VERBS AND THE PRESENT

TENSE

VERBS ARE ACTION WORDS. THEY TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON.

FOR EXAMPLE…

JOHN PLAYS FOOTBALL EVERY SUNDAY

SARAH LIKES THE CINEMA

THESE ARE VERBS

YOU HAVE DIFFERENT WORDS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE OR THINGS.

YOU SAY “HE PLAYS” BUT YOU DON’T SAY “I PLAYS”.

YOU CHANGE THE VERB TO FIT THE PERSON OR THING.

ME DOING IT

I EAT APPLES

I AM EATING APPLES

YOU DOING IT

YOU EAT APPLES

YOU ARE EATING APPLES

HIM DOING IT

HE EATS APPLES

HE IS EATING APPLES

US DOING IT

WE EAT APPLES

WE ARE EATING APPLES

IN FRENCH, AS IN ENGLISH, VERBS HAVE TO CHANGE SO IT IS RIGHT FOR THE PERSON OR THING YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO SAY “I PLAY” IN FRENCH, YOU START BY LOOKING UP “PLAY” IN THE DICTIONARY. BUT YOU CAN’T JUST USE THE FIRST WORD YOU FIND – THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT…

WHEN YOU LOOK UP A VERB IN THE DICTIONARY, YOU WILL GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THIS IS CALLED AN INFINITIVE

AN INFINITIVE IN ENGLISH HAS THE WORD “TO” WITH IT.

MOST OF THE TIME YOU WON’T WANT TO USE THE VERB IN THE INFINITIVE.

YOU WILL HAVE TO CHANGE IT SO IT IS RIGHT FOR THE PERSON OR THING YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT

LETS LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE EXAMPLE SENTENCES WE SAW EARLIER

JOHN PLAYS FOOTBALL EVERY SUNDAY

SARAH LIKES THE CINEMA

I AM EATING APPLESWE ARE EATING APPLES

THESE SENTENCES DESCRIBE WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW. ANOTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THINGS HAPPENING NOW, IS TO SAY THEY ARE HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT.

WHEN WE USE VERBS TO DESCRIBE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW, OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, WE SAY THAT WE ARE USING…

THE PRESENT TENSE

WE HAVE TO CHANGE AN INFINITIVE TO FORM THE PRESENT TENSE AND MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE PERSON OR THING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

WE CAN FIND THE INFINITIVE OF A VERB IN THE DICTIONARY.

IN FRENCH, THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF INFINITIVE

INFINITIVES THAT END IN…

-ER-IR-RE

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF EACH TYPE OF INFINITIVE IN FRENCH AND ITS MEANING IN ENGLISH.

JOUER – TO PLAYFINIR – TO FINISH

VENDRE – TO SELL

TO FORM THE PRESENT TENSE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE INFINITIVE. HERE IS WHAT WE DO…

REMOVE THE LAST TWO LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE

JOUFINVEND

ERIR

RE

WE ARE NOW LEFT WITH THE STEM.

ADD THE NEW ENDING TO THE STEM. THE ENDING WILL BE DIFFERENT DEPENDING

ON THE PERSON OR THING.

THE ENDINGS WILL ALSO BE DIFFERENT, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE INFINITIVE ENDED IN

–ER, -IR OR –RE.

JOU-FIN-VEND-

THESE ARE THE ENDINGS FOR –ER VERBS…

JE JOUE = I PLAY / I AM PLAYINGTU JOUES = YOU PLAY / YOU ARE PLAYING

IL JOUE = HE / IT PLAYS // HE / IT IS PLAYINGELLE JOUE = SHE / IT PLAYS // SHE / IT IS PLAYING

ON JOUE = ONE PLAYS / ONE IS PLAYING

NOUS JOUONS = WE PLAY / WE ARE PLAYINGVOUS JOUEZ = YOU PLAY / YOU ARE PLAYINGILS JOUENT = THEY PLAY / THEY ARE PLAYING

ELLES JOUENT = THEY PLAY / THEY ARE PLAYING

THESE ARE THE ENDINGS FOR –IR VERBS SUCH AS “FINIR”, “CHOISIR”…

JE FINIS = I FINISH / I AM FINISHINGTU FINIS = YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING

IL FINIT = HE / IT FINISHES // HE / IT IS FINISHINGELLE FINIT = SHE / IT FINISHES // SHE / IT IS FINISHING

ON FINIT = ONE FINISHES / ONE IS FINISHING

NOUS FINISSONS = WE FINISH / WE ARE FINISHINGVOUS FINISSEZ = YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHINGILS FINISSENT = THEY FINISH / THEY ARE FINISHING

ELLES FINISSENT = THEY FINISH / THEY ARE FINISHING

THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT SETS OF ENDINGS FOR –IR VERBS

THESE ARE THE ENDINGS FOR –IR VERBS SUCH AS “DORMIR”, “SORTIR”…

JE DORS = I SLEEP / I AM SLEEPINGTU DORS = YOU SLEEP / YOU ARE SLEEPING

IL DORT = HE / IT SLEEPS // HE / IT IS SLEEPINGELLE DORT = SHE / IT SLEEPS // SHE / IT IS SLEEPING

ON DORT = ONE SLEEPS / ONE IS SLEEPING

NOUS DORMONS = WE SLEEP / WE ARE SLEEPINGVOUS DORMEZ = YOU SLEEP / YOU ARE SLEEPINGILS DORMENT = THEY SLEEP / THEY ARE SLEEPING

ELLES DORMENT = THEY SLEEP / THEY ARE SLEEPING

THESE ARE THE ENDINGS FOR –RE VERBS

JE VENDS = I SELL / I AM SELLINGTU VENDS = YOU SELL / YOU ARE SELLING

IL VEND = HE / IT SELLS // HE / IT IS SELLINGELLE VEND = SHE / IT SELLS // SHE / IT IS SELLING

ON VEND = ONE SELLS / ONE IS SELLING

NOUS VENDONS = WE SELL / WE ARE SELLINGVOUS VENDEZ = YOU SELL / YOU ARE SELLINGILS VENDENT = THEY SELL / THEY ARE SELLING

ELLES VENDENT = THEY SELL / THEY ARE SELLING

NOTE THAT FOR “IL”, “ELLE” AND “ON”, THERE IS NO ENDING ADDED, JUST THE STEM REMAINS.

VERBS ARE SET OUT THIS WAY FOR A REASON. IT IS BECAUSE THE DIFFERENT “PERSONS” ARE GIVEN SPECIAL NAMES…

JE JOUE = I PLAY TU JOUES = YOU PLAY

IL JOUE = HE / IT PLAYS ELLE JOUE = SHE / IT PLAYS

ON JOUE = ONE PLAYS

NOUS JOUONS = WE PLAY VOUS JOUEZ = YOU PLAY ILS JOUENT = THEY PLAY

ELLES JOUENT = THEY PLAY

SINGULAR

PLURAL

1ST PERSON

2ND PERSON

3rd PERSON

1ST PERSON

2ND PERSON

3rd PERSON

SO THE WORD “JE” IS KNOWN AS “FIRST PERSON SINGULAR”,“TU” IS SECOND PERSON SINGULAR, “ILS” IS THIRD PERSON PLURAL, ETC.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE 2 WORDS FOR “YOU” IN FRENCH. “TU” AND “VOUS”.

THE WORD “TU” IS USED IF YOU ARE TALKING TO ONE PERSON YOU KNOW, SUCH AS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THIS IS KNOWN AS “FAMILIAR”.

“VOUS” IS USED IN 2 WAYS. ONE WAY IS WHEN YOU SPEAK TO SOMEONE YOU DO NOT KNOW SO WELL OR A PERSON IN AUTHORITY. THIS IS KNOWN AS “FORMAL”.

IT IS ALSO USED WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING TO MORE THAN ONE PERSON, KNOWN AS “PLURAL”.

IT IS NOT JUST THE WORDS “I”, “YOU”, “HE” ETC THAT ARE USED WITH VERBS.

OBJECTS, PEOPLE AND THINGS CAN ALL USE VERBS. FOR EXAMPLE…

THE DOG IS PLAYING MY PARENTS ARE SELLING

WHEN YOU NEED TO PUT THESE WORDS WITH A VERB IN FRENCH, WHICH ENDING DO YOU USE?

THINK WHICH WORD THE OBJECT OR THING CAN REPLACE. IS “THE DOG” “I”? NO. IS IT “YOU”? NO. IS IT “HE”? YES. SO USE THE ENDING FOR “IL”

THE DOG IS PLAYING = LE CHIEN JOUE

“MY PARENTS” = “I”, “YOU”, “HE”, “SHE”, “IT”, “ONE”, “WE”, “YOU” OR “THEY”?

MY PARENTS CAN REPLACE THE WORD “THEY”, SO…

MY PARENTS ARE SELLING = MES PARENTS VENDENT

THIS TABLE IS A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO ALL THE DIFFERENT ENDINGS FOR VERBS IN THE PRESENT TENSE.

-ER -IR -IR -REI JE E IS S S

YOU TU ES IS S S

HE/IT IL E IT T

SHE/IT ELLE E IT T

ONE ON E IT T

WE NOUS ONS ISSONS ONS ONS

YOU VOUS EZ ISSEZ EZ EZ

THEY ILS ENT ISSENT ENT ENT

THEY ELLES ENT ISSENT ENT ENT

LETS HAVE A LOOK AT THESE STEPS IN ACTION…

JOUER

-ERE

ES

E

E

E

ONS

EZ

ENT

ENT

I JE

YOU TU

HE/IT IL

SHE/IT ELLE

ONE ON

WE NOUS

YOU VOUS

THEY ILS

THEY ELLES

SO WE WILL USE THE –ER VERB ENDINGS

WE WILL USE THE INFINITIVE “JOUER” – TO PLAY

REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.

ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.

JE E= I PLAY / I AM PLAYING

IL= HE PLAYS / HE IS PLAYING

ILS ENT= THEY PLAY / THEY ARE PLAYING

NEXT WE WILL SEE HOW THIS WORKS WITH “-IR” VERBS

WE WILL USE THE INFINITIVE “FINIR” – TO FINISH

SO WE WILL USE THE –IR VERB ENDINGS

I JE

YOU TU

HE/IT IL

SHE/IT ELLE

ONE ON

WE NOUS

YOU VOUS

THEY ILS

THEY ELLES

-IRIS

IS

IT

IT

IT

ISSONS

ISSEZ

ISSENT

ISSENT

FINIR

REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.

ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.

TU IS= YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING

ELLE IT= SHE FINISHES / SHE IS FINISHING

VOUS ISSEZ= YOUFINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING

LASTLY, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THIS WORKS WITH “-RE” VERBS

WE WILL USE THE INFINITIVE “VENDRE” – TO SELL

VENDRE

SO WE WILL USE THE “-RE” ENDINGS

I JE

YOU TU

HE/IT IL

SHE/IT ELLE

ONE ON

WE NOUS

YOU VOUS

THEY ILS

THEY ELLES

-RES

S

ONS

EZ

ENT

ENT

REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.

ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.

JE S= I SELL / I AM SELLING

IL= HE SELLS / HE IS SELLING

ILS ENT= THEY SELL / THEY ARE SELLING

THAT IS HOW TO FORM THE PRESENT TENSE.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT THINK THAT THE PRESENT TENSE IS EASY. ALWAYS THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT ENDINGS BELONG WHERE, LEARN THE

ENDINGS SO THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO ALWAYS LOOK AT THE TABLE.

VERBS THAT FOLLOW THESE RULES ARE KNOWN AS REGULAR VERBS.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME VERBS THAT DO NOT FOLLOW THESE RULES. THEY ARE

KNOWN AS IRREGULAR VERBS.

SOME OF THE MOST COMMON AND USEFUL VERBS ARE IRREGULAR. THEY NEED TO BE LEARNT

BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A VERB IS REGULAR OR IRREGULAR?

A DICTIONARY IS THE BEST THING TO USE…

THIS IS A SECTION FROM A PAGE IN A DICTIONARY…

THIS TELLS US THE VERB IS IRREGULAR

THIS TELLS US THE VERB IS REGULAR

HOWEVER, NOT ALL DICTIONARIES GIVE THE INFORMATION IN THIS WAY, BUT THEY WILL ALL HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A VERB TABLE.

THEY LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS…

THIS IS JUST A SECTION OF A VERB TABLE, BUT IT SHOWS US THE INFINITIVE, THE PRESENT TENSE AND OTHER TENSES.

A VERB TABLE WILL ALSO SHOW AN EXAMPLE OF THE REGULAR VERBS. VERY HELPFUL IF YOU FORGET AN ENDING!

SO IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK A VERB TABLE EVERY TIME YOU USE A VERB

FOR THE FIRST TIME. IF IT IS NOT IN THE VERB TABLE, THEN IT WILL FOLLOW THE RULES OF REGULAR VERBS. YOU WILL

SOON BEGIN TO REMEMBER WHICH VERBS ARE REGULAR, AND WHICH

ONES ARE IRREGULAR.

HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT AND USEFUL IRREGULAR VERBS…

ÊTRE – TO BE

I AM = JE SUISYOU ARE = TU ES

HE IS = IL ESTSHE IS = ELLE ESTONE IS = ON EST

WE ARE = NOUS SOMMESYOU ARE = VOUS ÊTESTHEY ARE = ILS SONT

THEY ARE = ELLES SONT

AVOIR – TO HAVE

I HAVE = J’AIYOU HAVE = TU AS

HE HAS = IL ASHE HAS = ELLE AONE HAS = ON A

WE HAVE = NOUS AVONSYOU HAVE = VOUS AVEZ

THEY HAVE = ILS ONTTHEY HAVE = ELLES ONT

FAIRE– TO DO / TO MAKE

I DO / MAKE = JE FAISYOU DO / MAKE = TU FAIS

HE DOES / MAKES = IL FAITSHE DOES / MAKES = ELLE FAITONE DOES / MAKES = ON FAIT

WE DO / MAKE = NOUS FAISONSYOU DO / MAKE = VOUS FAITES

THEY DO / MAKE = ILS FONTTHEY DO / MAKE = ELLES FONT

ALLER– TO GO

I GO = JE VAISYOU GO = TU VASHE GOES = IL VA

SHE GOES = ELLE VAONE GOES = ON VA

WE GO = NOUS ALLONSYOU GO = VOUS ALLEZTHEY GO = ILS VONT

THEY GO = ELLES VONT

POUVOIR– TO BE ABLE TO / CAN

I CAN = JE PEUXYOU CAN = TU PEUX

HE CAN = IL PEUTSHE CAN = ELLE PEUTONE CAN = ON PEUT

WE CAN = NOUS POUVONSYOU CAN = VOUS POUVEZTHEY CAN = ILS PEUVENT

THEY CAN = ELLES PEUVENT

VOULOIR– TO WANT

I WANT = JE VEUXYOU WANT = TU VEUXHE WANTS = IL VEUT

SHE WANTS = ELLE VEUTONE WANTS = ON VEUT

WE WANT = NOUS VOULONSYOU WANT= VOUS VOUVEZTHEY WANT = ILS VEULENT

THEY WANT = ELLES VEULENT

DEVOIR– TO HAVE TO / MUST

I HAVE TO / MUST = JE DOISYOU HAVE TO / MUST= TU DOIS

HE HAS TO / MUST = IL DOITSHE HAS TO / MUST = ELLE DOITONE HAS TO / MUST = ON DOIT

WE HAVE TO / MUST = NOUS DEVONSYOU HAVE TO / MUST = VOUS DEVEZTHEY HAVE TO / MUST = ILS DOIVENT

THEY HAVE TO / MUST = ELLES DOIVENT

SAVOIR– TO KNOW

I KNOW = JE SAISYOU KNOW = TU SAISHE KNOWS = IL SAIT

SHE KNOWS = ELLE SAITONE KNOWS = ON SAIT

WE KNOW = NOUS SAVONSYOU KNOW = VOUS SAVEZTHEY KNOW = ILS SAVENT

THEY KNOW = ELLES SAVENT

AS WELL AS REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS, THERE IS ONE MORE GROUP OF VERBS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT…

THEY ARE CALLED REFLEXIVE VERBS.

REFLEXIVE VERBS ARE ACTIONS THAT ARE DONE TO YOURSELF.

FOR EXAMPLE, “I WASH MYSELF” , “I GET MYSELF UP”

IN ENGLISH, WE DON’T ALWAYS NEED TO INCLUDE THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUN SUCH AS THE WORD“MYSELF” FOR THE

VERB TO MAKE SENSE.

THE WORD “MYSELF” IS CALLED A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN.

IN FRENCH, IF A VERB IS A REFLEXIVE VERB, IT MUST INCLUDE A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN. HERE IS HOW THIS WORKS…

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A REFLEXIVE VERB…

SE LAVER = TO WASH (ONESELF)

THE INFINITIVE WHEN FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY WILL HAVE THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUN “SE” OR “S’” IN FRONT OF IT. THIS EXAMPLE IS ALSO A REGULAR VERB WHICH ENDS IN “-ER”. IT WILL ALSO FOLLOW

THE RULES FOR REGULAR “-ER” VERB ENDINGS.

JE ME LAVE – I WASH (MYSELF)TU TE LAVES – YOU WASH (YOURSELF)

IL SE LAVE – HE WASHES (HIMSELF)ELLE SE LAVE – SHE WASHES (HERSELF)ON SE LAVE – ONE WASHES (ONESELF)

NOUS NOUS LAVONS – WE WASH (OURSELVES)VOUS VOUS LAVEZ – YOU WASH (YOURSELVES)

ILS SE LAVENT – THEY WASH (THEMSELVES)ELLES SE LAVENT – THEY WASH (THEMSELVES)

YOU MUST USE THE CORRECT REFLEXIVE PRONOUN WITH THE RIGHT PERSON

CHECK IF THE VERB IS REGULAR OR IRREGULAR, THEN FOLLOW THE SAME RULES AS BEFORE.

THERE ARE LOTS OF REFLEXIVE VERBS, HERE ARE 6 USEFUL ONES TO KNOW…

S’AMUSER – TO ENJOY ONESELF EG IL S’AMUSE = HE ENJOYS HIMSELF

SE COUCHER – TO GO TO BED EG JE ME COUCHE À DIX HEURES = I GO TO BED AT 10 O’CLOCK

SE LEVER – TO GET UPEG JE ME LÈVE À SEPT HEURES = I GET UP AT 7 O’CLOCK

SE SENTIR – TO FEELEG NOUS NOUS SENTONS MAL = WE ARE FEELING ILL

S’APPELER – TO BE CALLED (LITERALLY “TO CALL ONESELF”)EG JE M’APPELLE JOHN = I AM CALLED JOHN (LITERALLY “I CALL MYSELF JOHN”)

S’INTÉRESSER À – TO BE INTERESTED INEG ELLE S’INTÉRESSE AU TENNIS = SHE IS INTERESTED IN TENNIS

THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND RULES TO TAKE IN AND LEARN IN ORDER TO USE THE PRESENT TENSE ACCURATELY.

IT IS THEREFORE A GOOD IDEA TO ALWAYS GO BACK OVER THE INFORMATION TO CHECK EVERY TIME TO BEGIN WITH. WITH PRACTICE YOU WILL NEED TO CHECK BACK LESS OFTEN AS YOU LEARN.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO GO THROUGH THESE STEPS…

1. FIND THE INFINITIVE IN A DICTIONARY2. CHECK THE VERB TABLE, IS IT A REGULAR OR IRREGULAR VERB?3. IF IT IS REGULAR, REMOVE THE –ER, -IR OR –RE.4. ADD THE CORRECT ENDING FOR THE CORRECT PERSON.5. IF THE VERB IS REFLEXIVE, USE THE CORRECT REFLEXIVE PRONOUN