2-2 1 Present Tense in French Immersion

Key Concepts

1. Regular -er Verbs

Regular -er verbs are the most common type of verbs in French. They follow a consistent pattern when conjugated in the present tense. The stem of the verb is formed by removing the -er ending. Each subject pronoun has a specific ending that is added to the stem.

Example: The verb "parler" (to speak) is conjugated as follows:

Je parle (I speak)
Tu parles (You speak)
Il/Elle/On parle (He/She/One speaks)
Nous parlons (We speak)
Vous parlez (You speak - formal/plural)
Ils/Elles parlent (They speak)

2. Regular -ir Verbs

Regular -ir verbs follow a similar pattern but have different endings. The stem is formed by removing the -ir ending. Each subject pronoun has a specific ending that is added to the stem.

Example: The verb "finir" (to finish) is conjugated as follows:

Je finis (I finish)
Tu finis (You finish)
Il/Elle/On finit (He/She/One finishes)
Nous finissons (We finish)
Vous finissez (You finish - formal/plural)
Ils/Elles finissent (They finish)

3. Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the regular patterns of -er or -ir verbs. They have unique conjugations that must be memorized. Some of the most common irregular verbs include "être" (to be) and "avoir" (to have).

Example: The verb "être" (to be) is conjugated as follows:

Je suis (I am)
Tu es (You are)
Il/Elle/On est (He/She/One is)
Nous sommes (We are)
Vous êtes (You are - formal/plural)
Ils/Elles sont (They are)

4. Subject-Verb Agreement

In French, the verb must agree with its subject in number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine or feminine). This means that the verb form changes depending on who is performing the action.

Example: The verb "parler" (to speak) agrees with its subject as follows:

Je parle (I speak)
Nous parlons (We speak)
Ils parlent (They speak - masculine)
Elles parlent (They speak - feminine)

Conclusion

Understanding the 2-2 1 Present Tense in French involves mastering regular -er and -ir verbs, memorizing irregular verbs, and ensuring subject-verb agreement. By practicing these concepts, students can develop a strong foundation in French grammar and improve their fluency in the language.