TENSES OVERVIEW
| Tense | Usage | |
|---|---|---|
| Présent de l’indicatif |
current actions, habit, general truth, near future structure: subject + verb (present endings)
Ça m'arrive parfois. -
It happens to me sometimes.
Je bois beaucoup d’eau le matin. - I drink lots of water in the morning. Les girafes ont un long cou. - Giraffes have a long neck. Il vient demain. - He's coming tomorrow. |
|
| Passé composé |
past actions, completed events - replaces passé simple in speech
structure: avoir / être (present) + participe passé
J'ai fait une erreur. -
I made a mistake.
C'est fait, c'est fini. - It's done, it's over. Je suis jamais allé en France. - I have never been to France. |
|
| Imparfait |
past, past continuous or habitual past
structure: stem from nous form (drop –ons) + endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient)
Je savais pas. -
I didn't know.
C'est ce que je cherchais. - That's what I was looking for. Quand on était jeunes, on jouait souvent au badminton. /badmintɔn/ - When we were young, we used to play badminton often. |
|
| Futur proche |
planned or immediate future
structure: aller (present) + infinitif
Je vais me coucher.
-
I'm going to bed.
Je sais pas si ça va marcher. - I don't know if it's going to work. Il va être content. - He's going to be happy. |
|
| Conditionnel présent |
politeness, hypothetical situations
structure: infinitif (or irregular stem) + imparfait endings
Je voudrais un thé. -
I'd like a tea.
Ça te dirait de le voir ? - Would you like to see it? Comment je le saurais ? - How would I know? Tu ferais quoi à ma place ? - What would you do in my place? |
|
| Subjonctif présent |
After expressions of feeling, wish, doubt, necessity, or emotion
- when two clauses have a different subject
structure: Main clause in the indicative] + que + [subordinate clause in the subjonctif]
Je suis content que tu ailles mieux.
-
I'm glad that you're feeling better.
Je veux que tu viennes tôt. - I want you to come early. J'ai hâte que tu la voies. - I can't wait for you to see it. Il faut que je fasse une pause. /poz/ - I have to take a break. Tu veux que je le fasse ? - Do you want me to do it? |