Les verbs être, avoir and aller
Verbs are one of the essential parts of speech in language. They are words that express action, occurrence, or a state of being. Verbs play a crucial role in constructing sentences and conveying meaning. They are often referred to as action words because these verbs describe physical or mental actions.
- He runs every morning.
- She thinks deeply about the problem.
Verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement in the sentence, which can be an adjective, noun, or pronoun. For example:
- She runs on the track. (The verb “runs” connects the subject “she” to the subject complement “the track.”)
French verbs are unique compared to English verbs. French verbs are highly conjugated, meaning they change their form to indicate tense, mood, aspect, person, and number. In English, most verbs have relatively simple conjugations. Once we have learnt a few important verbs we will come back to this topic and to see how French verbs are different from English verbs.
Before we get into the verb conjugations let us see what are the subject pronouns in French.
Now that we understand the subject pronouns, let’s see the conjugations of some important first verbs. There are 3 types of verbs in French and they are grouped by their endings. All French verbs end with er, ir or re. Even though ‘er’ verbs are the easiest you will first need to know these three verbs that include one from each group.
The verbs “être,” “avoir,” and “aller” are three of the most fundamental verbs in the French language. They are irregular verbs, meaning that their conjugation patterns do not follow the regular patterns of conjugation that most French verbs adhere to. Here’s an explanation of each of these verbs and their conjugation in the present tense:
Être – to be
- Example sentences:
- Je suis heureux(se)-(I am happy).
- Elle est étudiante – (She is a student).
- Nous sommes en retard – (We are late).
Going back to our earlier argument that French verbs are different we can see that the verb “to be” in English would have conjugated as “I am,” “You are,” “He is”, “We are”, “They are”, while in French, you can see verbs can have multiple forms for each subject. And you will see as you proceed that this varies with tense and mood as well. To add to the complexity we also have an additional subject pronoun “Vous” which can mean “You” in a formal respectful way or “You all” in a plural way.
Let’s look at two more important verbs:
Avoir – to have
- Example sentences:
- J’ai un chien (I have a dog).
- Elle a une voiture rouge. (She has a red car).
- Nous avons des enfants (We have children).
Even though “aller” is a ‘er’ verb it conjugates differently than all the ‘er’ verbs.
Aller – to go
Examples:
- Je vais au cinéma ce soir (I am going to the cinema tonight).
- Elle va à l’école tous les jours (She goes to school every day).
- Vous allez bien? (Are you doing well?)
- Comment allez-vous? (How are you doing?)
- Je vais bien. (I am doing well)
These three verbs are extremely common and are used in a wide range of contexts in the French language. Learning their conjugation is essential for building a strong foundation in French grammar and communication. Don’t forget that language learning is a gradual process, so patience is essential.
Note: For present continuous tense like “I am going” in English, in French we just use “Je vais”. So “Je vais” means I go and also I am going.
Also when you use the verb “aller” and say going to a place, the place should be preceded by a contracted article à la, au, à l’, or aux depending on the gender and number of the place.
Exemple: à la piscine, aux Etats-unis, à l’école, au marché.
Another thing to remember is while ‘a’ means has as in He/She has – Il/Elle a, ‘à’ with an accent grave means ‘to’. So do not neglect the accents because they can change the meaning of the whole sentence.
Paris: The Epicenter of Fashion
French fashion holds a revered position on the global stage, synonymous with sophistication, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to style. Rooted in a long history of artistic expression and cultural influence, French fashion has shaped trends and inspired designers worldwide.
At the heart of French fashion lies haute couture(haute-high, couture-sewing, or stitching), a term protected by law used to qualify garments created by the most skilled artisans. Haute couture garments are custom-made, tailored to perfection, and represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship. Houses like Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy have become synonymous with this exclusive and exquisite form of fashion.
French fashion boasts a roster of iconic designers who have left an indelible mark on the industry. Coco Chanel revolutionized women’s fashion with her timeless pieces, while Yves Saint Laurent introduced androgynous styles that challenged conventions. Christian Dior’s New Look of the 1950s redefined femininity, and Jean-Paul Gaultier continues to push boundaries with his avant-garde creations.
Parisian street style is renowned for its seemingly effortless elegance. The French have mastered the art of appearing casually chic, blending classic pieces with contemporary flair. A well-tailored blazer, a simple yet stylish scarf, and the perfect pair of shoes are staples in the wardrobe of a French fashion enthusiast.
Paris Fashion Week, one of the most anticipated events in the fashion calendar, showcases collections that seamlessly blend tradition with cutting-edge trends.
Exercises:
A. Fill in the blank with the correct verb conjugations.
- Elle _________ un grand chien brun. (She has a big brown dog.)
- Michael et moi,nous __________ au cinéma. (We are going to the cinema.)
- Il ___________ médecin. (He is a doctor.)
- Ils __________ a la piscine le lundi. (They are going to the swimming pool on Monday.)
- Vous __________ un stylo bleu? (Do you have a blue pen?)
- Elle ___________ au magasin pour acheter une nouvelle robe.(She is going to the shop to buy a new dress)
- Je __________ étudiante dans une école privée.( I am a student in a private school.)
- Ils __________ deux enfants. (They have two children.)
- Julie et Marie ___________ aux Etats-Unis en été. (They are going to the United States in summer.)
- Mark _______ les cheveux noirs et les yeux bleus.(Mark has black hair and blue eyes)
B. Translate to French:
- We have a big house.
- She is a student.
- He has curly hair.
- They are going to Paris.
- I am going to the market.
- Are you a doctor?
- Marie and Ira are going to the cinema.
- They have two black cats.
