Understanding the Basics
* Subject Pronouns: French verbs change depending on the subject. You'll need to learn these pronouns:
* Je (I)
* Tu (you, informal)
* Il/Elle/On (he/she/one)
* Nous (we)
* Vous (you, formal/plural)
* Ils/Elles (they)
* Verb Endings: The endings of verbs change to indicate the subject. These endings depend on the verb group.
Verb Groups
There are three main verb groups in French, and verbs within each group follow similar conjugation patterns.
1. Regular Verbs
These are the most common verbs.
* -ER Verbs:
* Example: "parler" (to speak)
* Je parle
* Tu parles
* Il/Elle/On parle
* Nous parlons
* Vous parlez
* Ils/Elles parlent
* -IR Verbs:
* Example: "finir" (to finish)
* Je finis
* Tu finis
* Il/Elle/On finit
* Nous finissons
* Vous finissez
* Ils/Elles finissent
* -RE Verbs:
* Example: "vendre" (to sell)
* Je vends
* Tu vends
* Il/Elle/On vend
* Nous vendons
* Vous vendez
* Ils/Elles vendent
2. Irregular Verbs
These verbs have unique, unpredictable forms. You need to memorize their conjugations.
* Common Irregular Verbs:
* Être (to be): Je suis, tu es, il/elle/on est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont
* Avoir (to have): J'ai, tu as, il/elle/on a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont
* Faire (to do/make): Je fais, tu fais, il/elle/on fait, nous faisons, vous faites, ils/elles font
* Aller (to go): Je vais, tu vas, il/elle/on va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont
* Vouloir (to want): Je veux, tu veux, il/elle/on veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils/elles veulent
* Pouvoir (to be able to): Je peux, tu peux, il/elle/on peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils/elles peuvent
3. Reflexive Verbs
These verbs involve an action done to oneself.
* Example: "se laver" (to wash oneself)
* Je me lave
* Tu te laves
* Il/Elle/On se lave
* Nous nous lavons
* Vous vous lavez
* Ils/Elles se lavent
Key Points
* Practice: The best way to learn is to practice!
* Verb Charts: Utilize French verb conjugation charts to look up verb forms.
* Online Resources: Websites and apps offer interactive verb drills and quizzes.
Let me know if you want to explore a specific verb or verb group in more detail!