Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts
Grammar review · Present perfect edit
Auxiliary verb formation edit
The auxiliary verb is always either avoir or être . When the auxiliary verb is conjugated in the passé composé the auxiliary verb is conjugated in the present indicative:
- J'ai fini.I have finished.
Past participle formation edit
- -er verbs: replace -er with é
- -ir verbs: replace -ir with i
- -re verbs: replace -re with u
Past participle agreement edit
The past participle must agree with the direct object of a clause in gender and plurality if the direct object goes before the verb.
If the direct object is masculine and singular, there is no change:
- J'ai fini le jeu.I have finished the game.
- Je l'ai fini.I have finished it.
If the direct object is feminine and singular, add an e to the past participle:
- J'ai fini la tâche.I have finished the task.
- Je l'ai finie.I have finished it.
If the direct object is masculine and plural, add an s to the past participle:
- J'ai fini les jeux.I have finished the games.
- Je les ai finis.I have finished them.
If the direct object is feminine and plural, add an es to the past participle:
- J'ai fini les tâches.I have finished the tasks.
- Je les ai finies.I have finished them.
Avoir or être ? edit
In most circumstances, the auxiliary verb is avoir . However, under certain situations, the auxiliary verb is être . This occurs when the verb is reflexive or is one of sixteen special verbs that take être (note that when a direct object is used with these verbs, avoir is used).
Grammar review · Infinitives edit
The formation of a conjugated verb + infinitive is the same in French as it is in English: conjugate the first verb, then append the infinitive.
- Aimer
- J'aime jouer au tennis.I like to play tennis.
- J'aime lire le journal au lit.I like to read the newspaper in bed.
- Vouloir
- Je veux aller au centre commercial.I want to go to the mall.
However, when one uses vouloir to request something of someone else, one must use the subjunctive:
- Je veux que tu fasses la vaisselle.I want you to do the dishes.
- Faire causitif
- Je le fais réparer.I have it fixed.
- Futur proche
- Je vais aller.I'm going to go.
Pronouns edit
Pronouns come before the verb they modify:
- Je vais le voir.I'm going to see it.
Negation edit
Either the conjugated verb or the infinitive can be negated, each with different meanings:
- Je n'aime pas marcher.I don't like to walk.
- J'aime ne pas marcher.I like to not walk.
Dialogue edit
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Culture · Work life in France edit
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Vocabulary · At work edit
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| travailler | to work | ||||
| travailler pour | to work for (somebody) | ||||
| l'employé (m) l'employée (f) |
 Fr-employé.ogg (help·info) |
employee | |||
Vocabulary · The office edit
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Supplementary vocabulary · Professions edit
| l'agriculteur (m) l'agricultrice (f) |
[a.ɡʁi.kyl.tœʁ] (help·info) /a.ɡʁi.kyl.tʁis/ (help·info) |
farmer | |||
| l'architecte (m or f) | /aʁʃitɛkt/ (help·info) |
architect | Il a fallu toute une équipe d'architectes pour concevoir ce nouvel avion. | It took a whole team of architects to design the new aircraft. | |
| l'avocat (m) | /a.vɔ.ka/ (help·info) |
lawyer | Votre avocat a fort bien plaidé. | Your lawyer argued well. | |
| le/la comptable | /kɔ̃.tabl/ (help·info) |
accountant | |||
| le cuisinier le chef la cuisinière la cheffe |
[[:Media:Fr-cuisinier.ogg|]] (help·info) /ʃɛf/ (help·info) [[:Media:Fr-cuisinière.ogg|]] (help·info) /ʃɛf/ (help·info) |
cook | Cet homme est un très bon cuisinier. Cette femme est une très bonne cuisinière. |
This man is a very good cook. This woman is a very good cook. | |
| le/la dentiste | /dɑ̃tist/ (help·info) |
dentist | |||
| l'écrivain (m) l'écrivaine (f) |
/e.kʁi.vɛ̃/ (help·info) /e.kʁi.vɛn/ (help·info) |
writer | |||
| le/la fonctionnaire | /fɔ̃k.sjɔ.nɛʁ/ (help·info) |
civil servant | |||
| le garçon le serveur la serveuse |
/ɡaʁsɔ̃/ (help·info) /sɛʁ.vœʁ/ (help·info) /sɛʁ.vøz/ (help·info) |
waiter waitress |
Garçon, l'addition s'il vous plait. | Waiter, the bill please. | |
| le gardien | /ɡaʁ.djɛ̃/ (help·info) |
guard | |||
| l'homme d'affaires (m) le businessman la businesswoman |
/ɔm d‿a.fɛʁ/ (help·info) /biz.nɛz.man/ (help·info) |
businessperson | |||
| l'informaticien (m) l'informaticienne (f) |
/ɛ̃.fɔʁ.ma.ti.sjɛ̃/ (help·info) /ɛ̃.fɔʁ.ma.ti.sjɛn/ (help·info) |
computer specialist, IT worker | |||
| l'ingénieur (m) l'ingénieure (f) |
/ɛ̃.ʒe.njœʁ/ (help·info) |
engineer | |||
| l'interprète (m or f) | /ɛ̃.tɛʁ.pʁɛt/ (help·info) |
interpreter | Ils se parlent par interprète. Vous nous servirez d’interprète. |
They speak through an interpreter. You serve us as an interpreter. | |
| le/la journaliste | /ʒuʁ.na.list/ (help·info) |
journalist | |||
| le/la juge | /ʒyʒ/ (help·info) |
judge | Le juge a rendu la sentence ce matin. | The judge issued the sentence this morning. | |
| le marchand la marchande |
/maʁ.ʃɑ̃/ (help·info) /maʁ.ʃɑ̃d/ (help·info) |
merchant | |||
| le médecin | /me.də.sɛ̃/ (help·info) |
doctor | Ma mère est médecin scolaire. | My mother is a school doctor. | |
| le musicien la musicienne |
/my.zi.sjɛ̃/ (help·info) /my.zi.sjɛn/ (help·info) |
musician | Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz sont de grands musiciens, des musiciens célèbres. | Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, and Berlioz are famous musicians. | |
| le/la peintre | /pɛ̃tʁ/ (help·info) |
painter | |||
| le pharmacien la pharmacienne |
/faʁ.ma.sjɛ̃/ (help·info) /faʁ.ma.sjɛn/ (help·info) |
pharmacist, chemist | |||
| le plombier | /plɔ̃.bje/ (help·info) |
plumber | Il faut faire venir le plombier pour réparer cette conduite d’eau. | We must have the plumber come to repair the water line. | |
| le policier la policière |
/pɔ.li.sje/ (help·info) |
police officer | |||
| le politicien la politicienne |
/pɔ.li.ti.sjɛ̃/ (help·info) /pɔ.li.ti.sjɛn/ (help·info) |
politician | |||
| le pompier | /pɔ̃.pje/ (help·info) |
firefighter | Les pompiers se sont rendus maîtres du feu. | The firefighters have gained control of fire. | |
| le postier | /pɔstje/ (help·info) |
postal worker | |||
| le professeur | /pʁɔ.fɛ.sœʁ/ (help·info) |
teacher, professor | |||
| le/la psychiatre | /psi.kjatʁ/ (help·info) |
psychiatrist | |||
| le soldat la soldate |
/sɔl.da/ (help·info) /sɔl.dat/ (help·info) |
soldier | L’officier doit veiller aux besoins du soldat. Ce capitaine est un père pour ses soldats. | The officer must ensure the needs of the soldier. The captain is a father to his soldiers. | |
| le traducteur la traductrice |
/tʁa.dyk.tœʁ/ (help·info) /tʁa.dyk.tʁis/ (help·info) |
translator | |||
| le vendeur la vendeuse |
/vɑ̃dœʁ/ (help·info) /vɑ̃.døz/ (help·info) |
salesperson | |||
Supplementary vocabulary · Office supplies edit
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Text · Unemployment · Le chômage edit
| Avant j'avais un travail : je travaillais dans une banque. Mais la banque a fermé et je me suis retrouvé au chômage. Je n'ai plus de travail et j'en cherche tous les jours. Je lis les petites annonces et j'envoie des lettres de candidature. Je n'ai pas souvent de réponses. Mais aujourd'hui, j'ai obtenu un entretien d'embauche. Avec un peu de chance, j'obtiendrai le travail… |
Exercises edit
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French : Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts