es sortie |
you (FEM. FAM.) left, have left |
il est sorti |
he left, has left |
elle est sortie |
she left, has left |
nous sommes sortis |
we (MASC. PL. or MASC. and FEM. PL.) left, have left |
nous sommes sorties |
we (FEM. PL.) left, have left |
vous êtes sorti |
you (MASC. SING.) left, have left |
vous êtes sortie |
you (FEM. SING.) left, have left |
vous êtes sortis |
you (MASC. PL. or MASC. and FEM. PL.) left, have left |
vous êtes sorties |
you (FEM. PL.) left, have left |
ils sont sortis |
they (MASC. PL. or MASC. and FEM. PL.) left, have left |
elles sont sorties |
they (FEM. PL.) left, have left |
Ils sont arrivés hier et sont allés tout de suite au consulat américain.
They arrived yesterday and went at once to the American consulate.
Nous sommes restés longtemps.
We stayed a long time.
How to Use ne ... pas with Compound Tenses
To make a sentence negative in the passé composé or any other compound tense, surround the auxiliary verb (avoir or être) by ne ... pas. (Remember that ne contracts to n’ before a vowel.)
Je n’ai pas encore payé la note.
I haven’t paid the bill yet.
Elles ne sont pas arrivées à temps.
They (FEM.) did not arrive on time.
How to Form Questions in Compound Tenses
To make a sentence involving a compound tense negative, either use est-ce que as in the present tense (see p. 17), or place the auxiliary verb before the subject and connect it to the subject by a hyphen. Note that a -t- is inserted in the third person singular of verbs conjugated with avoir.
Est-ce que vous avez commencé le roman?
Have you begun the novel?
or
Avez-vous commencé le roman?
Have you begun the novel?
Est-ce qu‘il a bien travaillé?
Did he work well?
or
A-t-il bien travaillé?
Did he work well?
Est-ce qu‘elle est rentrée de bonne heure?
Did she come back early?
or
Est-elle rentrée de bonne heure?
Did she come back early?
The Imperfect Tense
How to Form the Imperfect Tense
Another past tense in French is the imperfect. It is used to express what was happening or what used to happen. It is formed by dropping the -ons of the first person plural of the present tense (nous parl-ons, nous finiss-ons, nous attend-ons), and adding the following endings:
(je) -ais |
(nous) -ions |
(tu) -ais |
(vous) -iez |
(il, elle) -ait |
(ils, elles) -aient |
Study the following models:
IST CONJ. VERBS |
|
(parler—to speak) |
|
je parlais |
I spoke, used to speak, was speaking |
tu parlais |
you spoke, used to speak, were speaking |
il (elle) parlait |
he (she) spoke, used to speak, was speaking |
nous parlions |
we spoke, used to speak, were speaking |
vous parliez |
you spoke, used to speak, were speaking |
ils (elles) parlaient |
they spoke, used to speak, were speaking |
2ND CONJ. VERBS |
|
(finir—to finish) |
|
je finissais |
I finished, used to finish, was finishing |
tu finissais |
you finished, used to finish, were finishing |
il (elle) finissait |
he (she) finished, used to finish, was finishing |
nous finissions |
we finished, used to finish, were finishing |
vous finissiez |
you finished, used to finish, were finishing |
ils (elles) finissaient |
they finished, used to finish, were finishing |
3RD CONJ. VERBS |
|
(attendre—to wait) |
|
j‘attendais |
I waited, used to wait, was waiting |
tu attendais |
you waited, used to wait, were waiting |
il (elle) attendait |
he (she) waited, used to wait, was waiting |
nous attendions |
we waited, used to wait, were waiting |
vous attendiez |
you waited, used to wait, were waiting |
ils (elles) attendaient |
they waited, used to wait, were waiting |
Observations about the imperfect:
1. All the singular forms and the third person plural (-ais, -ais, -ait, -aient) are pronounced alike.
2. The endings of the first and second persons plural (-ions, -iez) are the same as in the present tense except for the insertion of the i before the ending.
3. The only irregular verb in the imperfect tense is être (to be). Être uses the stem ét-, to which the regular imperfect endings are added (j’étais, tu étais, il (elle) était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils (elles) étaient).
How to Use the Imperfect Tense
The following sentences will show you the difference between the imperfect and the passé composé. Note that the imperfect describes actions which used to happen, repeatedly or regularly, or actions which were taking placewhen something else happened. The passé composé, on the other hand, is used to describe single rather than repeated actions, and generally actions which are considered completed.
I used to see him every day.
Je le voyais tous les jours. (imperfect)
I saw him yesterday.
Je l’ai vu hier. (passé composé)
What were you doing when he called you?
Que faisiez-vous (imperfect) quand il vous a téléphoné? (passé composé)
What did you do when he called you?
Qu‘avez-vous fait (passé composé) quand il vous a téléphoné? (passé composé)
I did not have a lot of money when I was young.
Je n‘avais pas (imperfect) beaucoup d’argent quand j’étais (imperfect) jeune.
Certain verbs which by their very nature express an attitude or a condition rather than an action, use the imperfect more frequently than the passé composé. The following are the most important:
avoir |
(to have) |
croire |
(to believe) |
désirer |
(to desire, want) |
espérer |
(to hope) |
être |
(to be) |
penser |
(to think) |
pouvoir |
(to be able) |
savoir |
(to know) |
vouloir |
(to want, wish) |
Il croyait que nous n‘avions pas I’argent.
He thought we did not have the money.
Je voulais la voir.
I wanted to see her.
Je ne savais pas s‘ils pouvaient venir.
I didn’t know if they could come.
The Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense (in English, had plus the past participle) in French is formed with the imperfect of avoir (or être for the verbs which are conjugated with être [see p. 39]) and the past participle. The French pluperfect corresponds in usage to English. It is not extremely important for a beginner since the passé composé will convey the meaning adequately.
Study the following models:
(prendre—to take) |
|
j‘avais pris |
I had taken |
tu avais pris |
you had taken |
il (elle) avait pris |
he (she) had taken |
nous avions pris |
we had taken |
vous aviez pris |
you had taken |
ils (elles) avaient pris |
they had taken |
(tomber—to fall) |
|
j’étais tombé (tombée7) |
I had fallen |
tu étais tombé (tombée) |
you had fallen |
il était tombé |
he had fallen |
elle était tombée |
she had fallen |
nous étions tombés (tombées) |
we had fallen |
vous étiez tombé (tombée) (tombés) (tombées) |
you had fallen |
ils étaient tombés |
they had fallen |
elles étaient tombées |
they had fallen |
Here are some examples of the usage of the pluperfect tense.
Je n‘avais jamais été en Europe.
I had never been to Europe.
Elle était partie avant leur arrivée.
She had left before their arrival.
The Future Tense
The Future Tense of Regular Verbs
The future tense (in English, will or shall plus the infinitive) is formed in French by adding the following endings to the infinitive form of the verb:
Study the following models, and notice that 3rd conjugation verbs drop the final -e of the infinitive before the future endings are attached.
IST CONJ. VERBS |
|
(donner—to give) |
|
je donnerai |
I shall give |
tu donneras |
you will give |
il (elle) donnera |
he (she) will give |
nous donnerons |
we shall give |
vous donnerez |
you will give |
ils (elles) donneront |
they will give |
2ND CONJ. VERBS |
|
(bâtir—to build) |
|
je bâtirai |
I shall build |
tu bâtiras |
you will build |
il (elle) bâtira |
he (she) will build |
nous bâtirons |
we shall build |
vous bâtirez |
you will build |
ils (elles) bâtiront |
they will build |
3RD CONJ. VERBS |
|
(rendre—to give back) |
|
je rendrai |
I shall give back |
tu rendras |
you will give back |
il (elle) rendra |
he (she) will give back |
nous rendrons |
we shall give back |
vous rendrez |
you will give back |
ils (elles) rendront |
they will give back |
The Future Tense of Irregular Verbs
All verbs, both regular and irregular, use the endings given above to form the furture tense, but with the following important verbs these ending are added to irregular stems, insted of to the infinitive. You should become familiar with these irregular futures.
How to Use the Future Tense
Study the following sentences illustrating the use of the future, which corresponds in general to English:
Qu‘est-ce que vous ferez demain?
What will you do tomorrow?
Nous reviendrons de bonne heure parce que nous irons au théâtre le soir.
We shall return early because we shall go to the theater in the evening.
Quand partirez-vous pour Nice?
When will you leave for Nice?
How to Avoid the Future Tense
It is often correct to use the present tense instead of the future tense, sometimes indicating the idea of future action by such words as “next week,” “tomorrow,” etc.
Qu’est-ce que vous faites demain?
What are you doing (will you do) tomorrow?
Je pars pour Nice lundi.
I leave (shall leave) for Nice on Monday.
In English we often say “I am going to go,” instead of “I shall go.” Similarly, in French, one may use the present tense of the verb aller (to go) plus the infinitive of the other verb.
Qu’est-ce que vous allez faire?
What are you going to do?
Je vais étudier, et après je vais me reposer un peu.
I am going to study, and afterwards I am going to rest a little.
The Conditional Tenses
How to Form the Conditional Tense
The conditional tense is expressed in English by the word “would” plus the infinitive (e.g. I would go, they would come). The past conditional is expressed by the words “would have” plus the past participle (e.g. She would have answered, we would have seen).
To form the conditional in French, we add the endings of the imperfect tense (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) to the entire infinitive of first and second conjugation verbs, but to the infinitive minus the final -e of third conjugation verbs.
(manger—to eat) |
|
je mangerais |
I would eat |
tu mangerais |
you would eat |
il (elle) mangerait |
he (she) would eat |
nous mangerions |
we would eat |
vous mangeriez |
you would eat |
ils (elles) mangeraient |
they would eat |
Irregalar Verbs
Verbs that have an irregular stem in the future (see p. 47) have the same stem for the conditional:
INFINITIVE |
CONDITIONAL |
aller (to go) |
j‘irais (I would go) |
avoir (to have) |
j’aurais (I would have) |
devoir (must, ought) |
je devrais (I ought) |
envoyer (to send) |
j‘enverrais (I would send) |
être (to be) |
je serais (I would be) |
faire (to do, make) |
je ferais (I would make, would do) |
pouvoir (to be able) |
je pourrais (I would be able) |
recevoir (to receive) |
je recevrais (I would receive) |
savoir (to know) |
je saurais (I would know) |
venir (to come) |
je viendrais (I would come) |
voir (to see) |
je verrais (I would see) |
vouloir (to want, wish) |
je voudrais (I would want, would like) |
How to Form the Past Conditional Tense
To form the past conditional, use the conditional of avoir (or être with the special être verbs, listed on page 39), plus the past participle. Remember that the past participle of verbs conjugated with être agrees in gender and number with the subject (see p. 40).
(acheter—to buy) |
||
j‘aurais acheté |
I would have bought |
|
tu aurais acheté |
you would have bought |
|
il (elle) aurait acheté |
he (she) would have bought |
|
nous aurions acheté |
we would have bought |
|
vous auriez acheté |
you would have bought |
|
ils (elles) auraient acheté |
they would have bought |
|
(revenir—to return, come back) |
||
je serais revenu (fem. revenue) |
I would have returned |
|
tu serais revenu (fem. revenue) |
you would have returned |
|
il serait revenu |
he would have returned |
|
elle serait revenue |
she would have returned |
|
nous serions revenus (fem. revenues) |
we would have returned |
|
vous seriez revenue (fem. sing. |
||
revenue) (masc. pl. revenus) |
||
(fem. pl. revenues) |
you would have returned |
|
ils seraient revenus |
they would have returned |
|
elles seraient revenues |
they would have returned |
How to Use the Conditional Tenses
Here are some sentences containing conditionals and past conditionals:
Je voudrais parler avec le gérant.
I would like to speak with the manager.
Si j‘avais assez d’argent, j’irais en Italie.
If I had enough money, I would go to Italy.
Je n’aurais jamais fait cela.
I would never have done that.
Nous serions arrivés à temps si elle n’était pas venue en retard.
We would have arrived on time if she had not come late.
In the second sentence, note that when we use the conditional (j‘irais) in the main clause, the imperfect (j’avais) is used in the si or “if” clause. In the last sentence, we use the past conditional (nous serions arrivés) in the main clause and the pluperfect (elle était venue) in the si (“if”) clause.
Reflexive Verbs
Comparison of Reflexive Verbs in English and French
In English we say: I get up, I wash, I shave, I dress. The action of each of these verbs refers back to the subject, and these phrases might also be expressed: I get myself up, I wash myself, I shave myself, I dress myself. In French these verbs are reflexive verbs and must be used with special reflexive pronouns:
me8 (myself, to or for myself)
te8 (yourself, to or for yourself)
se8 (himself, herself, itself, themselves, to or for himself, herself, itself, themselves)
nous (ourselves, to or for ourselves)
vous (yourself, yourselves, to or for yourself, yourselves)
In French, the phrases given in the first paragraph of this section would be: Je me lève, je me lave, je me rase, je m‘habille.
The infinitive of reflexive verbs is preceded by the reflexive pronoun se (or, if the verb begins with a vowel or silent h, by s‘): se lever (to get up), se laver (to wash), s’habiller (to dress), etc.
Conjugation of Reflexive Verbs
All reflexive verbs form their compound tenses using être as the auxiliary verb. The reflexive pronoun is placed immediately in front of the verb itself, except in affirmative commands, when it follows the verb to which it is attached by a hyphen.
The typical reflexive verb se dépêcher (to hurry) will serve to illustrate the conjugation of a reflexive verb in its most important tenses.
PRESENT TENSE |
||
(se dépêcher—to hurry) |
||
je me dépêche |
I hurry |
|
tu te dépêches |
you hurry |
|
il (elle) se dépêche |
he (she) hurries |
|
nous nous dépêchons |
we hurry |
|
vous vous dépêchez |
you hurry |
|
ils (elles) se dépêchent |
they hurry |
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PASSÉ COMPOSÉ TENSE |
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je me suis dépêché (fem. dépêchée) |
I hurried |
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tu t‘es dépêché (fem. dépêchée) |
you hurried |
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il s’est dépêché |
he hurried |
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elle s‘est dépêchée |
she hurried |
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nous nous sommes dépêchés (fem. dépêchées) |
we hurried |
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vous vous êtes dépêché (fem. sing. dépêchée) |
||
(masc. pl. dépêchés) (fem. pl. dépêchées) |
you hurried |
|
ils se sont dépêchés |
they hurried |
|
elles se sont dépêchées |
they hurried |
|
FUTURE TENSE |
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je me dépêcherai |
I shall hurry |
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tu te dépêcheras |
you will hurry |
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il (elle) se dépêchera |
he (she) will hurry |
|
nous nous dépêcherons |
we shall hurry |
|
vous vous dépêcherez |
you will hurry |
|
ils (elles) se dépêcheront |
they will hurry |
|
COMMAND FORM |
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Dépêchez-vous! |
Hurry! |
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Ne vous dépêchez pas! |
Don’t hurry! |
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Dépêchons-nous! |
Let’s hurry! |
|
Ne nous dépêchons pas! |
Let’s not hurry! |
Important Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs are far more popular in French than in English. Here is a list of the practically indispensable ones:
s’amuser (to have a good time)
s‘appeler (to be called, named)
s’asseoir (to sit down)
se coucher (to go to bed)
se dépêcher (to hurry)
s‘habiller (to get dressed)
se laver (to wash)
se lever (to get up)
se porter (to be, feel [health])
se raser (to shave)
se taire (to be quiet)
se trouver (to be located)
Most reflexive verbs may also be used without reflexive pronouns. For example, laver means “to wash (someone or something),” appeler means “to call (someone or something),” raser means “to shave (someone),” etc.
How to Use Reflexive Verbs
Study the following sentences, which further illustrate the use of reflexive verbs:
Le coiffeur ne m‘a pas bien rasé. (not refl.)
The barber did not shave me well.
Je me rase tous les jours. (refl.)
I shave every day.
Je vais appeler Henri. (not refl.)
I am going to call Henry.
Je m’appelle Georges. (refl.)
My name is George.
Asseyez-vous ici, s’il vous plaît. (refl.)
Sit down here, please.
Je me lave les mains et la figure avant de m’habiller.
(refl)
I wash my hands and face before dressing.
The Passive Voice
How to Form the Passive Voice
The passive in English (to be with a past participle) is usually similarly formed in French with the auxiliary verb être plus the past participle. This construction occurs most frequently in the passé composé (use passé composé of être plus past participle) and future (use future of être plus past participle).
Ces lettres ont été écrites9 par mon frère.
These letters were written by my brother.
Un grand édifice sera construit ici par le gouvernement.
A tall building will be constructed here by the government.
The English passive sometimes expresses an indefinite idea, such as: it is said that he is rich, meaning “people say,” “one says,” “they say.” In such cases, French does not use the passive construction, but rather the popular pronoun on (one) and the active form of the verb.
On dit qu’il est riche. |
On parle anglais ici. |
[One says that he is rich.] |
[One speaks English here.] |
It is said that he is rich. |
English is spoken here. |
Occasionally the English passive is translated by a reflexive in French:
Cela ne se fait pas.
[That does not do itself.]
That is not done.
The Present Participle
In French, the present participle is formed by adding -ant to the stem of the first person plural of the present tense: nous parlons, parlant; nous finissons, finissant; nous vendons, vendant.
In English we often use the present participle after a preposition, as in phrases like “before leaving,” “after eating,” “without thinking.” The only preposition in French which is followed by the present participle is en (on, upon, while, by):
en entrant (upon entering)
en voyageant (while traveling, by traveling)
All other prepositions are followed by the infinitive form of the verb:
avant de partir (before leaving)
pour travailler (in order to work)
sans parler (without speaking)
Prepositions and Infinitives
Some French verbs require the preposition à or de before a following infinitive, while others are followed by the infinitive directly without an intervening preposition. You will no doubt have noticed this while listening to your Listen & Learn course. Become familiar with the most popular verbs given below, and the preposition they require, if any, before an infinitive.
Verbs Which Require à before the Infinitive
Some of the most frequently used verbs which require the preposition d before an infinitive are:
apprendre (to learn) commencer (to begin)
aider (to help) inviter (to invite)
enseigner (to teach)
Here are some sentences using the above verbs:
Nous apprenons à lire et à écrire.
We are learning to read and write.
Il m’enseigne à nager.
He is teaching me to swim.
Il nous a invités à dîner chez lui.
He invited us to dine at his house.
Nous commençons à comprendre.
We are beginning to understand.
Je vous aiderai à le faire.
I shall help you do it.
Verbs Which Require de before the Infinitive
The following verbs are among the most common which require the preposition de before an infinitive:
cesser (to stop) |
tâcher (to try) |
décider (to decide) |
se garder (to take care not to) |
défendre (to forbid) |
manquer (to fail) |
demander (to ask) |
oublier (to forget) |
dire (to tell) |
promettre (to promise) |
empêcher (to prevent) |
refuser (to refuse) |
essayer (to try) |
se souvenir (to remember) |
Study the following models:
Est-ce qu’il a cessé de pleuvoir?
Has it stopped raining?
II est défendu de faire cela.
It is forbidden to do that.
Ne manquez pas d’y aller.
Don’t fail to go there.
Je me garderai de le lui dire.
I shall be careful not to tell it to him.
Il a promis qu’il tâcherait de venir.
He promised that he would try to come.
Verbs Followed Directly by the Infinitive
Many verbs in French are followed by the infinitive form of the verb and do not use either à or de. The most important are:
vouloir (to want, wish) |
savoir (to know how to) |
désirer (to want, desire) |
pouvoir (to be able to, can) |
aimer (to like) |
il faut (it is necessary) |
aimer mieux (to prefer) |
compter (to intend) |
préférer (to prefer) |
oser (to dare) |
aller (to be going to) |
laisser (to let, allow) |
devoir (must, ought) |
envoyer (to send) |
Examine the following examples:
Je compte revenir ici l’année prochaine.
I intend to come back here next year.
Nous ne voulons pas le faire.
We do not want to do it.
Laissez-moi parler.
Let me speak.
Envoyez chercher le médecin.
Send for the doctor.
Je n’oserais pas aller si loin si je ne savais. pas nager.
I wouldn’t dare (to) go so far if I did not know how to swim.
The Subjunctive
Though little used in English, the subjunctive is frequent and important in French. We are presenting briefly its formation and main uses, primarily for recognition when you see it or hear it rather than for active use.
The Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive for most verbs is formed by taking the third person plural (the ils and elles form) of the present indicative (pp. 30-33), dropping the -ent, and adding -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent:
INFINITIVE |
3RD PERS. PL. |
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE |
parler (to speak) |
parlent |
parle, parles, parle, parlions, parliez, parlent |
finir (to finish) |
finissent |
finisse, finisses, finisse, finissions, finissiez, finissent |
vendre (to sell) |
vendent |
vende, vendes, vende, vendions, vendiez, vendent |
The following important verbs, although using the standard endings, do not follow the rule. When one is first beginning to speak French, it is probably best not to try to memorize these forms, but only to become familiar with them so that one recognizes them when one hears them.
aller (to go) |
aille, ailles, aille, allions, alliez, aillent |
faire (to do, make) |
fasse, fasses, fasse, fassions, fassiez, fassent |
pouvoir (to be able) |
puisse, puisses, puisse, puissions, puissiez, puissent |
prendre (to take) |
prenne, prennes, prenne, prenions, preniez, prennent |
recevoir (to receive) |
reçoive, reçoives, reçoive, recevions, receviez, reçoivent |
savoir (to know) |
sache, saches, sache, sachions, sachiez, sachent |
venir (to come) |
vienne, viennes, vienne, venions, veniez, viennent |
The Past Subjunctive
The past subjunctive, for a completed action, is formed by using the present subjunctive of avoir or être (see p. 39 for être verbs) before the past participle of the main verb:10
Uses of the Subjunctive
The main uses of the subjunctive are as follows:
1. After the verb “to want” (vouloir, désirer) when there is a change of subject in the subordinate clause:
Je veux que vous le fassiez.
[I want that you do it.]
I want you to do it.
But not when the subject is the same:
Je veux faire ceci.
I want to do this.
2. After expressions of emotion (regretter, to be sorry; être content, to be glad; être surpris, to be surprised; etc.):
Nous sommes surpris qu’elle ait dit cela.
We are surprised that she said that.
Je regrette qu’ils soient partis.
I am sorry that they left.
3. After the verb “to doubt” (douter) :
Je doute qu’il le sache.
I doubt that he knows it.
4. After certain impersonal expressions (il faut, it is necessary; il est possible, it is possible; etc.) :
II faut que vous y alliez ce soir.
[It is necessary that you go there this evening.]
You must go there this evening.
5. After certain conjunctions (bien que or quoique, although; pour que, so that; avant que, before; pourvu que, provided; etc.):
Dites-moi tout avant qu’il vienne.
Tell me everything before he comes.