In French, verbs are conjugated into different forms to match the subject, tense, and mood of the sentence. There are five stems or modes of French conjugation: indicatif, formes composées (compound tenses), subjonctif, conditionnel, and impératif. Each has its own purpose and usage in the language:

1. Indicatif (Indicative):

- Purpose: The indicative mood is used to make statements of fact, express certainty, describe actions, and provide information about events that are considered real and concrete.

- Examples:

- Je parle français. (I speak French.)

- Il mange une pomme. (He is eating an apple.)

2. Formes Composées (Compound Tenses):

- Purpose: Compound tenses are used to express actions that are completed or ongoing at a specific point in the past, present, or future. They are formed by combining an auxiliary verb (être or avoir) with the past participle of the main verb.

- Examples:

- J'ai mangé. (I have eaten.)

- Il était en train de dormir. (He was sleeping.)

- Ils auront fini demain. (They will have finished tomorrow.)

3. Subjonctif (Subjunctive):

- Purpose: The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, desires, wishes, emotions, or hypothetical situations. It is often found in dependent clauses introduced by certain conjunctions or expressions.

- Examples:

- Je veux que tu viennes. (I want you to come.)

- Il faut que nous soyons prêts. (We need to be ready.)

- J'aimerais qu'il fasse beau. (I would like it to be sunny.)

4. Conditionnel (Conditional):

- Purpose: The conditional mood is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, polite requests, or actions that are dependent on a certain condition.

- Examples:

- Je mangerais une pomme. (I would eat an apple.)

- Il viendrait s'il avait le temps. (He would come if he had time.)

- Pourriez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît ? (Could you help me, please?)

5. Impératif (Imperative):

- Purpose: The imperative mood is used to give commands, instructions, suggestions, or make requests. It is used in the second person (tu, vous) and sometimes the first person plural (nous).

- Examples:

- Parle-moi de ton voyage. (Tell me about your trip.)

- Ferme la porte, s'il te plaît. (Close the door, please.)

- Faisons nos devoirs. (Let's do our homework.)

Nuances and Additional Information:

- Verb conjugation in French depends on the tense, mood, voice, and subject pronoun.

- Irregular verbs do not follow the standard conjugation patterns, and they must be memorized individually.

- Some verbs require être as their auxiliary verb in compound tenses, especially when indicating motion or a change of state. These verbs are often remembered using the acronym "DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP."

1. Devenir - to become

2. Revenir - to come back

3. Mourir - to die

4. Rester - to stay

5. Sortir - to go out

6. Venir - to come

7. Arriver - to arrive

8. Naître - to be born

9. Descendre - to descend/go down

10. Entrer - to enter

11. Retourner - to return

12. Tomber - to fall

13. Rentrer - to re-enter

14. Aller - to go

15. Monter - to go up

16. Passer - to pass/go by

When you use these verbs in compound tenses like the passé composé, you conjugate them with "être" and then add the past participle of the verb. For example:

• Je suis allé(e) à Paris. (I went to Paris.)

• Elle est née en juin. (She was born in June.)

• Ils sont descendus du train. (They got off the train.)

- The choice of mood (indicative, subjunctive, conditional) depends on the context and the verb's relationship to the main clause.

Understanding these five stems of French conjugation is crucial for mastering the language, as it enables you to express a wide range of meanings and communicate effectively in various situations.