French Grammar: Irregular Past Participles

… Identify: French Grammar: Irregular Past Participles la grammaire française: le participe passé des verbes irréguliers Connect: LEAF French Grammar: The Past Participle Study: The past participle is the general equivalent of using [-ED] in English. It can be used in a variety of functions, including compound tenses and as adjectives with the verb ‘ÊTRE’. Click here to learn about the […]

French Grammar: The Past Infinitive

… Identify: French Grammar: The Past Infinitive la grammaire française: l’infinitif passé The infinitive form of a verb conveys the basic meaning of that verb. The infinitive AVOIR or ÊTRE + Past Participle of Main Verb = the PAST INFINITIVE form. Study: The infinitive form of a French verb is the form that ends with [-ER], [-IR], […]

French Grammar: The Perfect Participle

… Identify: French Grammar: The Perfect Participle la grammaire française: le passé composé du participe présent (le gérondif passé) Study: The perfect participle is used in place of the present participle to discuss an action that occurred prior to the action of the principal verb. The perfect participle for all French verbs is formed with the present participle […]

French Grammar: The Past Subjunctive

… Identify: French Grammar: The Past Subjunctive 
la grammaire française: le passé du subjonctif The Past Subjunctive is used to discuss actions that have already happened, just like the Passé Composé is. Study: The Past Subjunctive is used to discuss actions that have already happened, just like the Passé Composé is. Specifically, the Past Subjunctive […]

French Grammar: The Passé Simple (Historic Past Tense) – Irregular Verbs

… Identify: French Grammar: The Passé Simple (Historic Past Tense) – Irregular Verbs la grammaire française : le passé simple – les verbes irréguliers When speaking about the past in English, you choose which past tense to use depending on the context and the meaning you wish to convey. In French sentences, you choose which past tense to use depending […]

French Grammar: The Passé Simple (Historic Past Tense) – Regular Verbs

… Identify: French Grammar: The Passé Simple (Historic Past Tense) – Regular Verbs la grammaire française : le passé simple – les verbes réguliers When speaking about the past in English, you choose which past tense to use depending on the context and the meaning you wish to convey. In French sentences, you choose which past tense to use depending […]

French Grammar: The Past Anterior

… Identify: French Grammar: The Past Anterior la grammaire française: le passé antérieur Study: The Past Anterior (le passé antérieur) is a Perfect tense.  Perfect tenses are also known as compound tenses. They use a conjugated auxiliary verb (either AVOIR or ÊTRE) combined with the past participle of the main verb. The Past Anterior is a rather formal tense and is […]

French Grammar: The Past Conditional

… Identify: French Grammar: The Past Conditional la grammaire française: le conditionnel passé Study: The Past Conditional (le conditionnel passé) is also known as the Conditional Perfect. It is a Perfect tense.  Perfect tenses are also known as compound tenses. They use a conjugated auxiliary verb (either AVOIR or ÊTRE) combined with the past participle of the main verb. The Past Conditional is […]

French Grammar : Passé Composé vs. Imperfect Tense

… Identify: French Grammar: Passé Composé vs. Imperfect Tense la grammaire française: le passé composé versus l’imparfait Hier, nous dînions quand Jean a téléphoné. Yesterday we were having dinner when Jean phoned. Je me suis levé, je me suis habillé, et j’ai pris le petit déjeuner. I got up, got dressed and ate breakfast. Ils […]

French Grammar: Passé Composé with Reflexive Verbs

… Identify: French Grammar: Passé Composé with Reflexive Verbs la grammaire française: les verbes réfléchis au Passé Composé Reflexive verbs are used when the subject and object of a verb (action) are the same. The action “reflects back” onto the subject! Study: Reflexive verbs are used when the subject and object of a verb (action) […]