Verb Tenses Flashcards
What are the six different conjugative forms?
Je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles
What are the five standard verb tenses?
Présent, imparfait, futur, conditionnel, subjonctif
What are the compound tenses, and what is required for them?
Passé participé compounds: Passé composé, pluperfect, futur antérieur, passé conditionnel, passé subjonctif
Aller compounds: futur proche
What is the passé participé?
It is the form of the verb that is compounded with être or avoir to make compound verb tenses, usually ending in -è, -i, or -u.
What is the présent tense?
The standard “I am doing” verb.
What is the imparfait tense, and when is it used?
Imparfait is a past tense referring to a continuing or repetitive event with emphasis on the progression. It’s used with;
>conditions (e.g. weather or age)
>actions that took place over a period of time
>repitition or habit that no longer is
>a former physical description
What is the futur tense?
The future tense, or simple future, indicates that something will happen sometime in the future.
What is the conditionnel tense and when is it used?
The conditionnel tense refers to a “would” or a “might” and is generally considered the polite manner to use. It is used with;
>expressing a wish
>making a polite request
>giving advice
>making a suggestion
>to describe the future in the past
>if/then structured sentences, with the conditionnel in the dependent clause
What is the subjonctif, and how does it work?
The subjonctif is a mood rather than a tense. It follows independent clauses including verbs specifically about thinking and feeling and a que. “Je veux qu’il soit très chocolat.” I want it to be very chocolatey.
It also follows imperative clauses. “Il faut qu’on y aille maintenant.” We must go now.
Verbs which convey opinion only become subjunctive when used in negative or interrogative forms.
What is the passé composé tense and when is it used?
Passé composé is the compound of the présent auxiliary form and the passé participé. It is used with all past tense cases that aren’t covered by the imparfait.
What is the pluperfect tense?
The pluperfect is the imparfait auxiliary and the passé participé. It refers to past situations that were true at one point but are no longer true.
What is the futur perfect tense?
The futur perfect is the futur auxiliary and the passé participé. It is used in situations where something is guaranteed to happen.
What is the passé conditionnel tense?
The passé conditionnel is formed by the conditionnel auxiliary and the passé participé. It is when something in the past “would have” happened but didn’t.
What is the passé subjonctif?
The passé subjonctif is the subjonctif auxiliary and the passé participé. Follows the same rules as present subjonctif, just in the past.
What is the futur proche tense?
The futur proche refers to something that is going to be completed in the very near future. It is a compound of “aller” + the infinitif of the verb.
