1- Use1- Use

2- Formation2- Formation

3- Time indicators3- Time indicators

There is only 1 form of the There is only 1 form of the present tense in French, present tense in French,

eg eg Je joue au tennisJe joue au tennis

whereas there are three in whereas there are three in English...English...

A.A. The present tense is used to The present tense is used to express a repeated action, a habit express a repeated action, a habit or a general truth.or a general truth.

i.e. What happens regularly.i.e. What happens regularly.

eg: eg: Tous les samedis, je Tous les samedis, je jouejoue au foot. au foot.

(Every Saturday, I play football). (Every Saturday, I play football).

B.B.To express an action taking place at To express an action taking place at the time of speaking or in the the time of speaking or in the immediate future.immediate future.i.e. What is happening right now.i.e. What is happening right now.

eg:eg: JeJe regarde regarde Eastenders Eastenders maintenant.maintenant.

(I am watching Eastenders now).(I am watching Eastenders now).

C.C. To express a contrast, an emphasis To express a contrast, an emphasis or a negative.or a negative.i.e. To emphasise what is i.e. To emphasise what is happening.happening.

eg: eg: Je Je suissuis d’accord. d’accord.I I dodo agree. agree.

Je joue au tennis.Je joue au tennis.I I dodo play tennis. play tennis.

Je Je nene joue joue paspas au tennis. au tennis. I I don’tdon’t play tennis. play tennis.

Also use the present tense in Also use the present tense in French...French...

D.D. To tell a story that happened in the To tell a story that happened in the past, to make it more lively.past, to make it more lively.

E.E. With expressions of time such as With expressions of time such as depuis, ça faitdepuis, ça fait to express to express ‘has/have been doing’.‘has/have been doing’.

F.F. With With sisi to express a hypothesis or to express a hypothesis or condition.condition.

The present tense is used with the The present tense is used with the expressions expressions “depuis”“depuis” and and ““ça fait”ça fait” when the action is still going on.when the action is still going on.

eg: eg: J’J’apprendsapprends le français depuis le français depuis cinq cinq ans.ans.

(I’ve been learning French for (I’ve been learning French for five five years).years).

As 90% of all French verbs are As 90% of all French verbs are regular ER verbs it is regular ER verbs it is essentialessential that you know the verb endings that you know the verb endings off by heart.off by heart.

Regular verbs:Regular verbs:-ER verbs-ER verbs

JOUER (to play)JOUER (to play)Je Je joujoueeTu Tu joujouesesIl, Elle, On Il, Elle, On joujoueeNous Nous joujouonsonsVous Vous joujouezezIls, Elles Ils, Elles joujouentent

Regular VerbsRegular Verbs-IR verbs-IR verbs

FINIRFINIR

Je Je finfinisis

Tu Tu finfinisis

Il, Elle, On Il, Elle, On finfinitit

Nous Nous finfinissonsissons

Vous Vous finfinissezissez

Ils, Elles Ils, Elles finfinissentissent

Regular VerbsRegular Verbs-RE verbs-RE verbs

VENDREVENDRE

Je Je vendvendss

Tu Tu vendvendss

Il, Elle, On Il, Elle, On vendvend

Nous Nous vendvendonsons

Vous Vous vendvendezez

Ils, Elles Ils, Elles vendvendentent

Summary of Regular Verb EndingsSummary of Regular Verb EndingsTo form the present tense take off the To form the present tense take off the last 2 letters of the infinitive (ER, RE or last 2 letters of the infinitive (ER, RE or IR) and add the following endings.IR) and add the following endings.

ERER RERE IRIRII JeJe -e-e -s-s -is-is

YouYou TuTu -es-es -s-s -is-is

He/She/WeHe/She/We Il/Elle/Il/Elle/OnOn

-e-e -- -it-it

WeWe NousNous --onsons

--onsons

--issonisson

ss

You all/You (f)You all/You (f) VousVous -ez-ez -ez-ez -issez-issez

TheyThey Ils/EllesIls/Elles --entent

--entent

--issentissent

Verbs starting with a vowel or Verbs starting with a vowel or “h”:“h”:

When a verb starts with a vowel (When a verb starts with a vowel (AA, , EE, , II, , OO, , UU, , YY) or a silent “) or a silent “hh”, the pronoun “”, the pronoun “JeJe” becomes “ ” becomes “ J’J’ ”. ”.

eg:eg: Je aime Je aime J’J’aime.aime.Je habiteJe habite J’J’habite.habite.

It is the same when a verb is preceded by a It is the same when a verb is preceded by a reflexive pronoun.reflexive pronoun.

eg: s’appeler:eg: s’appeler: Je me appelle Je me appelle Je m’appelle. Je m’appelle. s’habiller:s’habiller: Tu te habilles Tu te habilles Tu Tu

t’habilles.t’habilles. s’endormir:s’endormir: Elle se endort Elle se endort Elle Elle

s’endort.s’endort.

Some regular verbs have spelling Some regular verbs have spelling changes for je, tu, il and ils. changes for je, tu, il and ils.

i.e. before a silent syllable. i.e. before a silent syllable.

It is important that you are at least It is important that you are at least aware of these so that you will aware of these so that you will recognise these verbs.recognise these verbs.

In verbs that end in In verbs that end in -eler-eler or or -eter-eter the final consonant is the final consonant is doubleddoubled up up in all but the nous and vous forms.in all but the nous and vous forms.

jeterjeter: : (to throw)(to throw)Je jeJe jettttee

Tu jeTu jetttteses

Il jeIl jettttee

Nous jeNous jettonsons

Vous jeVous jettezez

Ils jeIls jettttent.ent.

Another common verb Another common verb belonging to this group isbelonging to this group is::appeler appeler (to call)(to call)

Exception to this rule:Exception to this rule:acheteracheter

Verbs withVerbs with –é–é oror –e–e in second in second last syllable in the infinitivelast syllable in the infinitive

Some stems with Some stems with -e-e change tochange to --èè Stems with Stems with –é –é change tochange to --èè

in all forms except the nous and vous in all forms except the nous and vous formsforms– prpréférer:éférer:

Je préfJe préfèèrere

Tu préfTu préfèèresres

Il préfIl préfèèrere

Nous préfNous préfééronsrons

Vous préfVous préféérezrez

Ils préfIls préfèèrent.rent.

acheteracheter::

J’achJ’achèètete

Tu achTu achèètestes

Il achIl achèètete

Nous achNous acheetonstons

Vous achVous acheeteztez

Ils achIls achèètent.tent.

Verbs that end inVerbs that end in –ayer–ayer, , -oyer-oyer, , -uyer-uyer changechange –y–y toto –i–i

nettoyernettoyer: : (to clean)(to clean)Je nettoJe nettoiiee

Tu nettoTu nettoiieses

Il nettoIl nettoiiee

Nous nettoNous nettoyyonsons

Vous nettoVous nettoyyezez

Ils nettoIls nettoiient.ent.

Verbs with spelling changes Verbs with spelling changes in the NOUS formin the NOUS form

Verbs ending in Verbs ending in –cer–cer become become ––ççonsonscommencer:commencer: (to begin)(to begin)

Je commenceJe commence

Tu commencesTu commences

Il commenceIl commence

Nous commenNous commenççonsons

Vous commencezVous commencez

Ils commencent.Ils commencent.

Verbs ending inVerbs ending in ––gerger becomebecome –e–eonsonsmanger:manger: (to eat)(to eat)

Je mangeJe mange

Tu mangesTu manges

Il mangeIl mange

Nous mangNous mangeeonsons

Vous mangezVous mangez

Ils mangentIls mangent

Reflexive verbsReflexive verbs

Many of these verbs are used to talk Many of these verbs are used to talk about your daily routine. They mean about your daily routine. They mean that you do something to yourself that you do something to yourself (eg: to wash oneself, to brush one’s (eg: to wash oneself, to brush one’s teeth, to wake up, to go to bed…). teeth, to wake up, to go to bed…).

You conjugate them in the exact You conjugate them in the exact same way as regular verbs but they same way as regular verbs but they also need a reflexive pronoun in also need a reflexive pronoun in between the subject pronoun and between the subject pronoun and the verb:…the verb:…

Reflexive verbsReflexive verbs

Je Je memeTu Tu teteIl Il seseElle Elle sese On On seseNous Nous nousnousVous Vous vousvousIls Ils seseElles Elles sese

eg: SE LEVER (to get up)eg: SE LEVER (to get up)Je Je meme l lèvèveeTu Tu tete lèv lèvesesIl Il sese lèv lèveeElle Elle sese lèv lèveeOn On sese lèv lèveeNous Nous nousnous lev levonsonsVous Vous vousvous lev levezezIls Ils sese lèv lèvententElles Elles sese lèv lèventent

MaintenantMaintenant NowNow En ce momentEn ce moment At the momentAt the moment Aujourd’huiAujourd’hui TodayToday Ce matinCe matin This morningThis morning Cet aprCet après-midiès-midi This afternoonThis afternoon Ce soirCe soir This eveningThis evening