Grammar Flashcards
Si = passé composé
Result = future or imperative
Si = imperfect
Result = present conditional
Si = pluperfect
Result = past conditional
Si = present indicative
Result = future or imperative
How to form the future perfect?
Future of avoir or être
+
Past participle
Je serai venu(e), j’aurai parlé etc
What is the use of the future perfect?
Used to express a future action that will be completed before another future action.
Nearly every case requires the future tense in the dependent clause
Il sera déjà parti quand vous arriverez
Nous nous serons couchés quand vous reviendrez
Also used after these conjunctions: Après que (after) Quand (when) Aussitôt que (as soon as) Tant que (until) Dès que (as soon as)
How to form the pluperfect ?
Imperfect form of avoir or être
+
Past participle
J’avais parlé, tu étais venu(e) etc
What is the use of the pluperfect?
Used to express a past action completed before another past action.
HOWEVER
when a past action introduced by quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que or après que immediately precedes a second past action that is in the compound last, the first action may also be expressed by the compound past
The definite article with professional titles
When talking ABOUT someone who has a professional title, the definite article accompanies the title.
Le docteur Martin est dentiste.
In formal address, in speaking and writing, article used before professional titles in combination with Monsieur, Madame etc.
Monsieur le président.
Definite article with names of languages and Academic subjects
DA used at all times EXCEPT when the noun follows de or en. Or in the case of languages, when the noun IMMEDIATELY follows Parler
J'étudie la biologie. Il parle très mal le russe. Je ne parle pas japonais. Elle se spécialise en maths. C'est mon livre d'histoire.
Definite article with dates.
DA precedes the date.
Les cours recommencent le 15 Septembre.
Je suis né le 20 février 1957.
Definite article with days of the week.
Use the DA to indicate habitual occurrence.
Il enseigne le lundi (He teaches Monday)
To emphasise the habitual nature, the plural is used with the adjective tous.
Tous les samedis nous allons à la plage.
When a date is accompanied by a day of the week, the article precedes the day.
When is the definite article used with seasons?
Used with names of the seasons except when they are preceded by en
NOTE
au Printemps, en été, en automne, en hiver
When is the article used with nouns in apposition?
Definite article normally used with nouns in apposition to state what the speaker considers a well known fact
Whenever the noun in apposition furnishes additional and presumably unknown info the noun in apposition tends to be used without any article
Pasteur, le grand savant français, mourut en 1895.
Pierre Dupont, étudiant en médecine, habite à Paris.
Use of the article with a noun following the preposition en?
Normally no article follows en,
BUT EXCEPTIONS
en l’honneur
En l’air
En l’absence
Article with first names?
Only used with first names which have been modified by an adjective
Marie est partie hier avec son frère Henri Et le petit Claude
When is the article used before names of countries and continents?
Normally used before names of countries and continents.
BUT not used after en (which expresses in or to with feminine countries) nor after de (meaning from) when it precedes a feminine country
Article with names of cities?
Not usually found in city named.
EXCEPTIONS La Haye (The Hague) La Nouvelle-Orléans Le Havre La Rochelle
Article used with names of streets and avenues?
Normally used before names of streets and avenues
Dites-moi où est la rue Racine
Le Boulevard Saint-Germain est très tranquille.
Connaissez-vous l’avenue des Champs-Élysées
BUT when the preposition in or on precede the street name in English, French tends to omit the preposition and article
Nous sommes arrivés Boulevard Saint-Michel
Prepositions and article with names of streets and avenues
Dans la rue (on the street) Dans l'avenue (on the avenue) Sur l'avenue (on the avenue) Sur la place (in the square) Sur Le boulevard (on the boulevard)
How to express speed per hour?
à + Speed + à l’heure
Le train roulait à cent soixante kilomètres à l’heure.
How to express money per hour?
De l’heure
Marie gagne cinq dollars de l’heure.
How to express something accomplished per unit time?
Par + UNIT OF TIME
par jour, par semaine, par mois, par an.
Dan ce pays on travaille huit heures par jour Et quarante heures par semaine.
How to use expressions of dry measure, weight etc?
Expressed per with expressions of weight etc by placing the definite article before the expression
Les pommes de terre coûtent dix francs la livre.
Le sucre coûte quatre francs le kilo.
What prepositions are used with expressions of means of locomotion and when is the article used?
En train ( or par le train) En voiture En avion (or par avion) À pied À bicyclette En Moto
Article with profession, nationality or religion?
M. Badin est avocat
Sa femme est américaine
Mlle Bajard est un excellent professeur
What type of verbs in the main clause are owed by the subjunctive in the subordinate clause?
Verbs of wishing, preferring, suggesting etc. And verbs and expressions of emotion such as fearing, being glad, being sorry etc.
REMEMBER
affirmative espérer is followed by INDICATIVE
How does French express a sentence such as “George wants me to do…”?
English: want + object + infinitive
French: vouloir + que + subjunctive
Je veux que tu partes tout de suite
Georges veut que je fasse tout moi-même
When is the present and past subjunctive used ?
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
if action of subordinate clause takes place AT THE SAME TIME or AFTER the action in the main clause
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
if action of subordinate clause takes place BEFORE the action of the main clause
When must the infinite be used instead of a que-clause with the subjunctive even after constructions which seem to require a subjunctive?
When the subjects of the main and subordinate clauses are the same, INFINITIVE is required INSTEAD OF que.
Avez-vous peur de faire cela?
NOTE ne and pas precede a present infinitive: j’ai peur de ne pas arriver à l’heure.
NOTE ne and pas usually precede the auxiliary of a past infinitive: j’ai peur de ne pas avoir vu le vrai responsable.
NOTE verbs of wishing are followed directly by the infinitive, verbs of emotion require de before an infinitive
What are the subordinate conjunctions that are always followed by the subjunctive?
Afin que (in order that, so that) Pour que (in order that, so that) Bien que (although) Quoique (although) Pourvu que (provided that) À condition que (provided that) À moins que (unless) Sans que (without) Avant que (before) Jusqu'à ce que (until)
What are the subordinate conjunctions when the subject of both clauses are the same?
À moins de + infinitive Afin de + infinitive Pour + infinitive Avant de + infinitive Sans + infinitive
NOTE bien que Quoique Pourvu que Jusqu'à ce que This cannot be done Nous viendrons bien que nous soyons fatigués
Subjunctive or indicative with superlatives or adjectives such as premier , denier and seul?
In clauses whose antecedent is modified by a superlative or by adjectives such as premier, dernier and seul, verb may be indicative or subjunctive
Indicative = objective fact Subjunctive = element of doubt or personal opinion
C’est le plus beau musée que je connaisse.
Que est le plus grand édifice qu’on ait (a) construit à Paris?
What construction can be used to insist on an action?
Être en train de + infinitive
Je suis en train de travailler.
What is the use of the present tense?
Used to state a general truth.
Also used to express the English progressive -ing.
Il pleut en ce moment.
It is raining at the moment.
Also used to express a future idea when an expression in the sentence indicates the future.
Je pars en vacances demain.
Also used for actions which began in the past and are still continuing in the present .
Present + DEPUIS + length of time
= have been + Verbing + for + time
Je travaille ici depuis 5 ans.
How else can one express an action which began in the past and is still continuing in the present?
Il y a + time + que…
Il y a 5 ans que Je travaille ici
Voilà + time + que…
Voilà 5 ans que Je travaille ici
Voici + time + que…
Voici 5 ans que Je travaille ici
REMEMBER
in negative sentences with these and depuis, passé composé is used.
Je n’ai pas voyagé depuis 3 ans.
What to use if an action is finished and took place over some time?
Passé composé + pendant
Nous avons étudié pendant 6 heures
How to form the future tense?
Stem of infinitive for -er and -ir verbs (-re verbs drop e) + endings:
- ai -ons
- as -ez
- a -ont
How to form the conditional ?
Add the imparfait endings to the future stem.
Endings:
- ais. -ions
- ais. -iez
- ait. -aient
What do you use to express an action that had been going on for some time when something else happened?
Depuis is used with the imperfect; the interrupting action is the passé composé
Nous conduisions depuis deux heures quand j’ai décidé de prendre le Volant
When can the English pluperfect be used and the french pluperfect cannot?
When an action introduced by quand, lorsque, aussitôt que and après que precedes another action in the passé composé, first action must be in the passé composé
Quand j’ai fini d’étudier hier, nous sommes allé say café
Dès qu’elle a eu fait la vaisselle, ils ont regardé la télé
When the subject of the clause with quand, lorsque and après que is the same subject of the main clause and when the main clause is in the passé composé, what construction can be used?
Après + past infinitive :
Après avoir fini
Après être parti(e)(s)
Après s’être + lavé(e)(s)
Après être rentrée à la Maison, Elle a pris une douche
How to express “night and day”?
Le jour et la nuit
Ou
Jour et nuit
How to say in or to for a feminine country ?
En
No definite article follows this
How to say from for a feminine country ?
De
No DA
How to express to and from masculine countries ?
Au/aux
How to express from for masculine countries?
Du/des
When qui is the object of the sentence, what word order is used when the subject of the sentence is a pronoun? Noun?
Qui + Verb + Pronoun Subject
Qui + Noun Subject + Verb + Pronoun Subject
Qui voyez-vous là-bas?
Whom do you see over there?
Qui Jacques voir-il là-bas?
Whom does Jack see over there?
When is que and when is qu’est-ce que used as the object of the sentence to refer to a thing?
When the DO is a thing, either can be used but notice DIFFERENCE IN WORD ORDER
Que + verb + subject
Qu’est-ce que + subject + verb
Que voyez-vous?
Qu’est-ce que vous voyez?
What do you see?
What is the use of Quoi ?
Used to refer to a thing after a preposition.
De quoi parlez-vous?
Of what are you speaking ?
Also used when asking “what?” Alone.
Also used instead of que before an infinitive, esp in negative sentences.
Je ne sais pas quoi faire.
How to say going to/being in a city?
À
Je suis à Paris, Je vais à Lille
How to say going to/being in a country or continent?
En witty feminine countries and continents.
Je suis allé en Chine.
Au/aux with masculine countries
Je suis resté un mois au Pérou.
What are the masculine countries which end in e?
Le Mexique
Le Cambodge
Le Zaïre
What preposition do you use for going to/being in a place which is modified by an adjective or phrase that is not an integral part of the name?
Use dans + definite article
Dans le Vieux Paris
Dans la vibrante Barcelone
What are the spelling changes of some US States?
La Californie, la Floride, la Georgie
=> use en for these
For other states use dans le
Dans Le Michigan
How to say from a city
Only de
De Grenoble
How to say from a feminine country ?
Only de
De Tunisie
How to say from a masculine country?
Du
Du Maroc
Going to/being in The Northern Territory
Dans Le territoire du Nord
Going to/being in Queensland
Dans Le Queensland
Going to/ being in Victoria
Dans Le Victoria
Going to/being in New South Wales
En Nouvelle Galle du Sud
Going to/being in Western Australia
En Australie Occidentale
Going to / being in Tasmania
En Tasmanie
Going to/ being in South Australia
En Australie méridionale (du Sud)
When do you use the past infinitive?
If the action after a preposition clearly takes place before the action of the main verb of the sentence.
L’ouvrier a été renvoyé pour avoir insulté le directeur.
Use Avant de + Infinitive to express before doing
Avant de m’habiller, je prends une douche.
Après + compound infinitive to express after verb-ing
Après avoir mangé, Je fais la vaisselle.
Remember ne pas precede the infinitive
What about pour?
Used to express purpose (in order to)
With venir and Aller often omitted .
Il est venu (pour) me Chercher en voiture.
Also used to express “enough to” and “to much too”
Assez pour + inf
Il est assez âgé pour conduire
Trop pour + inf
Je suis trop fatiqué pour sortir
What are some words that use the de in the passive?
Entourer de (surround)
Couvrir de
Remplir de (to fill)
