Introduction to French Verb Tenses

French, like many other languages, uses verb tenses to express the time at which an action occurs. In this tutorial, we will introduce the three most common French verb tenses: the present, past, and future.

The present tense is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking, or actions that happen regularly. To form the present tense of regular verbs in French, you simply need to add the appropriate ending to the verb stem. For example, the verb “parler” (to speak) becomes “je parle” (I speak), “tu parles” (you speak), “il/elle parle” (he/she speaks), etc.

The past tense is used to describe actions that have already happened. There are two main past tenses in French: the passé composé and the imparfait. The passé composé is used to describe completed actions, while the imparfait is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. To form the passé composé of regular verbs, you will need to use the auxiliary verb “avoir” and the past participle of the main verb. For example, the sentence “I spoke” would be “j’ai parlé” in French. To form the imparfait, you simply need to add the appropriate ending to the verb stem, just as you do in the present tense.

Finally, the future tense is used to describe actions that will happen at a future time. To form the future tense in French, you will need to use the auxiliary verb “aller” followed by the infinitive form of the main verb. For example, the sentence “I will speak” would be “je vais parler” in French.

In conclusion, the French verb tenses are a crucial part of the language, and mastering them will allow you to express a wide range of time-frames in your speech and writing. With practice and study, you can become proficient in using these tenses to communicate effectively in French.