Present Tense in French

The present tense in French is used to describe current actions or states. To form the present tense, remove the infinitive ending (-er, -ir, -re) and add specific endings based on the subject pronoun and verb type.

Example: Je mange = I eat

The guide provides a comprehensive table of present tense endings for -er, -ir, and -re verbs, including all subject pronouns.

Highlight: Understanding how to form the present tense in French is essential for building a strong foundation in French grammar.

Past Tense with Être

Some verbs in French form their past tense using être instead of avoir. This construction is used primarily with verbs of movement and state changes. The past participle in this form must agree in gender and number with the subject.

Example: Je suis allé(e) = I went

The guide provides a table of être conjugations and explains the agreement rules for past participles.

Highlight: Mastering this tense is essential for understanding French perfect tense irregular verbs and their usage.

Verbs that Take Être in the Past Tense

This page lists the common verbs that use être in the past tense, including their past participles. These verbs are primarily related to movement or are opposites of each other.

Example: Devenir (to become) - devenu(e)(s), Entrer (to enter) - entré(e)(s)

Highlight: Memorizing these verbs is crucial for correctly forming the perfect tense in French examples.

Conditional Tense in French

The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical situations or polite requests. It is formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive of the verb.

Example: Je mangerais = I would eat

The guide includes a table of conditional endings, which are the same as the imperfect tense endings.

Highlight: Understanding the conditional tense is important for expressing possibilities and hypothetical situations in French GCSE tenses AQA examinations.