- The two languages don't have the same verb tenses and moods
- Some simple forms in one language are compound in the other
- English has modal verbs but French does not
- Many verbal constructions have more than one possible equivalent in the other language, depending on context
I'm not going to translate every grammatical person (I, you, he, etc), since you can easily figure out how to extend the translations to other grammatical persons. For my examples of simple verb forms, I will be using the je form of prendre (to take) and the vous form of aller (to go).
Present tense
je prends - I take, I am taking, I do take
vous allez - you go, you are going, you do go
Future
je prendrai - I will take
vous irez - you will go
Conditional
je prendrais - I would take
vous iriez - you would go
Imperfect
je prenais - I was taking
vous alliez - you were going
Passé simple (literary tense)
je pris - I took
vous allâtes - you went
Subjunctive
(que) je prenne - (that) I take, "me to take"
Il est important que je prenne... - It's important that I take...
Veut-elle que je prenne...? - Does she want me to take...?
(que) vous alliez - (that) you go, "you to go"
Il est important que vous alliez... - It's important that you go...
Veut-elle que vous alliez...? - Does she want you to go...?
Imperfect subjunctive (literary tense)
(que) je prisse - (that) I took
(que) vous allassiez - (that) you went
Complete conjugations for all the simple tenses:
Prendre | Aller
Conjugating verbs
Simple tenses
Compound tenses
Impersonals and imperatives
Modal verbs
