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Most common French verbs

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This site offers a really great collection of French verbs with translations.  The page can be printed out and the size can be increased.

French "Parts of the Body"

Thursday, July 14, 2011
Parts of the Body

les cheveux
- hair
les oreilles
 - ears
les yeux
- eyes
le nez - nose
la bouche - mouth
le dent - teeth
le dos - back
le bras - arm
la main - Hand
le doigt - Finger
le ventre - Stomach
la jambe - Leg
le genou - Knee
le pied
- Foot

Conjugating regular -ER verbs in French

Thursday, March 03, 2011

There are five types of verbs in French grammar: 1) regular -ER,  2) regular -IR, 3) regular –RE, 4) stem-changing verb, and 5) irregular.   The majority of French verbs are regular -ER verbs.

The verb form that ends in -ER is called the infinitive (in English, we form the infinitive by using the word “to” + the verb).  The verb with the infinitive ending removed is called the stem or the radical. To conjugate -ER verbs, remove the infinitive ending to find the stem and then add the regular ending.


French regular -ER verb conjugations


To conjugate an -ER verb in the present tense, remove the infinitive ending and then add the appropriate endings. Below are three common -ER verbs:
 parler (to speak), donner (to give), and visiter (to visit):

 

Ending

parler > parl-

donner > donn-

visiter > visit-

   

 je

 -e

parle

donne

visite

  

 tu

 -es

parles

donnes

visites

  

 il

 -e

parle

donne

visite

  

 nous

 -ons

parlons

donnons

visitons

  

 vous

 -ez

parlez

donnez

visitez

  

 ils

 -ent

parlent

donnent

visitent

The French verb "avoir"

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

In French, the verb "avoir" (to have) has a special conjugation.

j'ai                 nous avons
tu as              vous avez
il/elle a         ils ont

Basic French Greetings

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Bonjour!   Hello! Good morning!
Bonsoir! Hello! Good evening!
Pardon! Excuse me! Sorry!
Je m’appelle… My name is…..
Comment vous appelez-vous? What is your name? (Formal)
Comment tu t’appelles? What’s your name? (informal)