The Present Tense Objectif: To be able to correctly use the present tense in French.

We use the present tense to describe what is happening now or to describe something that happens on a regular basis. I am playing football. I play football on Saturdays.

In English we have two different present tenses. In French there is only one. This means that: Je joue au foot = I play football OR I am playing football. This can cause problems when translating into French!

When we use the present tense in French, the spelling of the verb will change depending on who is using the verb. We do this in English too but to a lesser extent: I listen to the radio She listens to the radio

In French we have to remember a series of patterns that tells us how the verb will be spelt. These patterns are determined by how the verb ends in the infinitive (the verb form that the dictionary gives). The good news is that the vast majority of verbs in French end in –er and follow the following pattern:

Trouver = To Find Je trouve= I find/ I am finding Tu trouves= You find/ You are finding Il/elle trouve= He/she finds/ is finding Nous trouvons= We find/ we are finding Vous trouvez= You find/ You are finding Ils/elles trouvent=They find/they are finding

This pattern will be the same for the vast majority of verbs in French. So if you learn just this pattern, you can use the present tense in French for the vast majority of verbs.

Trouver = To Find Je trouve= I find/ I am finding Tu trouves= You find/ You are finding Il/elle trouve= He/she finds/ is finding Nous trouvons= We find/ we are finding Vous trouvez= You find/ You are finding Ils/elles trouvent=They find/they are finding

There is another type of verb. This verb ends in –re. There are not very many verbs that end in –re but most of them follow the following pattern:

Vendre = To Sell Je vends= I sell Tu vends= You sell Il/elle vend_= He/she sells Nous vendons= We sell Vous vendez= You sell Ils/elles vendent=They sell

Back in your blue exercise book now, have a go at translating the following sentences using the notes from your purple book. Be careful!

1.I eat (manger) 2.She is eating. 3.They are selling. 4.We watch. (regarder) 5.We are watching. 6.I go down. (descendre) 7.You (pol) listen. (écouter) 8.I work. (travailler) 1.Je mange. 2.Elle mange. 3.Ils vendent. 4.Nous regardons. 5.Nous regardons. 6.Je descends. 7.Vous écoutez. 8.Je travaille.

Je regardes la télé

Elle descends.

Nous écoutons la radio

In pairs… Tell your partner what you have understood about the present tense. Is there anything either of you dont understand? What is your traffic light for the present tense? Why?