LES VERBES
- Verbs are action words that expresses the action (he speaks/we play ) or
state of being ( I am a student) of a sentence.
- They are one of the key parts of speech . In French the verb has to be
conjugated according to the Subject (either Noun or pronoun).
- The basic form of the verb in French is called “ the infinitive form”
Eg. PARLER = to speak, ÉCOUTER - To listen, MANGER - To eat,
AIMER - to like , LIRE - to read.
- only the 1st verb in the sentence gets conjugated in any tense.
Eg: J’aime lire des romans
- There are 2 types of verbs :
1. General verbs - eg. Parler , choisir , descendre.
2. Pronominal / Reflexive verbs - se lever , se coucher .
- The verbs are divided into 3 category based on their endings , they
are
- ER Ending eg. Regarder , voyager , travailler
- IR Ending eg. finir , bouillir , venir
- RE Ending eg. Vendre , tendre , descendre
- For the purpose of Conjugation the verbs are grouped as
1. Regular verbs = -ER ending verbs
2. Irregular verbs = -IR ending verbs (avoir) , -RE ending verbs
(être).
CONJUGATION OF -ER ENDING VERBS
La règle : (Present tense)
Step 1 : In the given -er verb, Cut the -ER and take the root.
Eg: regarder , REGARDER —-> REGARD (root)
Step 2 : to the root, add endings according to the Subject.
Step 3 : the endings are as follows :
SUBJECT ENDING
Je E
Tu ES
Il E
Elle E
Nous ONS
Vous EZ
Ils ENT
Elles ENT
Applying to the verb REGARDER,
Je regarde - I Watch
Tu regardes - You watch
Il regarde - He/it watches
Elle regarde - She/it watches
Nous regardons - we watch
Vous regardez. - You watch
Ils regardent - they watch (masculine/mixed gender)
Elles regardent - they Watch (only feminine)
Eg: Jean regarde la télé.
Tu regardes le film français ? `
Nous regardons le match de cricket dans le weekend .
Les -ER verbes :
Français Anglais
Accepter To accept
Adorer To adore
Aimer To like/to love
Annuler To cancel
Apporter To bring
Arretêr To stop
Bavarder To chat
Casser To break
Commander To ask
Couper To cut
Chanter To sing
Changer To change
Commencer To start
Chercher To search
Désirer To desire
Danser To dance
Déjeuner To take lunch
Dîner To take diner
Demander To ask
Détester To hate
Donner To give
Écouter To listen
Étudier To study
Fermer To close
Goûter To taste
Habiter To live (place)
Jouer To play
Manger To eat
Parler To speak
Présenter To present
Refuser To refuse
Rester To stay
Saluer To greet
Appeler To call
Tomber To fall
Travailler To work
Trouver To find
Penser To think
Voyager To travel
Visiter To visit
Utiliser To use
Regarder To watch
Rêver To dream
Oublier To forget
Manger - to eat Commencer – to start
Je mange. Nous mangeons Je commence Nous commençons
Tu manges Vous mangez Tu commences Vous commencez
Il mange Ils mangent Il commence Ils commencent
Elle mange Elles mangent Elle commence Elles commencent
Les Exceptions (irregular verbs)
1. Être - to be , used for Professions, nationality, couleurs, adjectives,
shapes.
Person French English
1st person Je suis I am
2nd
Tu es You are
person
Il est
He/it is
3rd person Elle est
She/it is
1st person Nous
We are
plural sommes
2nd person You are (formal
Vous êtes
plural or plural)
3rd person Ils sont They (masc.) are
plural Elles sont They (fem.) are
Eg. Je suis intelligent.
Marie est mexicaine
Nous sommes contents.
Georges et Marie sont petits.
Tu es content?
Paul et moi , sommes canadiens.
Few expressions with verb Être :
1. Être + malade = to feel sick . Eg. Je suis malade
2. Être + fatigué = to feel tired . Eg. Je suis fatigué(e)
3. Être + à l’heure = to be on time . Eg. Tu es à l’heure ?
4. Être + en avance = to be early. Eg. vous êtes en avance ?
5. Être + en retard = to be late . Eg. nous sommes en retard.
2. AVOIR : to have and is used to express << age >> :
Person French English
1st person J’ai I have
2nd person Tu as You have
Il a He/it has
3rd person Elle a She/it has
Plural French English
1st person Nous avons We have
2nd person Vous avez You have
Ils ont They have
3rd person
Elles ont They have
- When the conjugated verb begins with a vowel, je changes to j’.
This elision always occurs when je precedes a vowel or silent h.
When elision is made between two words, they are pronounced as
one word.
Eg. 1. Pierre a une grande voiture.
2. J’ai deux livres et un cahier
3. Marie a un sandwich.
4. Vous avez des livres?
Expressing age :
- J’ai vingt ans. ( i am 20 years old)
3. ALLER - to go :
Person French English
1st person Je vais I go
2nd person Tu vas You go
Il va
He/it goes
3rd person Elle va
She/it goes
Plural French English
1st
Nous allons We go
person
2nd You go (formal or
Vous allez
person plural)
They (masculine)
3rd Ils vont
go
person Elles vont
They (feminine) go
Eg. je vais à l’université
