French - Present Tense

Revision notes on the Present tense in french

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  • Created by: RATM33
  • Created on: 09-04-10 10:28

Present Tense - Introduction

Used to

  • Describe what is happening now - (I am playing tennis)
  • Describe what usually happens - (I read a book every day)

There is only one present tense in French:

Je mange I eat or I am eating

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Present Tense - Formation

To form the present tense, you must change the infinitive of the verb

This changes according to what type of verb it is

There are 3 regular verbs

-ER verbs

-IR verbs

-RE verbs

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Present Tense - ER verbs (you must memorise this)

For ER verbs, you must take off the ER at the end of the verb and add on the following endings. For example, with jouer (to play)

Subject ____________ Ending__________ Example

Je__________________ e_____________ Je joue

Tu__________________ es____________ Tu joues

Il/Elle/On_____________ e_____________ Elle joue

Nous_______________ ons___________ Nous jouons

Vous_______________ ez____________ Vous jouez

Ils/Elles _____________ ent____________ Ils jouent

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Present Tense - IR verbs (you must memorise this)

For IR verbs, you must take off the IR at the end of the verb and add on the following endings. For example, with finir (to finish)

Subject__________ Ending___________ Example

Je_______________ is______________ Je finis

Tu_______________ is______________ Tu finis

Il/Elle/On__________ it______________ On finit

Nous___________ issons_________ Nous finissons

Vous___________ issez__________ Vous finissez

Ils/Elles _________issent __________Elles finissent

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Present Tense - RE verbs (you must memorise this)

For RE verbs, you must take of the RE at the end of the verb and add on the following endings. For example, with attendre (to wait)

Subject____________ Ending___________ Example

Je__________________ s_____________ J'attends

Tu__________________ s_____________ Tu attends

Il/Elle/On_____________ -______________ Il attend

Nous ______________ons__________ Nous attendons

Vous______________ ez____________ Vous attendez

Ils/Elles____________ ent____________ Elles attendent

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Present Tense - Irregular Verb Patterns

There are loads of Irregular verbs in french (all of which you have to memorise), but here are some main ones you must know

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Present Tense - Aller

Aller (to go)

Je vais

Tu vas

Il/Elle/On va

Nous allons

Vous allez

Ils/Elles vont

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Present Tense - Faire

Faire (to do/make)

Je fais

Tu fais

Il/elle/on fait

Nouse faisons

Vous faites

Ils/elles font

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Comments

Elliot

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Very Useful. thanks

MyraKaden

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great revision cards. could have inclued more iregulars though :)

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