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0
M
Maya Tailor
02/12/2025
French
GCSE French Crib Sheet
83
•
2 Dec 2025
•
Ultimate GCSE French Tense and Structure Guide
M
Maya Tailor
@maya.tailor
1 / 10
Contents and Tense Timeline
This grammar guide is your one-stop shop for French tenses and structures. You've got everything from basic present tense to more complex bits like conditionals and subjunctives.
The tense timeline shows you how French organises time - it's actually quite logical once you see it laid out. Think of it like a number line, with the present in the middle, past tenses on the left, and future tenses on the right.
Quick Tip: Don't try to learn everything at once - focus on present, perfect, and future tenses first, then build up to the trickier ones!
Present Tense
The present tense is your bread and butter - use it for anything happening right now or things you do regularly. French verbs follow patterns, which makes life much easier!
For regular verbs, just chop off the ending and add the right new ending. "-er" verbs (like regarder) are dead simple - "je regarde", "tu regardes", and so on. "-ir" and "-re" verbs follow their own patterns but they're still pretty straightforward.
The irregular verbs are the annoying ones that don't follow rules. You'll need to memorise être (to be), avoir (to have), faire (to do), aller (to go), vouloir (to want), and devoir (must). These pop up constantly, so get them nailed down first.
Memory Trick: Practice irregular verbs with phrases you'd actually say - "je vais au cinéma" or "nous sommes fatigués" stick better than random conjugations!
Present Perfect (Past) - Part 1
The present perfect is how you talk about stuff that happened in the past. Most verbs use avoir + past participle - think of it like "I have done something".
Making past participles is fairly simple: "-er" verbs swap to "-é", "-ir" verbs drop the "r", and "-re" verbs become "-u". So "jouer" becomes "joué", "partir" becomes "parti", and "vendre" becomes "vendu".
Watch out for irregular past participles though - "faire" becomes "fait", "voir" becomes "vu", and loads more that just don't follow the rules. These are super common, so you'll need to learn them properly.
Exam Tip: "Qu'est-ce que tu as fait?" (What have you done?) is a classic question - have a few good answers ready using different past participles!
Present Perfect (Past) - Part 2
Some verbs use être instead of avoir - remember MRS VANDERTRAMP! These are mostly movement verbs like aller (to go), venir (to come), sortir (to go out), and a few others.
When you use être, the past participle has to agree with the subject. Add "e" if you're female, "s" if you're talking about multiple males, and "es" for multiple females. So "je suis allé" if you're a boy, but "je suis allée" if you're a girl.
Reflexive verbs (the ones with "se") always use être too. "Je me suis réveillé(e)" means "I woke up" - don't forget that agreement!
Remember: Most verbs use avoir, but the MRS VANDERTRAMP verbs and reflexives use être - and when you use être, the ending has to match who's doing the action!
Future Tenses
You've got two ways to talk about the future in French. The near future uses "aller + infinitive" - dead easy! "Je vais danser" means "I'm going to dance". Use this for things happening soon.
The compound future is for more distant plans or formal situations. Take the infinitive, add the endings: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. "Je jouerai au tennis" means "I will play tennis".
Irregular verbs mess things up again with weird stems. "Aller" becomes "ir-", "être" becomes "ser-", "avoir" becomes "aur-". So "I will be" is "je serai", not "je êtrerai"!
Usage Tip: Near future sounds more natural in conversation, but compound future is great for showing off your grammar skills in writing tasks!
Imperfect, Conditional, and More Complex Tenses
The imperfect tense describes what things were like in the past or what used to happen. Take the "nous" form of present tense, drop "-ons", add imperfect endings .
The conditional is for "would" situations - what might happen. Use the future stem + imperfect endings. "Je voudrais" means "I would like" - super useful for being polite!
Pluperfect means "had done something". Recent past uses "venir de + infinitive" for "just did something". These add sophistication to your French!
Level Up: Using different tenses in the same piece of writing shows examiners you really know your stuff - mix them up naturally!
Subjunctive and Advanced Structures
The subjunctive is the trickiest bit - it expresses doubt, desire, or necessity. It always follows certain phrases ending in "que", like "il faut que" (it's necessary that) or "bien que" (although).
Regular subjunctive endings look similar to present tense but with some tweaks. Irregular verbs do their own thing again - "être" becomes "sois", "avoir" becomes "aie", and so on.
You'll spot the subjunctive after specific trigger phrases - learn these and you'll know when to use it. Don't panic though - you can often avoid it by rewording sentences!
Exam Strategy: If you're not confident with subjunctive, stick to structures you know well - it's better to be accurate with simpler grammar than attempt the subjunctive and get it wrong!
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Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Ultimate GCSE French Tense and Structure Guide
M
Maya Tailor
@maya.tailor
Right, time to tackle French grammar - the bit that makes everyone's brain hurt a little! This crib sheet covers all the essential grammar concepts you'll need for GCSE French, from basic tenses to tricky structures like the subjunctive.
Contents and Tense Timeline
This grammar guide is your one-stop shop for French tenses and structures. You've got everything from basic present tense to more complex bits like conditionals and subjunctives.
The tense timeline shows you how French organises time - it's actually quite logical once you see it laid out. Think of it like a number line, with the present in the middle, past tenses on the left, and future tenses on the right.
Quick Tip: Don't try to learn everything at once - focus on present, perfect, and future tenses first, then build up to the trickier ones!
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Present Tense
The present tense is your bread and butter - use it for anything happening right now or things you do regularly. French verbs follow patterns, which makes life much easier!
For regular verbs, just chop off the ending and add the right new ending. "-er" verbs (like regarder) are dead simple - "je regarde", "tu regardes", and so on. "-ir" and "-re" verbs follow their own patterns but they're still pretty straightforward.
The irregular verbs are the annoying ones that don't follow rules. You'll need to memorise être (to be), avoir (to have), faire (to do), aller (to go), vouloir (to want), and devoir (must). These pop up constantly, so get them nailed down first.
Memory Trick: Practice irregular verbs with phrases you'd actually say - "je vais au cinéma" or "nous sommes fatigués" stick better than random conjugations!
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
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Present Perfect (Past) - Part 1
The present perfect is how you talk about stuff that happened in the past. Most verbs use avoir + past participle - think of it like "I have done something".
Making past participles is fairly simple: "-er" verbs swap to "-é", "-ir" verbs drop the "r", and "-re" verbs become "-u". So "jouer" becomes "joué", "partir" becomes "parti", and "vendre" becomes "vendu".
Watch out for irregular past participles though - "faire" becomes "fait", "voir" becomes "vu", and loads more that just don't follow the rules. These are super common, so you'll need to learn them properly.
Exam Tip: "Qu'est-ce que tu as fait?" (What have you done?) is a classic question - have a few good answers ready using different past participles!
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Present Perfect (Past) - Part 2
Some verbs use être instead of avoir - remember MRS VANDERTRAMP! These are mostly movement verbs like aller (to go), venir (to come), sortir (to go out), and a few others.
When you use être, the past participle has to agree with the subject. Add "e" if you're female, "s" if you're talking about multiple males, and "es" for multiple females. So "je suis allé" if you're a boy, but "je suis allée" if you're a girl.
Reflexive verbs (the ones with "se") always use être too. "Je me suis réveillé(e)" means "I woke up" - don't forget that agreement!
Remember: Most verbs use avoir, but the MRS VANDERTRAMP verbs and reflexives use être - and when you use être, the ending has to match who's doing the action!
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Future Tenses
You've got two ways to talk about the future in French. The near future uses "aller + infinitive" - dead easy! "Je vais danser" means "I'm going to dance". Use this for things happening soon.
The compound future is for more distant plans or formal situations. Take the infinitive, add the endings: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. "Je jouerai au tennis" means "I will play tennis".
Irregular verbs mess things up again with weird stems. "Aller" becomes "ir-", "être" becomes "ser-", "avoir" becomes "aur-". So "I will be" is "je serai", not "je êtrerai"!
Usage Tip: Near future sounds more natural in conversation, but compound future is great for showing off your grammar skills in writing tasks!
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Imperfect, Conditional, and More Complex Tenses
The imperfect tense describes what things were like in the past or what used to happen. Take the "nous" form of present tense, drop "-ons", add imperfect endings .
The conditional is for "would" situations - what might happen. Use the future stem + imperfect endings. "Je voudrais" means "I would like" - super useful for being polite!
Pluperfect means "had done something". Recent past uses "venir de + infinitive" for "just did something". These add sophistication to your French!
Level Up: Using different tenses in the same piece of writing shows examiners you really know your stuff - mix them up naturally!
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Subjunctive and Advanced Structures
The subjunctive is the trickiest bit - it expresses doubt, desire, or necessity. It always follows certain phrases ending in "que", like "il faut que" (it's necessary that) or "bien que" (although).
Regular subjunctive endings look similar to present tense but with some tweaks. Irregular verbs do their own thing again - "être" becomes "sois", "avoir" becomes "aie", and so on.
You'll spot the subjunctive after specific trigger phrases - learn these and you'll know when to use it. Don't panic though - you can often avoid it by rewording sentences!
Exam Strategy: If you're not confident with subjunctive, stick to structures you know well - it's better to be accurate with simpler grammar than attempt the subjunctive and get it wrong!
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Join milions of students
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Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user