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 DONT 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 CANT 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 WONT 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 APPLES WE 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 PLAY FINIR – 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 JOU FIN VEND ER IR 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 PLAYING TU JOUES = YOU PLAY / YOU ARE PLAYING IL JOUE = HE / IT PLAYS // HE / IT IS PLAYING ELLE JOUE = SHE / IT PLAYS // SHE / IT IS PLAYING ON JOUE = ONE PLAYS / ONE IS PLAYING NOUS JOUONS = WE PLAY / WE ARE PLAYING VOUS JOUEZ = YOU PLAY / YOU ARE PLAYING ILS 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 FINISHING TU FINIS = YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING IL FINIT = HE / IT FINISHES // HE / IT IS FINISHING ELLE FINIT = SHE / IT FINISHES // SHE / IT IS FINISHING ON FINIT = ONE FINISHES / ONE IS FINISHING NOUS FINISSONS = WE FINISH / WE ARE FINISHING VOUS FINISSEZ = YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING ILS 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 SLEEPING TU DORS = YOU SLEEP / YOU ARE SLEEPING IL DORT = HE / IT SLEEPS // HE / IT IS SLEEPING ELLE DORT = SHE / IT SLEEPS // SHE / IT IS SLEEPING ON DORT = ONE SLEEPS / ONE IS SLEEPING NOUS DORMONS = WE SLEEP / WE ARE SLEEPING VOUS DORMEZ = YOU SLEEP / YOU ARE SLEEPING ILS 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 SELLING TU VENDS = YOU SELL / YOU ARE SELLING IL VEND = HE / IT SELLS // HE / IT IS SELLING ELLE VEND = SHE / IT SELLS // SHE / IT IS SELLING ON VEND = ONE SELLS / ONE IS SELLING NOUS VENDONS = WE SELL / WE ARE SELLING VOUS VENDEZ = YOU SELL / YOU ARE SELLING ILS 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 1 ST PERSON 2 ND PERSON 3 rd PERSON 1 ST PERSON 2 ND PERSON 3 rd 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 PLAYINGMY 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 -RE IJEEISSS YOUTUESISSS HE/ITILEITT SHE/ITELLEEITT ONEONEITT WENOUSONSISSONSONS YOUVOUSEZISSEZEZ THEYILSENTISSENTENT THEYELLESENTISSENTENT

LETS HAVE A LOOK AT THESE STEPS IN ACTION… JOU ER -ER E ES E E E ONS EZ ENT IJE YOUTU HE/ITIL SHE/ITELLE ONEON WENOUS YOUVOUS THEYILS THEYELLES 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 ILSENT = 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 IJE YOUTU HE/ITIL SHE/ITELLE ONEON WENOUS YOUVOUS THEYILS THEYELLES -IR IS IT ISSONS ISSEZ ISSENT FINIR REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE. ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING. TUIS = YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING ELLEIT = SHE FINISHES / SHE IS FINISHING VOUSISSEZ = 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 IJE YOUTU HE/ITIL SHE/ITELLE ONEON WENOUS YOUVOUS THEYILS THEYELLES -RE S S ONS EZ ENT REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE. ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING. JES = 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 SUIS YOU ARE = TU ES HE IS = IL EST SHE IS = ELLE EST ONE IS = ON EST WE ARE = NOUS SOMMES YOU ARE = VOUS ÊTES THEY ARE = ILS SONT THEY ARE = ELLES SONT AVOIR – TO HAVE I HAVE = JAI YOU HAVE = TU AS HE HAS = IL A SHE HAS = ELLE A ONE HAS = ON A WE HAVE = NOUS AVONS YOU HAVE = VOUS AVEZ THEY HAVE = ILS ONT THEY HAVE = ELLES ONT

FAIRE– TO DO / TO MAKE I DO / MAKE = JE FAIS YOU DO / MAKE = TU FAIS HE DOES / MAKES = IL FAIT SHE DOES / MAKES = ELLE FAIT ONE DOES / MAKES = ON FAIT WE DO / MAKE = NOUS FAISONS YOU DO / MAKE = VOUS FAITES THEY DO / MAKE = ILS FONT THEY DO / MAKE = ELLES FONT ALLER– TO GO I GO = JE VAIS YOU GO = TU VAS HE GOES = IL VA SHE GOES = ELLE VA ONE GOES = ON VA WE GO = NOUS ALLONS YOU GO = VOUS ALLEZ THEY GO = ILS VONT THEY GO = ELLES VONT

POUVOIR– TO BE ABLE TO / CAN I CAN = JE PEUX YOU CAN = TU PEUX HE CAN = IL PEUT SHE CAN = ELLE PEUT ONE CAN = ON PEUT WE CAN = NOUS POUVONS YOU CAN = VOUS POUVEZ THEY CAN = ILS PEUVENT THEY CAN = ELLES PEUVENT VOULOIR– TO WANT I WANT = JE VEUX YOU WANT = TU VEUX HE WANTS = IL VEUT SHE WANTS = ELLE VEUT ONE WANTS = ON VEUT WE WANT = NOUS VOULONS YOU WANT= VOUS VOUVEZ THEY WANT = ILS VEULENT THEY WANT = ELLES VEULENT

DEVOIR– TO HAVE TO / MUST I HAVE TO / MUST = JE DOIS YOU HAVE TO / MUST= TU DOIS HE HAS TO / MUST = IL DOIT SHE HAS TO / MUST = ELLE DOIT ONE HAS TO / MUST = ON DOIT WE HAVE TO / MUST = NOUS DEVONS YOU HAVE TO / MUST = VOUS DEVEZ THEY HAVE TO / MUST = ILS DOIVENT THEY HAVE TO / MUST = ELLES DOIVENT SAVOIR– TO KNOW I KNOW = JE SAIS YOU KNOW = TU SAIS HE KNOWS = IL SAIT SHE KNOWS = ELLE SAIT ONE KNOWS = ON SAIT WE KNOW = NOUS SAVONS YOU KNOW = VOUS SAVEZ THEY 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 DONT ALWAYS NEED TO INCLUDE THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUN SUCH AS THE WORDMYSELF 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 UP EG JE ME LÈVE À SEPT HEURES = I GET UP AT 7 O CLOCK SE SENTIR – TO FEEL EG 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 IN EG 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 DICTIONARY 2.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