Overview of Common French Verb Tenses

Introduction

• French verb tenses may seem daunting but are manageable with practice.
• Overview of most common verb tenses, their usage, and conjugation patterns.
• Example given: “Je mange une pomme” (I am eating an apple) in different tenses.

Le Présent

• Used for actions happening right now.
• Example: “Je mange une pomme” (I am eating an apple).
• Conjugation patterns:
  • -er verbs
  • -ir verbs
  • -re verbs
• Many irregular verbs.

Le Passé Composé

• Used for completed actions in the past.
• Example: “J’ai mangé une pomme” (I ate an apple).
• Formed with the subject + auxiliary (avoir/être) + past participle.
  • Use avoir unless the verb is reflexive or falls within the Doctor and Mrs. Vandertramp list.
• Conjugation patterns:
  • -er verbs: add “é”
  • -ir verbs: add “i”
  • -re verbs: add “u”
• Many irregular past participles.

L’Imparfait

• Used for ongoing or habitual past actions.
• Example: “Je mangeais une pomme” (I was eating an apple).
• Formed from the “nous” form in present tense, remove “ons,” and add l’imparfait endings.
• Irregular verb: être.

Le Passé Récent

• Used for actions that just happened.
• Example: “Je viens de manger une pomme” (I just ate an apple).
• Formed with “venir” in present tense + “de” + infinitive verb.

Le Plus-que-parfait

• Used for a past action that occurred before another past action.
• Example: “J'avais déjà mangé une pomme” (I had already eaten an apple).
• Formed with auxiliary (avoir/être) in l’imparfait + past participle.

Le Futur Proche

• Used for actions that are going to happen soon.
• Example: “Je vais manger une pomme” (I am going to eat an apple).
• Formed with “aller” in present tense + infinitive verb.

Le Futur Simple

• Used for actions that will happen in the future.
• Example: “Je mangerai une pomme” (I will eat an apple).
• Formed with the infinitive verb + future endings.
• Many irregular verbs with different stems.

Le Futur Antérieur

• Used for future action happening before another future action.
• Example: “Une fois que j’aurai mangé une pomme” (Once I have eaten an apple).
• Formed with auxiliary (avoir/être) in future simple + past participle.

Le Subjonctif

• Used for expressing wish, doubt, uncertainty, emotion, judgment, necessity, possibility, opinion.
• Triggers include phrases like “il faut que” and “bien que.”
• Example: “Il faut que je mange une pomme” (I must eat an apple).
• Formed from the “ils” form in present tense, remove “ent,” add subjunctive endings.
• Common irregular verbs with different stems.

L’Impératif

• Used for giving orders, suggestions, advice.
• Example: “Mange ta pomme” (Eat your apple).
• No subject is included, implied by the verb ending.
• Three forms of imperative conjugation.
• Many irregular verbs.

Le Conditionnel Présent

• Used for actions that would happen if a condition is met, and for politeness.
• Example: “Je mangerais une pomme si j’en avais” (I would eat an apple if I had some).
• Formed with the infinitive verb + conditional endings (same as l’imparfait).
• Many irregular verbs with different stems.

Le Conditionnel Passé

• Used for actions that would have happened if a condition was met.
• Example: “J'aurais mangé une pomme si j’en avais” (I would have eaten an apple if I had some).
• Formed with the conditional present of auxiliary (avoir/être) + past participle.

Le Gérondif

• Used for actions being done simultaneously with another action.
• Example: “Il parlait en mangeant une pomme” (He was talking while eating an apple).
• Formed with “en” + verb stem + “ant.”

Less Common Tenses

• Le Passé Simple: Not used in everyday speech, common in literature.
• Other old tenses: Essentially dead in modern French.

Conclusion

• Tips for learning: Practice writing, use resources like WriteStreak or LangCorrect for feedback.
• Follow on social media for daily vocab, memes, expressions, etc.