French IB SL/HL Tenses

Reflexive verbs

The most common pronominal verbs are reflexive verbs, which indicate that the subject of the verb is performing the action upon himself, herself, or itself. Reflexive verbs mainly have to do with parts of the body,* clothing, personal circumstance, or location. Here are some common reflexive verbs:

je me
tu te
il se
nous nous
vous vous
ils se
+ verb

Reciprocal verbs

nous nous
vous vous
ils se
+ verb

Past Perfect

The French past perfect, or pluperfect, is used to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. The latter can be either mentioned in the same sentence or implied.

Il n'avait pas mangé (avant de faire ses devoirs).
He hadn't eaten (before doing his homework).

1. Imperfect of avoir or etre
2. Past participle of main verb

Futur

Future.
J - ai
tu -as
il -a
nous -ons
vous -ez
ils -ont

acheter >
achèter-

acquérir >
acquerr-

appeler >
appeller-

aller >
ir-

avoir >
aur-

courir >
courr-

devoir >
devr-

envoyer >
enverr-

essayer >
essaier-

essuyer >
essuier-

être >
ser-

faire >
fer-

falloir >
faudr-

jeter >
jetter-

nettoyer >
nettoier-

pleuvoir >
pleuvr-


pouvoir >
pourr-


savoir >
saur-


tenir >
tiendr-


valoir >
vaudr-


venir >
viendr-

voir >
verr-

vouloir >
voudr-

Futur Perfect

to describe an action that will have happened or will be finished by a specific point in the future.

J'aurai mangé à midi.
I will have eaten at noon.

1. future of either avoir or être
2. past participle of the main verb

Futur Proche

A verb construction used to express something that is going to happen soon, an upcoming event which is going to occur in the near future.

Present tense of aller + infinitive of action verb

Passe Recent

A verb construction used to express something that just happened.

Present tense of venir + the preposition de + infinitive of action verb

Imperatif

The imperative, called l'impératif in French, is a verb mood which is used to
give an order
express a desire
make a request
offer advice
recommend something

Fermez la porte.
Close the door.

Ne parle pas !
Don't speak!

parler
(tu) parle
(nous) parlons
(vous) parlez

finir
(tu) finis
(nous) finissons
(vous) finissez

attendre
(tu) attends
(nous) attendons
(vous) attendez

IRREGULARS

avoir
(tu) aie
(nous) ayons
(vous) ayez

être
(tu) sois
(nous) soyons
(vous) soyez

savoir
(tu) sache
(nous) sachons
(vous) sachez

vouloir
(tu) veuille
(nous) n/a
(vous) veuillez

Imparfait

on going state of action in the past

je -ais
tu -ais
il -ait
nous -ions
vous -iez
ils -aient

Passe Simple

Passe compose for formal writing

ER

Je -ai
tu -as
Il -a
nous -ames
vous -ates
ils -erent

IR/RE
je -is
tu -is
il -it
nous -imes
vous -ites
ils -irent

IRREGULARS

s'asseoir s'ass-
mettre m-
conduire conduis-
naître naqu-
dire d-
peindre peign-
écrire écriv-
prendre pr-
faire f-
rire r-
joindre joign-
voir v-

Past Conditional

to express action that would have occurred if in the past circumstances had been different.

1. conditional of the auxiliary verb (either avoir or être)
2. past participle of the main verb

Conditional

The French conditional mood is very similar to the English conditional mood. It describes events that are not guaranteed to occur; often they are dependent on certain conditions. While the French conditional mood has a full set of conjugations, the English equivalent is just the modal verb "would" + main verb.

Si nous étudiions, nous serions plus intelligents.
If we studied, (then) we would be smarter.

je -ais
tu -ais
il -ait
nous -ions
vous -iez
ils -aient

-re removes the e

simmiliar irregulars to futur

Subjunctive

je -e
tu -es
il -e
nous -ions
vous -iez
ils -ent

-re verbs

Je -s
tu -s
il -
nous -ons
vous -ez
ils -ent

-er verbs

je -e
tu -es
il -e
nous -ons
vous -ez
ils -ent

-ir verbs

je -is
tu -is
il -it
nous -issons
vous -issez
ils -issent

DR AND MRS VANDERTRAMP

Devenir
Revenir
&
Monter
Rester
Sortir

Venir
Aller
Naître
Descendre
Entrer
Rentrer
Tomber
Retourner
Arriver
Mourir
Partir