What is a verb?
In French, les verbes (verbs) are action words that describe activities, states, processes, concepts, and thoughts performed by the subject of a sentence (a noun or pronoun). For example, action verbs include courir (to run), danser (to dance), sauter (to jump), chanter (to sing), écrire (to write), and lire (to read). Stative verbs express states or conditions, such as être (to be), devenir (to become), paraître (to appear), and rester (to stay).
Examples:
- Nous mangeons tous les soirs à 20h heures pile. (We eat every evening at 8 PM sharp.) [Action]
- Le chien a sauté par-dessus la haie. (The dog jumped over the hedge.) [Action]
- Cette maison est vraiment très belle. (This house is really very beautiful.) [State]
Categories of French Verbs
French verbs are categorized by their grammatical function, mood, and tense.
Action Verbs (Les verbes d’action)
These verbs describe acts or activities performed by the subject. They can express ongoing actions or single events and may be followed by direct or indirect objects.
Examples of common action verbs:
- faire (to do)
- bouger (to move)
- marcher (to walk)
- nager (to swim)
- manger (to eat)
- écouter (to listen)
- regarder (to watch)
Examples:
- Cyril court plus vite que Thierry. (Cyril runs faster than Thierry.)
- Pauline fait la sieste dans le jardin. (Pauline takes a nap in the garden.)
Stative Verbs (Les verbes d’état)
These verbs indicate a state or condition of the subject, expressing characteristics or changes without action or duration.
Examples of stative verbs:
- être (to be)
- paraître (to appear)
- sembler (to seem)
- devenir (to become)
- rester (to remain)
Examples:
- Ces touristes semblent perdus. (These tourists seem lost.)
- Je suis mécanicien. (I am a mechanic.)
- Nous sommes restés à la maison toute la journée. (We stayed at home all day.)
The Infinitive (L’infinitif)
The infinitive is the basic form of the verb, not expressing tense, person, or number. French infinitives end in -er (parler), -ir (finir), -re (prendre), or -oir (voir).
Examples:
- Mon chat aime sauter sur les armoires. (My cat likes to jump on the cabinets.)
- Nous révisons tous les jours pour réussir l’examen. (We review every day to pass the exam.)
The Three Verb Groups in French
- Group 1 Verbs: End in -er (e.g., manger, aimer, commencer).
- Group 2 Verbs: End in -ir with present participle -issant (e.g., finir (finissant), réussir (réussissant)).
- Group 3 Verbs: Irregular verbs that don’t belong to Group 1 or 2, with various endings like -oir, -re, and some -ir with present participle -ant (e.g., pouvoir, savoir, voir, vouloir).
Verb Conjugation in French
Le radical is the verb stem. To conjugate, different endings are added to the stem.
Examples:
- manger: mang- + endings (e.g., je mange)
- réfléchir: réfléch- + endings (e.g., il réfléchit)
- dire: di- + endings (e.g., nous disons)
Moods in French Grammar
- Indicative (L’indicatif): Standard mood expressing reality.
- Subjunctive (Le subjonctif): Expresses possibility, doubt, or subjectivity.
- Conditional (Le conditionnel): Discusses possible outcomes or conditions.
- Imperative (L’impératif): Gives orders or advice.
Examples:
- Indicative: Catherine et François ont réservé une table au restaurant. (Catherine and François reserved a table at the restaurant.)
- Subjunctive: Je doute que nous retrouvions notre chemin facilement. (I doubt that we will easily find our way.)
- Conditional: Pierre se lèverait plus tôt s’il ne se couchait pas aussi tard. (Pierre would get up earlier if he didn’t go to bed so late.)
- Imperative: Respirez calmement et détendez-vous. (Breathe calmly and relax.)
Impersonal Moods:
- Infinitive: J’ai besoin d’aide pour résoudre cette équation. (I need help to solve this equation.)
- Present Participle: Caroline est partie en courant. (Caroline left running.)
- Past Participle: Épuisés par une longue journée de marche, nous nous sommes endormis juste après dîner. (Exhausted from a long day of walking, we fell asleep right after dinner.)
Main Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs: avoir and être help form compound tenses like passé composé.
Examples:
- Les invités sont arrivés en avance. (The guests arrived early.)
- Est-ce que tu as bien dormi cette nuit? (Did you sleep well last night?)
Main verbs: Convey the action or state, appearing alone in simple tenses or with auxiliaries in compound tenses.
Examples:
- Je lis un livre passionnant. (I am reading a fascinating book.)
- J’ai lu un livre passionnant la semaine dernière. (I read a fascinating book last week.)
Explore more about French verb conjugation and moods with our detailed resources and practice exercises to enhance your understanding and mastery of French grammar.