French tenses
Indicatif
Le mode (mood) de ce qui est certain (statements)
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent present |
Passé composé perfect |
Je suis heureuse, il fait beau et j’ai un nouveau VTT. J'adore sa couleur. Je vais aller faire un tour. I’m happy, the weather is fine and I have a new mountain bike. I love its colour. I'm going (to go) for a ride.
|
J'ai fait du vélo hier mais malheureusement je suis tombée et j'ai cassé la pédale. I went for a bike ride yesterday, but unfortunately I fell off and I broke the pedal.
|
Imparfait imperfect |
Plus-que-parfait past perfect |
1.
C'était l'été,
les oiseaux chantaient et
je nageais tous les jours
dans la rivière. 1.
It was summertime, birds
were singing and I swam (used to swim) in
the river every day.
|
J'avais déjà fini la vaisselle quand il est arrivé dans la cuisine pour m'aider. I had already finished the washing up when he came into the kitchen to help me.
|
Futur future |
Futur antérieur future perfect |
Demain
j'irai faire les courses. Tomorrow, I will go shopping.
|
J'aurai
fait les courses quand tu rentreras. I will have done the shopping when you get back.
|
Passé simple past historic |
Passé antérieur |
Il avait posé ses bagages sur la chaise. Il s'allongea sur le lit, relut sa lettre et s'endormit. He had put down his luggage on a chair. He lay down on the bed, read his letter again and went to sleep.
|
Dès
qu'il eut fini d'écrire
son livre, il l'envoya à son éditeur.
As soon as he had finished writing his novel, he sent it to his publisher.
|
Conditionnel
Le mode de la condition, de l'éventualité (possibility), de l'affirmation atténuée(toned down)
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent ou "futur du passé") |
Passé |
J'irais
avec toi au cinéma si j'avais le temps. I would go to the cinema with you if I had the time.
|
J'aurais fait un dessert si j'avais su que tu allais venir. I would have made a dessert if I had known you were coming.
|
Subjonctif
Le mode de la nécessité, de la volonté, du désir, de la crainte et du doute (toujours accompagné d'un autre verbe ou expression: il faut que, je veux que, il est possible que...)
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent |
Passé |
1.
Il est possible que je vienne
demain. 1.
I may come tomorrow (a modal
is often used in English).
|
1.
Elle a insisté pour que le remboursement
de son billet de train soit remboursé. 1.
She insisted on her train ticket being
reimbursed.
|
Impératif
Le mode qui exprime une prière, un ordre, une défense (do not...)
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent |
Passé |
Mange et ne parle pas la bouche pleine. Puis va te coucher. Eat and don't talk with your mouth full. Then go to bed.
|
Aie lu quand je reviens ! You had better have read it by the time I get back!
|
Infinitif
Le mode qui exprime l'action ou l'état du sujet d'une façon assez vague.
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent |
Passé |
1.
C'est bon de se reposer un
peu! 1.
It's good to relax a bit!
|
Il est revenu au pays après avoir voyagé durant 20 ans. He came back to his roots after having travelled for 20 years.
|
Participe
Le mode qui exprime l'idée verbale sous forme d'adjectif (donc, s'accorde avec le nom) ou de verbe (invariable et souvent précédé de "en").
Temps simples (no auxiliary) |
Temps composés (with an auxiliary) |
Présent |
Passé |
1.
C'est une enfant calme et aimante.
1.
She is a quiet and loving
child.
|
1.
Il a chanté à
l'Opéra de Paris. 1.
He has sung at the Opéra
de Paris.
|
Some common difficulties for the anglophone learner.
Simple Present or Present Continuous?
The choice is easier in French (for once!). You use the simple form to express either a habitual action or an action in process. You can use "en train de" if you absolutely want to convey the idea of "in the process of".
Il joue dans le jardin tous les jours
= He plays in the garden every day.
Il joue dans le jardin maintenant
/ Il est en train de jouer dans le jardin. Both are translated
by = He is playing in the garden.
Present, Perfect or Imperfect with "for & since"(depuis / pendant) sentences?
1. The action started in the past & is extended up to the present.
In English, you use the perfect because you consider the starting
point. In French, you consider the present.
Il habite en Angleterre depuis 2 ans.
= He has lived in England for 2 years.
This sentence in an anterior past will become:
Il habitait en Angleterre depuis 2
ans quand il est reparti en France. = He had lived in England
for 2 years when he moved back to France.
2.The action has taken place in the past (i.e finished) at a particular
point in time: you use the perfect in French.
Il a habité en Angleterre pendant
2 ans. = He lived in England for 2 years.
Passé composé ou Imparfait?
Passé composé: action past and often dated; Imparfait:
action past but unfinished /imperfect or past habit. Tip: if you can
use the progressive form in English (e.g.: was singing), or say "used
to" (e.g.: used to sing), you can safely use the imperfect.
Je regardais la télé
quand tu es entré. = I was watching TV when you came
in.
Je sortais tous les soirs quand j'étais
jeune. = I went out a lot when I was young.
Agreement of past participle
With auxiliary "être": agreement of past participle
with the subject. Elle (subject)
est allée
voir sa mère. = She went to see her mother.
With auxiliary "avoir": agreement of past participle with
the direct object (D.O), if placed before the verb.
Il a vu sa mère (D.O)
hier. = He saw his mother yesterday.
Il l' (D.O) a vue
hier. = He saw her yesterday.
Active or passive form?
The passive form in French is only possible if the subject in the
passive form is a direct object in the active form.
Son père était aimé
(because in the active form "père" is D.O: Il aimait
son père (DO)) = His father was liked.
Il parlait à
son père (indirect object, I.O) cannot have a passive
form because "père" is an indirect object. = He spoke
to his father.
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