They feel bad
Ils se sentent mal
to feel - (se) sentir, ressentir. These are not regular -IR verbs. Note also that sentir is often used in the reflexive form. We will learn about reflexive verbs elsewhere.
She dies in the movie
Elle meurt dans le film
to die - mourir. Note that mourir is not a regular -IR verb. Also note that film, "movie," is masculine.
He writes good books
Il écrit des bons livres
to write - écrire. This verb is conjugated in the present as follows: j'écris, tu écris, il/elle/on écrit, nous écrivons, vous écrivez, ils/elles écrivent.
I receive a lot of letters
Je reçois beaucoup de lettres
to receive - recevoir. Note that after adverbs of quantity like beaucoup, de is used instead of the partitive article (des).
Do you (plural) believe in Julie?
Croyez-vous en Julie?
to believe - croire. In the present tense, this verb is conjugated as follows: je crois, tu crois, il/elle/on croit, nous croyons, vous croyez, ils/elles croient.
Conjugate the verb vouloir, "to want," in the present tense.
- je veux
- tu veux
- il/elle/on veut
- nous voulons
- vous voulez
- ils/elles veulent
They want a child
Ils veulent un enfant
to want - vouloir. Remember that vouloir is an irregular verb.
He can play the piano
Il peut jouer du piano
to be able to - pouvoir. Note that pouvoir is an irregular verb: je peux, tu peux, il/elle/on peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils/elles peuvent.
We can cook easily
Nous pouvons cuisiner facilement
to cook - cuisiner
I am doing my homework
Je fais mes devoirs
to do, to make - faire. Note that faire is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular and used in several expressions.
Conjugate the verb faire, "to do," in the present tense.
- je fais
- tu fais
- il/elle/on fait
- nous faisons
- vous faites
- ils/elles font
He is making dinner
Il fait à manger
to make a meal - (se) faire à manger. Note that this literally means "to make to eat." The reflexive form, se faire à manger, means "to make oneself a meal."
It's a good breakfast
C'est un bon petit déjeuner
breakfast - le petit déjeuner
We do not want a bad lunch
Nous ne voulons pas un mauvais déjeuner
lunch - le déjeuner. Note that déjeuner is also a regular -ER verb meaning "to eat lunch."
He wants a big dinner
Il veut un grand dîner
dinner - le dîner. Note that dîner is also a verb meaning "to have dinner."
I want to eat a snack
Je veux manger un encas
a snack - un encas. This noun does not change in the plural since it already ends with an "s." As an alternative, you could use the noun un goûter. Finally, note the construction vouloir + infinitive.
I am right
J'ai raison
to be right - avoir raison. This literally translates as "to have reason."
You are wrong
Tu as tort
to be wrong - avoir tort
He makes a decision
Il prend une décision
a decision - une décision. Note that "to make a decision" is prendre une décision, not faire une décision.
He asks Paul to make a meal
Il demande à Paul de faire à manger
to ask - demander. This verb is often followed by the preposition à. The construction demander à + person + de + infinitive is common, and means "to ask someone to do something."
Conjugate the verb demander in the present tense.
- je demande
- tu demandes
- il/elle/on demande
- nous demandons
- vous demandez
- ils/elles demandent
I understand the question
Je comprends la question
a question - une question. Note that the verb "to question" also exists in French -- questionner.
She asks Marie a question
Elle pose une question à Marie
to ask a question - poser une question. Note that "to ask questions" is poser des questions.
I go to work by car
Je vais au travail en voiture
to go - aller. Note that aller is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular. Also note how à le must be changed to au.
Conjugate the verb aller, "to go," in the present tense.
- je vais
- tu vas
- il/elle/on va
- nous allons
- vous allez
- ils/elles vont
Give examples of 3rd group/irregular verbs (i.e. verbs not from the regular -ER and -IR groups).
entendre, comprendre, voir, boire, pouvoir
The 3rd group of French verbs comprises non-ER and non-IR verbs, as well as irregular -ER and -IR verbs. Recall that there are many irregular verbs in French, most of them among the most commonly used verbs.
She is thinking about going to school
Elle pense aller à l'école
The construction penser + infinitive means "to consider/think about doing something."
She thinks that you are right
Elle pense que tu as raison
that (conjunction) - que. Que is an important word that has several uses. Used as a conjunction, as above, it means "that."
What are you doing?
Qu'est-ce que tu fais?
what (in a question) - qu'est-ce que. Note that here que has been contracted to qu'.
What is he doing?
Que fait-il?
what (in a question with inversion) - que. Note that the common structure here is: interrogative word + verb + pronoun. When "what" is the subject of the question and placed before the verb, you can begin the sentence with Que and then invert the verb and subject.
