French Verb Tense, Mood, and Voice
Learn about all the different French verb tenses, moods, and voices: present, past, future; conditional, subjunctive, imperative; active, passive, pronominal.
French Past Tenses - Passé composé vs Imperfect
During the first year of French study, every student becomes aware of the troublesome relationship between the two main past tenses: imperfect and passé composé. This lesson compares and contrasts the usage of these two French verb tenses.
During the first year of French study, every student becomes aware of the troublesome relationship between the two main past tenses: imperfect and passé composé. This lesson compares and contrasts the usage of these two French verb tenses.
French Verb Timeline
A chart of French verb tenses/moods with links to lessons on each one.
A chart of French verb tenses/moods with links to lessons on each one.
French Conditional
The conditional is, in my opinion, one of the simplest French tenses. There is only one set of endings for all verbs, and most of them - even many which are irregular in the present tense - use their infinitive as the root.
The conditional is, in my opinion, one of the simplest French tenses. There is only one set of endings for all verbs, and most of them - even many which are irregular in the present tense - use their infinitive as the root.
French Conditional Perfect - Past Conditional
The French conditional perfect, or past conditional, is usually used just like the English conditional perfect: to express action that would have occurred if in the past circumstances had been different.
The French conditional perfect, or past conditional, is usually used just like the English conditional perfect: to express action that would have occurred if in the past circumstances had been different.
French Future Tense
The future is, in my opinion, one of the simplest French tenses. There is only one set of endings for all verbs, and most of them - even many which are irregular in the present tense - use their infinitive as the root.
The future is, in my opinion, one of the simplest French tenses. There is only one set of endings for all verbs, and most of them - even many which are irregular in the present tense - use their infinitive as the root.
French Future Perfect
The French future perfect is most commonly used to describe an action that will have happened or will be finished by a specific point in the future.
The French future perfect is most commonly used to describe an action that will have happened or will be finished by a specific point in the future.
French Imperative Mood
Learn how to give commands with the French imperative.
Learn how to give commands with the French imperative.
French Imperfect
The French imperfect (imparfait) is a descriptive past tense which indicates an ongoing state of being or a repeated or incomplete action.
The French imperfect (imparfait) is a descriptive past tense which indicates an ongoing state of being or a repeated or incomplete action.
Impersonal Verbs
Impersonal verbs have only one conjugation: the third person singular indefinite, or il. Some of these verbs also have personal versions with different meanings, so it's important to learn to recognize impersonal verbs.
Impersonal verbs have only one conjugation: the third person singular indefinite, or il. Some of these verbs also have personal versions with different meanings, so it's important to learn to recognize impersonal verbs.
Modal Verbs in French
Modal verbs, also called modal auxiliaries or simply modals, are unconjugated English verbs which express the mood of a verb, such as ability, possibility, condition, and necessity. However, French does not have modal verbs, which can make it difficult to translate them. There are ten common English modal verbs: can, must, should....
Modal verbs, also called modal auxiliaries or simply modals, are unconjugated English verbs which express the mood of a verb, such as ability, possibility, condition, and necessity. However, French does not have modal verbs, which can make it difficult to translate them. There are ten common English modal verbs: can, must, should....
Passé composé
The passé composé is the most common French past tense, often used in conjunction with the imperfect.
The passé composé is the most common French past tense, often used in conjunction with the imperfect.
Passé simple
The passé simple is the literary equivalent of the passé composé, used only in formal writing and speech. Learn all about the French passé simple.
The passé simple is the literary equivalent of the passé composé, used only in formal writing and speech. Learn all about the French passé simple.
French Passive Voice
Voice is a grammatical term which indicates the relationship between a subject and verb. In the passive voice, the action described by the verb is being done to the subject by an agent.
Voice is a grammatical term which indicates the relationship between a subject and verb. In the passive voice, the action described by the verb is being done to the subject by an agent.
French Past Anterior
The French past anterior is the literary equivalent of the pluperfect. It is used in literature and historical accounts to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. Because it is a literary tense, you don't need to practice conjugating it, but it is important for you to be able to recognize it.
The French past anterior is the literary equivalent of the pluperfect. It is used in literature and historical accounts to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. Because it is a literary tense, you don't need to practice conjugating it, but it is important for you to be able to recognize it.
French Past Participle
The participe passé is the French equivalent of the -ed form of English verbs. It is used in compound tenses, in the passive voice, and as an adjective.
The participe passé is the French equivalent of the -ed form of English verbs. It is used in compound tenses, in the passive voice, and as an adjective.
French Past Perfect - Pluperfect
The French past perfect, or pluperfect, is used to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past
The French past perfect, or pluperfect, is used to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past
French Past Subjunctive
The past subjunctive is used for the same reasons as the present subjunctive - to express emotion, doubts, etc.
The past subjunctive is used for the same reasons as the present subjunctive - to express emotion, doubts, etc.
French Pluperfect Subjunctive
The French pluperfect subjunctive is the least common literary tense - it's the literary equivalent of the past subjunctive.Like all literary tenses, the pluperfect subjunctive is used only in literature, historical writings, and other very formal writing, so it is important to be able to recognize it but chances are that you will never in your life need to conjugate it.
The French pluperfect subjunctive is the least common literary tense - it's the literary equivalent of the past subjunctive.Like all literary tenses, the pluperfect subjunctive is used only in literature, historical writings, and other very formal writing, so it is important to be able to recognize it but chances are that you will never in your life need to conjugate it.
French Present Tense
The French present tense, called le présent or le présent de l'indicatif, is quite similar in usage to the English present tense.
The French present tense, called le présent or le présent de l'indicatif, is quite similar in usage to the English present tense.
Pronominal Voice, Reflexive Verbs
Pronominal verbs are verbs that need a reflexive pronoun in addition to a subject pronoun, because the subject(s) performing the action of the verb are the same as the object(s) being acted upon. The pronominal voice is much more common in French than in English.
Pronominal verbs are verbs that need a reflexive pronoun in addition to a subject pronoun, because the subject(s) performing the action of the verb are the same as the object(s) being acted upon. The pronominal voice is much more common in French than in English.
Second form of the French conditional perfect
The second form of the French conditional perfect is a rather strange verb tense/mood. It is the literary equivalent of the conditional perfect and can easily be mistaken for the pluperfect subjunctive, since they are conjugated identically.
The second form of the French conditional perfect is a rather strange verb tense/mood. It is the literary equivalent of the conditional perfect and can easily be mistaken for the pluperfect subjunctive, since they are conjugated identically.