Introduction to French Sentences

A sentence (une phrase) is a group of words including at minimum a subject and a verb, and may also include any or all of the parts of speech.

Sentence Parts
Sentences can be separated into a subject (un sujet), which may be stated or implied, and a predicate (un prédicat). The subject is the person or thing performing the action, and the predicate is the rest of the sentence, which usually begins with the verb:

Je suis professeur - I am a teacher
Subject: je - I
Predicate: suis professeur - am a teacher

Paul et moi aimons la France - Paul and I love France
Subject: Paul et moi - Paul and I
Predicate: aimons la France - love France

La jeune fille est mignonne - The young girl is cute
Subject: la jeune fille - the young girl
Predicate: est mignonne - is cute

Sentence Types

There are four types of sentences: statements, exclamatives, interrogatives, and commands:

1) Statement - Phrase assertive or Phrase déclarative

Statements, the most common type of sentence, state something:

I'm going to the bank (Je vais à la banque)
I am tired (Je suis fatigué)
I will help you (Je vous aiderai)
I hope you'll be there (J'espère que tu seras là)

There are two subcategories of statements: affirmative statements - les phrases (déclaratives) affirmatives, as above, and negative statements - les phrases (déclaratives) négatives:

I'm not going (Je n'y vais pas)
I'm not tired (Je ne suis pas fatigué)
I don't want to help you (Je ne veux pas vous aider)
He won't be there (Il ne sera pas là)
 

2) Exclamative - Phrase exclamative

Exclamatives express a strong reaction such as surprise or indignation. They look just like statements except for the exclamation point, and for this reason may be considered a subcategory of statements, rather than a different type of sentence:

I want to go! (Je veux y aller !)
I hope so! (J'espère que oui !)
He's very handsome! (Il est très beau !)
That's a great idea! (C'est une bonne idée !)
 

3) Interrogative - Phrase interrogative

Interrogatives, more commonly known as questions, ask for or about something:

Do you have my book? (As-tu mon livre ?)
Are they ready? (Sont-ils prêts ?)
Where is he? (Où est-il ?)
Can you help us? (Peux-tu nous aider ?)
 

4) Command - Phrase impérative

Commands are the only kind of sentence without an explicit subject; instead, the subject is implied by the conjugation of the verb, which is in the imperative:

Go away! (Va t'en !)
Be good (Sois sage)
Do the dishes (Faites la vaisselle)
Help us find it (Aidez-nous à le trouver)*

*à and le do not contract to au here because le is an object, not an article - learn more