VERBS AND THE PRESENT

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VERBS AND THE PRESENT TENSE
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
-ER
INFINITIVES THAT END IN
-IR
-RE
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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
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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
ER
IR
FIN
RE
VEND
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WE ARE NOW LEFT WITH THE STEM.
JOU- FIN- VEND-
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.
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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
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THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT SETS OF ENDINGS FOR IR
VERBS
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
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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
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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.
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VERBS ARE SET OUT THIS WAY FOR A REASON. IT IS
BECAUSE THE DIFFERENT PERSONS ARE GIVEN SPECIAL
NAMES
SO THE WORD JE IS KNOWN AS FIRST PERSON
SINGULAR, TU IS SECOND PERSON SINGULAR, ILS
IS THIRD PERSON PLURAL, ETC.
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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.
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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
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THIS TABLE IS A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO ALL THE
DIFFERENT ENDINGS FOR VERBS IN THE PRESENT TENSE.
-ER -IR -IR -RE
I 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
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LETS HAVE A LOOK AT THESE STEPS IN ACTION
WE WILL USE THE INFINITIVE JOUER TO PLAY
SO WE WILL USE THE ER VERB ENDINGS
-ER
E
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
IL
JOU
JE
ER
E
ILS
ENT
I PLAY / I AM PLAYING
HE PLAYS / HE IS PLAYING
THEY PLAY / THEY ARE PLAYING
REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.
ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.
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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
-IR
IS
IS
IT
IT
IT

ISSONS
ISSEZ
ISSENT
ISSENT
FIN
IR
TU
IS
ELLE
IT
VOUS
ISSEZ
YOU FINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING
SHE FINISHES / SHE IS FINISHING
YOUFINISH / YOU ARE FINISHING
REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.
ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.
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LASTLY, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THIS WORKS WITH -RE
VERBS
WE WILL USE THE INFINITIVE VENDRE TO SELL
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
-RE
S
S




ONS
EZ
ENT
ENT
VEND
RE
JE
S
IL
ILS
ENT
I SELL / I AM SELLING
HE SELLS / HE IS SELLING
THEY SELL / THEY ARE SELLING
REMOVE THE LAST 2 LETTERS FROM THE INFINITIVE.
ADD THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THE PERSON OR THING.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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THIS IS JUST A SECTION OF A VERB TABLE, BUT IT
SHOWS US THE INFINITIVE, THE PRESENT TENSE AND
OTHER TENSES.
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A VERB TABLE WILL ALSO SHOW AN EXAMPLE OF THE
REGULAR VERBS. VERY HELPFUL IF YOU FORGET AN
ENDING!
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
THE WORD MYSELF IS CALLED A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN.
IN ENGLISH, WE DONT ALWAYS NEED TO INCLUDE THE
REFLEXIVE PRONOUN SUCH AS THE WORDMYSELF FOR
THE VERB TO MAKE SENSE.
IN FRENCH, IF A VERB IS A REFLEXIVE VERB, IT MUST
INCLUDE A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN. HERE IS HOW THIS
WORKS
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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.
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THERE ARE LOTS OF REFLEXIVE VERBS, HERE ARE 6
USEFUL ONES TO KNOW
SAMUSER TO ENJOY ONESELF EG IL SAMUSE HE
ENJOYS HIMSELF SE COUCHER TO GO TO BED EG JE
ME COUCHE À DIX HEURES I GO TO BED AT 10
OCLOCK SE LEVER TO GET UP EG JE ME LÈVE À
SEPT HEURES I GET UP AT 7 OCLOCK SE SENTIR
TO FEEL EG NOUS NOUS SENTONS MAL WE ARE FEELING
ILL SAPPELER TO BE CALLED (LITERALLY TO CALL
ONESELF) EG JE MAPPELLE JOHN I AM CALLED JOHN
(LITERALLY I CALL MYSELF JOHN) SINTÉRESSER À
TO BE INTERESTED IN EG ELLE SINTÉRESSE AU
TENNIS SHE IS INTERESTED IN TENNIS
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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
• FIND THE INFINITIVE IN A DICTIONARY
• CHECK THE VERB TABLE, IS IT A REGULAR OR
  IRREGULAR VERB?
• IF IT IS REGULAR, REMOVE THE ER, -IR OR RE.
• ADD THE CORRECT ENDING FOR THE CORRECT PERSON.
• IF THE VERB IS REFLEXIVE, USE THE CORRECT
  REFLEXIVE PRONOUN