The Present Tense

1
The Present Tense

• Objectif To be able to correctly use the
  present tense in French.

2

• We use the present tense to describe what is
  happening now or to describe something that
  happens on a regular basis.
• I am playing football.
• I play football on Saturdays.

3
The Golden Rule

• In English we have two different present tenses.
  In French there is only one. This means that
• Je joue au foot I play football
• OR I am playing football.
• This can cause problems when translating into
  French!

4

• When we use the present tense in French, the
  spelling of the verb will change depending on who
  is using the verb. We do this in English too but
  to a lesser extent
• I listen to the radio
• She listens to the radio

5

• In French we have to remember a series of
  patterns that tells us how the verb will be
  spelt. These patterns are determined by how the
  verb ends in the infinitive (the verb form that
  the dictionary gives).
• The good news is that the vast majority of verbs
  in French end in er and follow the following
  pattern

6

• Trouver To Find
• Je trouve I find/ I am finding
• Tu trouves You find/ You are finding
• Il/elle trouve He/she finds/ is finding
• Nous trouvons We find/ we are finding
• Vous trouvez You find/ You are finding
• Ils/elles trouventThey find/they are finding

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This pattern will be the same for the vast
majority of verbs in French. So if you learn
just this pattern, you can use the present tense
in French for the vast majority of verbs.
SO
8
Trouver To Find Je trouve I find/ I am
finding Tu trouves You find/ You are
finding Il/elle trouve He/she finds/ is
finding Nous trouvons We find/ we are
finding Vous trouvez You find/ You are
finding Ils/elles trouventThey find/they are
finding
LEARN ME!
9

• There is another type of verb. This verb ends in
  re. There are not very many verbs that end in
  re but most of them follow the following pattern

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Vendre To Sell Je vends I sell Tu
vends You sell Il/elle vend_ He/she
sells Nous vendons We sell Vous vendez
You sell Ils/elles vendent They sell
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• Back in your blue exercise book now, have a go at
  translating the following sentences using the
  notes from your purple book. Be careful!

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• I eat (manger)
• She is eating.
• They are selling.
• We watch. (regarder)
• We are watching.
• I go down. (descendre)
• You (pol) listen. (écouter)
• I work. (travailler)

• Je mange.
• Elle mange.
• Ils vendent.
• Nous regardons.
• Nous regardons.
• Je descends.
• Vous écoutez.
• Je travaille.

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Vrai ou Faux?
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Je regardes la télé
FAUX!
15
Elle descends.
FAUX!
16
Nous écoutons la radio
VRAI!
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In pairs

• Tell your partner what you have understood about
  the present tense.
• Is there anything either of you dont understand?
• What is your traffic light for the present tense?
  Why?