{"id":17,"date":"2008-10-10T09:41:09","date_gmt":"2008-10-10T13:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=17"},"modified":"2008-10-10T09:41:09","modified_gmt":"2008-10-10T13:41:09","slug":"let%e2%80%99s-talk-about-present-tense-verbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/let%e2%80%99s-talk-about-present-tense-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Talk About Present Tense Verbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Je travaille.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>In French, this short sentence has several translations in English and we would need more context to decide exactly what is meant.\u00a0 It could be translated as “I work” or “I’m working” and if we add more to the sentence without changing the verb structure in any way, it could take on even more meanings.\u00a0 For example, Je travaille depuis plusieurs mois<\/em>.\u00a0 This same verb structure is now being used as an English present perfect verb, thus the translation is “I’ve worked for several months”.\u00a0 With this in mind, let’s talk about le <\/em><\/strong>pr\u00e9sent fran\u00e7ais<\/em><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are different verb endings depending on the verb group.<\/p>\n

Verbs in the First Group (the -ER verbs):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stem + -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent<\/strong><\/p>\n

These verbs are regular as far as their conjugation, but some of them have spelling and phonetic changes.\u00a0 Almost 90% of all French verbs fall under this category.<\/p>\n

For example, TRAVAILLER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\ntravaille<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\ntravaillons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\ntravailles<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\ntravaillez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\ntravaille<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\ntravaillent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Verbs in the Second Group (the -IR verbs):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stem + -s, -s, -t, -ons, -ez, -ent<\/strong><\/p>\n

These verbs are regular as far as their conjugation and you have to double the final -s before vowels for nous, vous, ils, elles<\/em>.\u00a0 There are only about 300 of these verbs in the French language.<\/p>\n

For example, FINIR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\nfinis<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\nfinissons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\nfinis<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\nfinissez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\nfinit<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\nfinissent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Verbs in the Third Group (the -RE, -OIR and some -IR verbs):
\nStem <\/strong>(often variable for same verb)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0+ -s, -s, -t \/ d, -ons, -ez, -ent
\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0+ -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0+ -x, -x, -t, -ons, -ez, -ent<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the \u2018all other verbs’ category.\u00a0 These verbs are irregular as they can have many different stems as well as different endings.\u00a0 However, you must learn (hence, memorize) them as they are often used in the French language and there are about 370 of them.<\/p>\n

For example, FAIRE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\nfais<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\nfaisons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\nfais<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\nfaites<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\nfait<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\nfo<\/strong><\/span>nt<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For example, BOIRE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\nbois<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\nbuv<\/span>ons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\nbois<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\nbuvez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\nboit<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\nboivent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For example, COMPRENDRE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\ncomprends<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\ncomprenons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\ncomprends<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\ncomprenez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\ncomprend<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\ncomprenn<\/span>ent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For example, POUVOIR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\npeux<\/strong> \/ puis<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\npouv<\/span>ons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\npeux<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\npouv<\/span>ez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\npeut<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\npeu<\/span>v<\/span><\/span>ent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For example, COUVRIR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Je<\/td>\ncouvre<\/strong><\/td>\nNous<\/td>\ncouvrons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>\ncouvres<\/strong><\/td>\nVous<\/td>\ncouvrez<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \/ Elle \/ On<\/td>\ncouvre<\/strong><\/td>\nIls \/ Elles<\/td>\ncouvrent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now that we’ve got the form down pat (right???), what about meaning?<\/p>\n

Well, you can use the present simple to talk about an action that is in progress at the time of speaking (much like present progressive in English).\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

Mes enfants dorment (en ce moment).\u00a0 <\/em>This means that \u2018my children are sleeping’ and I can add the ‘right now’ part or another time expression to better specify the context so as not to give the impression they sleep all the time, but it is not necessary.<\/p>\n

The present simple can be used to talk about an event that began in the past (much like our present perfect).\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

J’habite \u00e0 Paris depuis deux ans.<\/em>\u00a0 (I’ve lived in Paris for two years.)<\/p>\n

Or you can use the present simple to talk about an event that will begin in the very, very near future much like we use the present progressive\/continuous in English.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

Cet \u00e9t\u00e9, nous allons aux \u00c9tats-Unis.<\/em>\u00a0 (This summer, we’re going to the United States.)<\/p>\n

Just as in English, you can use the present simple to express repetitive actions.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

Vous prenez le m\u00e9tro tous les jours.<\/em>\u00a0 (You take the metro every day.)<\/p>\n

You also find the simple present used in factual texts to talk about the past in order to make events livelier (narrating present) or simply to state facts that continue to be true.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

En 1928,\u00a0 Fleming d\u00e9couvre le premier antibiotique.\u00a0 <\/em>(Fleming discovered the first antibiotic in 1928.)<\/p>\n

The present simple is also used in French to express a general truth or a proverb.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

L’eau bouille \u00e0 100\u00ba C. <\/em>\u00a0(Water boils at 100\u00ba C.)
\nAu besoin on conna\u00eet l’ami. <\/em>(A friend in need is a friend indeed.)<\/p>\n

Finally, you can use the present simple when making a hypothesis or a conditional statement.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

Si tu vas en France, tu apprendras s\u00fbrement le fran\u00e7ais. <\/em>(If you go to France, you will surely learn French.)<\/p>\n

If you want to make any of these present tense sentences negative<\/strong>, just place ne<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>before the verb and pas<\/strong><\/em> after it.\u00a0 Questions basically follow the same structure as the affirmative; you just add a question mark at the end and change your intonation.\u00a0 For example,<\/p>\n

Tu comprends l’espagnol?\u00a0 Non, je ne<\/span> comprends pas<\/span> l’espagnol. <\/em>(Do you understand Spanish?\u00a0 No, I don’t understand Spanish.)<\/p>\n

Since French verbs can be quite complicated with their different endings and groups and spelling and other irregularities, I recommend getting your hands on a copy of a good verb reference book listing all the verbs and their group numbers as well as other verb-significant grammatical information.<\/p>\n

Bon week-end!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Je travaille. In French, this short sentence has several translations in English and we would need more context to decide exactly what is meant.\u00a0 It could be translated as “I work” or “I’m working” and if we add more to the sentence without changing the verb structure in any way, it could take on even…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[346,410],"class_list":["post-17","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar","tag-french-grammar","tag-french-simple-present"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28233,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17\/revisions\/28233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}