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• Before one uses a French verb, the verb needs to be conjugated. Based on the
conjugation, French verbs can be classified into two major groups: Irregular and
Regular verbs. The IRREGULAR verbs are verbs whose conjugation does not
follow any systematic pattern; hence each of such verbs needs to be studied on
their own merit. The REGULAR verbs, however, follow a pattern that can apply
to all the verbs in that group.
• Examples of REGULAR verbs: habiter, fermer, parler, manger, envoyer. Sauver
in effect all verbs ending ER with the exception of ALLER. IRREGULAR verbs
are all verbs ending with IR, RE eg; voir, faire, avoir, savoir, venir, descendre,
être etc.
• French verbs again are divided into two; reflexive and non-reflexive where both
have the regular and irregular verbs. The difference is only the we (SE) added to
some of the verbs changing their meanings. Eg;
NON- REFLEXIVE VERBS REFLEXIVE VERBS
• The past participle does not agree with subject of the following verbs:
se telephoner, se parler, se mentir, se plaire, se sourer, se rire, se nuire,
se succéder, se suffire, se ressembler, s’en vouloir. This is because the
reflesive pronoun is an indirect object.It is used in the sense of ‘’each
other’’for these verbs. Ex. Peter et Elizabeth se sont téléphoné
(téléphoner à)
THESE ARE NON-REFLEXIVE VERBS
• Aller – to go arriver – to arrive
• Entrer- to enter rentrer- to come back /go home (in)
• Monter-to go up descendre-to go down /to get off
• Rester- to stay sortir- to go out
• Partir-to leave retourner-to go back
• Venir-to come revenir- to come back
• Tomber- to fall devenir- to become
• Naître- to be born mourir-to die
• passer-to succeed / to pay a visit
More non-reflexive verbs using avoir as their auxiliary verb and their past participle
• To conjugate French verbs in the present tense, four things are needed: infinitive verb which is a
verb in the raw state not conjugated eg, parler, finir, entendre, a subject either a pronoun or a
noun, a stem (souche) and endings (terminaison) must be present. The SOUCHE and the
TERMINAISON together form the verb called (verbe conjugué) ie conjugated verb either in the
present tense indicating an action that is habitual or action still in motion.
• Pronoun as a subject: these are Je-l Tu –you(singular) Elle/ll –he/she/it Nous –we Vous –you
different a little from Tu. Vous by nature is plural (pluriel)but can be in the singular form
referring to someone older than us or post wise higher than us then lls/Elles -they . Je and Tu can’t
be replaced by noun (nom) but Elle/ll, Elles/lls, Nous and Vous can be replaced by nouns, eg
Elle/ll- all female and male names; Grace, infirmière, madame, fille, femme, Kofi , monsieur,
directeur, étudiant, Opoku, journaliste, chauffeur, infirmier, etc. Nous has (Moi et la fille, la
femme, l’homme, les étudiants, les gent etc….) that is l and, it can be you, the girl, students,etc
without Moi added your noun replacement of the pronoun Nous will be wrong. The same applies
to Vous with Toi and any other name whether singular or plural: Nous- Moi et……Vous –Toi
et……. Elle- Jane Antoinettte, directrice, vendeuse, ll – Kofi, monsieur, Yaw etc. Some names
are both male and female eg. Secrétaire, professeur, enfant, élève etc
•The souche (stem) is when the last two letters are taken off, whether the ER, IR or RE, what is
left of the infinitive verb
• With ER verbs eg. acheter, parler, écouter, etc. the souche is formed by dropping –er
and adding - e, -es, e, -ons, -ez, -ent according to the subjects used. These additions are the
TERMINAISON (ENDINGS) eg, Habiter/ demeurer - to stay/live
•J’habite à Accra. I stay in Accra. Tu habites à Kumasi? Elle habite à Dunkwa. She stays in
Dunkwa.
•Il habite à Offinso. He stays at Offinso. Nous habitons à Tema Vous habitez à
Takoradi
•NB. The –‘ent’ ending of the 3rd person plural is not pronounced. The verb is often pronounced as in the 3 rd
person singular
-IR : eg. finir, applaudir, remplir, choisir Drop –ir and add –is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. Eg;
•Finir - to finish
Je finis, Tu finis, ll/Elle finit, Nous finissons, Vous finissez, lls/Elles finissent
•Choisir –to choose
Je choisis, Tu choisis, ll/Elle choisit, Nous choisissons, Vous choisissez, lls/Elles
choisissent
•Not all IR verbs go by this procedure there are excceptions with some of the verbs Eg;
RE : Drop –re and add -s, -s, -, ons, -ez, -ent. Eg:
• Enttendre to hear: J’entends, Tu entends, ll/Elle entend, Nous entendons, Vous entendez,
lls/Elles entendent
•Prendre-to take Je prends, Tu prends, ll/Elle prend, Nous prenons, Vous prenez, lls/Elles
prennent
•descendre, -to decend ; Je descends, Tu descends, ll/Elle descend , Nous
descendons, Vous descendez, ll/Elles descendent
•Conduire-to drive; Je conduis, Tu conduis, ll/Elle conduit, Nous
conduisons, Vous conduisez, lls/Elles conduisent. This also has
excceptions. Eg,
• Être-to be; Je suis,(l’m) Tu es(you are) ll/Elle est(he/she/it is) Nous
sommes(we are) Vous ê tes(you are)(Tu refers to only one person, Vous is
for more than one person. It can also be used for one person who is older
in age or position wise higher to show respect)
•Faire-to make/do; Je fais, Tu fais, ll/Elle fait, Nous fiasons, Vous faites,
lls/Elles font
Sentences in the present tense
Vous rencontrez un ami(present tense))
• . Je te souhaite bonne chance(present) Ils perdent leur cahier de classe.(present)
• . J’ épouse une jeune femme.(present) Tu remplis la fiche?(present)
• . Nous applaudissons ce matin.(present l regrette pour mon action. (present)
• . Vous remerciez dieu pour sa bonté.(present) Elle travaille ici.(present)
• . Elles quittent la maison.(present) Elle est malade. (present)
• Tu as trois cahiers. Je vais au stade-
• Tu meurs.(Present) Elle vient ici. (Present tense)
• Il devient professeur d’anglais (present tense) Nous sortons de la chamber. (present)
• Vous tombez par terre.(present) Elles/Ils se couchant ici (present)
Reflexive verbs in the present tense
• Reflexive verbs are conjugated in the present tense just like the non-reflexive verbs we just
conjugated in the present tense. The difference is the reflexive portion SE added which is
conjugated base on the subject to be used. For eg.
Se lever Se conduire Se sentir
• Je me lève Je me conduis Je me sentis
• Tu te lèves Tu te conduis Tu te sentis
• Elle/Il se lève Elle/Il se conduit Elle /Il se sentit
• Nous nous levons Nous nous conduisons Nous nous sentons
• Vous vous levez Vous vous conduisez Vous vous sentez
• Elles/Ils se lèvent Elles/Ils se conduisent Elles/Ils se sentent
• A reflexive verb in the present tense without the reflexive portion conjugated to match with the
verb becomes incomplete.
Reflexive verbs in the present tense,
•The verbs generally must agree with the subject. Example:
•La fille se lève de bonne heure.
The subject la fille (elle) and the direct object are the same person, Example: Elle se
lave les pieds.