FRENCH FRENCH GRAMMARGRAMMAR

This presentation will help you to understand This presentation will help you to understand what verbs are and how to use them what verbs are and how to use them

accurately in French. First we will look at whataccurately in French. First we will look at what happens in English and then see how this happens in English and then see how this compares with French.compares with French.

Bonne chance!Bonne chance!

What is a verb?What is a verb?

A verb is a word or group of words A verb is a word or group of words which tell us about actions.which tell us about actions.

E.g. She E.g. She playsplays.. This gives us 3 pieces of information:This gives us 3 pieces of information:

• The activity - i.e.The activity - i.e. playing playing• The tense (or time) of the activity - i.e. The tense (or time) of the activity - i.e.

presentpresent• The person or thing doing the activity - i.e. The person or thing doing the activity - i.e.

sheshe

How do verbs work?How do verbs work?

The person or thing doing the verb is called the The person or thing doing the verb is called the subjectsubject of the verb. In English there are 6 of the verb. In English there are 6 categories of subject:categories of subject:

singularsingular pluralplural

• II (play) (play) WeWe (play) (play) when talking about yourselfwhen talking about yourself when a group talks about itself when a group talks about itself

• YouYou (play)(play)YouYou (play) (play) when talkingwhen talking to to one other person when talking one other person when talking toto more more

than one than one

person person • (S)he/it(S)he/it (play(playss)) TheyThey (play) (play)

when talking when talking aboutabout one person or thing one person or thing when talking when talking aboutabout a a groupgroup

How do verbs work?How do verbs work?

• You will see that the (S)he/it part is You will see that the (S)he/it part is different from the other parts. It has an different from the other parts. It has an “s” added to the end. This is called an “s” added to the end. This is called an ending. Most verbs in English behave in ending. Most verbs in English behave in this way.this way.

• E.g. E.g. I live I live She liveShe livessWe playWe play He playHe playssYou laughYou laugh She laughShe laughss

What is an infinitive?What is an infinitive?

The ending in English is added to The ending in English is added to the infinitivethe infinitive. This is the . This is the part of the verb that you find in the dictionary. In English part of the verb that you find in the dictionary. In English it usually has the word “to” in front of it. E.g. to play. to it usually has the word “to” in front of it. E.g. to play. to laugh, to live, etc.laugh, to live, etc.

In French the infinitive is only one wordIn French the infinitive is only one word. . There are 3 There are 3 types of infinitive: types of infinitive: • Those ending in -Those ending in -erer• Those ending in -Those ending in -irir• Those ending in -Those ending in -rere

Here we are only looking at the -Here we are only looking at the -erer type. type.

The -The -erer verb verb

JouJouerer

This is an example of an infinitive in This is an example of an infinitive in French. It is the part of the verb French. It is the part of the verb that you find in the dictionary.that you find in the dictionary.

In English “jouer” means In English “jouer” means to playto play

How French verbs workHow French verbs work

In French we have the same 6 subject In French we have the same 6 subject categories as in English:categories as in English:

singularsingular pluralplural

• JeJe NousNous• TuTu VousVous• Elle/il/on Elle/il/on Elles/ils Elles/ils

(In French all 6 categories need (In French all 6 categories need

endings, as we will see . . . )endings, as we will see . . . )

How do we get the right How do we get the right endings?endings?

1. Take the 1. Take the infinitiveinfinitive (e.g. (e.g. joujouerer))

2. Remove the -2. Remove the -erer(e.g. jou)(e.g. jou)

3. Add the endings:3. Add the endings:

• JeJe joujouee• TuTu joujoueses• Elle/ilElle/il joujouee

• NousNous joujouonsons• VousVous joujouezez• Elles/ilsElles/ils joujouentent