sentence patterns Flashcards
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
HE/SHE IS … (adj).
Make two sentences with:
joli grand maigre costaud
est nerveux hereux il
(examples)
Il est maigre.
Il est grand et costaud.
Il est hereux, mais aussi nerveux.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
If the subject is feminine, the adj must also be feminine. In many cases, you can just add and ‘e’. When you do, the ending consonant(s) will be PRONOUNCED.
What is fem for joli, grand, y costaud?
Elle est jolie, grande, et costaude.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
adjectives that end in ‘eux’ change to ‘euse”, so the pronunciation changes from “euh” to “euz”
What is fem for nerveux mais hereux?
Elle est nerveuse mais hereuse.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
Write a sentence describing Jenny.
(example)
Elle est jolie et genereuse.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
Write a sentence describing George.
(example)
Il est frêle et maigre.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
Write a sentence describing Horace.
(example)
Il est costaud et narquois.
IL/ELLE EST …(adj)
Write a sentence describing Will is feeling and how Alyss is feeling.
(example)
Il est nerveux, mais elle est calme.
IL/ELLE N’EST PAS …(adj)
Use one or two adjectives to describe George
fort courageux genereux gracieux mechant
narquois serieux travailleur faible
(example)
Il n’est pas narquois ou mechant.
IL/ELLE N’EST PAS …(adj)
Use one or two adjectives to describe Alyss
fort courageux genereux gracieux mechant
narquois serieux travailleur faible
(example)
Elle n’est pas mechante ou narquoise.
infinitive verb … is the “neutral” form of the verb.
It has no endings for tense or person.
In English, we say “to + verb” (like, “to dance”).
Most infinitive verbs in french end in “er”.
What’s the infinitive of “to dance”?
How do you pronounce it?
to dance = danser
pronounced dans - ay
About 6% of infinitives end in -ir, like “finir”,
and 4% end in -re, like “repondre”
So, how many end in -er?
about 90% of French infinitives end in -er
Here are some verbs for things you do at the gym.
Find the infinitives that DON’T end in -er
sauter vouter courrir crocher monter
grimper tomber plier percher suspendre
lever s’entrainer tirer pousser s’etirer
courrir = run suspendre = hang
sauter/jump vouter/valut courrir/run
crocher/hook monter/climb
grimper/climb tomber/fall plier/bend
percher/perch suspendre/hang
lever/lift s’entrainer/train
tirer/pull pousser/push s’etirer/stretch
IL/ELLE VEUT + inf
He/she wants to (do something).
How would you say “He wants to dance”?
Il veut dancer.
IL/ELLE VEUT + inf
This is an easy but useful sentence pattern because the verb “veut” doesn’t change (as long as you stay in the 3rd person), and the infinitive doesn’t change.
Make two sentences:
veut sauter vouter il
elle courrir crocher monter
(examples)
Il veut courrir et vouter.
Elle veut monter, crocher, et tomber.
IL/ELLE VEUT + inf
Some infinitives from RA:
cuisinier disputer combattre choisir
négocier escribir lire monter à cheval
voler glisser s’entrainer
What do Jenny and Alyss want to do?
(examples)
Jenny veut cuisinier, mais Alyss veut négocier.
IL/ELLE VEUT + inf
What do Horace and George want to do?
(examples)
Horace veut combattre, mais George veut disputer.
IL/ELLE VEUT + inf
What are 2 things Will wants to do?
(examples)
Will veut combattre et monter à cheval.
Here are the 20 most common verbs in French.
Sort them into -er, -ir, and -re
etre avoir pouvoir faire mettre dire devoir prendre donner aller vouloir savoir
falloir voir demander trouver
rendre venir passer comprendre
How many are -er, -ir, and -re?
- er 5
- ir: 8 (6 of these are -oir)
- re 7
So… common verbs are often -ir or -re,
but less common verbs are almost always -er
IL/ELLE NE VEUT PAS + inf
Yup, negative. What does George NOT want to do?
(example)
Il ne veut pas cuisinier.
Lots of other verbs can fill in the VERB+INF sentence pattern, like:
IL/ELLE PEUT + inf
IL/ELLE DOIT + inf
IL/ELLE SAIT + inf (know how to)
Make 2 sentences:
peut il danser escribir grimper
elle tomber doit sait suspendre
(example)
Elle ne doit pas suspendre, elle doit tomber!!
Il ne peut pas danser, mais il sait escribir.
IL/ELLE SAIT QUE + clause
If you want to say “He knows THAT blah blah blah” you need a different sentence pattern. Use “que” to mean “that”. After “que”, you need a full clause (subject + verb + other optional stuff).
Will knows what Jenny wants to do. What is it?
Will sait que Jenny veut cuisinier.
IL/ELLE SAIT QUE + clause
Jenny knows that Will doesn’t want to cook…
Jenny sait que Will ne veut pas cuisinier,
IL/ELLE SAIT QUE + clause
If you want to say “that he does something”, you have to pay attention to how the words “that” and “he” fit together.
que+il = qu’il
Just like in English, the apostrophe stands for a missing letter.
How can you say that Will knows he doesn’t want to cook>
Will sait qu’il ne veut pas cuisinier.
IL/ELLE SAIT QUE + clause
And Jenny knows she doesn’t want to fight?
(be careful with how que + elle fit together)
Jenny sait qu’elle ne veut pas combattre.
Horace knows he can’t ride a horse.
Horace sait qu’il ne peut pas monter à cheval.
Horace knows he shouldn’t say that.
Horace sait qu’il ne doit pas dire ça.
CHALLENGE:
Horace knows that he shouldn’t say that he knows how to ride a horse-
Horace sait qu’il ne doit pas dire qu’il sait monter à cheval.
IL/ELLE A … ANS
For ages, use “have… years” instead of “is … years”
How old is Will?
(example)
Will a quinze ans.