The present - irregulars
1 Irregular verbs Irregular verbs are
verbs
where there are significant differences between
the various forms. Also known as third group verbs, they most often take the endings -re , -oir or -ir .
2 Etre , avoir , aller Table 7.2a: Present tense of être , avoir and aller
pronoun être
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avoir
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aller
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je suis ai vais tu es as vas il / elle est a va nous sommes avons allons vous êtes avez allez ils / elles sont ont vont
These verbs are particularly important because they are used
not only on their own (in this case they are called main verbs )
but also with other verbs to form other tenses (in this case they are
called auxiliary verbs ):
être Les gens dans cette région sont
toujours très sympathiques [main ]
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The people in this region are always very friendly
Arrivé au cinéma en avance, Pierre
est allé prendre un
café [auxiliary ]
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Arriving at the cinema early, Pierre went and had a coffee
avoir Nous avons
tous les deux une voiture [main ]
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We both have a car
Ils ont
changé la date de leur mariage [auxiliary ]
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They've changed the date of their wedding
aller Quand j'ai le temps je vais
à la piscine [main ]
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Whenever I have the time I go swimming
Il vaut mieux prendre un parapluie -
il va pleuvoir
[auxiliary ]
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You'd / we'd better take an umbrella - it's going to rain
J’ai rendez-vous lundi prochain chez le médecin.
I have an appointment next Monday to see the doctor.
Est-ce que tu as un stylo que je peux emprunter?
Do you have a pen I can borrow?
Je suis professeur au lycée de notre ville.
I’m a teacher at the local Sixth Form College.
Ils vont s’inscrire à l’université ce matin.
They’re going to register at the university this morning.
Est-ce que vous êtes déjà allés à Manchester?
Have you ever been to Manchester?
3 Venir , vouloir , faire Table 7.3a: Present of venir , vouloir and faire
pronoun venir
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vouloir
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faire
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je viens veux fais tu viens veux fais il / elle vient veut fait nous venons voulons faisons vous venez voulez faites ils / elles viennent veulent font
These verbs too can be used as main verbs or with other verbs (in this
case they are called semi-auxiliary verbs ).
venir Vous venez
avec nous au cinéma? [main ]
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Are you coming to the cinema with us?
Elle vient
d'avoir le permis [semi-auxiliary ]
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She's just passed her driving test
vouloir Est-ce que tu veux
un chocolat? [main ]
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Do you want a chocolate?
Nous voulons
voir la tour Eiffel avant de partir semi-auxiliary ]
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We want to see the Eiffel Tower before leaving
faire L'été prochain nous faisons
un voyage en France [main ]
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Next summer we're going on a trip to France
Ce comique me fait
toujours rire [semi-auxiliary ]
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This comedian always makes me laugh
Elle ne veut pas rater cette occasion.
She doesn’t want to miss this opportunity.
Elle possède toutes les qualités qui font une championne.
She possesses all the qualities that go to make a champion.
Est-ce que tu viens avec nous au restaurant?
Are you coming with us to the restaurant?
Mon père vient me chercher aujourd’hui.
My father is picking me up today.
Le mercredi après-midi ils font du sport.
On Wednesday afternoons they play sport.
4 Voir , mettre , sortir Table 7.4a: Present tense of voir , mettre and sortir
pronoun voir
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mettre
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sentir
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je vois mets sens tu vois mets sens il / elle voit met sent nous voyons mettons sentons vous voyez mettez sentez ils / elles voient mettent sentent
Je ne vois pas / Nous ne voyons
pas l'intérêt d'attendre
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I/ We can't see the point of waiting
Elle met / Nous mettons
les enfants à la crèche
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She sends / We send the children to a creche
Elle sort / Nous sortons
rarement pendant la semaine
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She rarely goes out / We rarely go out during the week
Elle promet de nous tenir au courant de la situation.
She promises to keep us informed of the situation.
Elle met sa famille au-dessus de tout.
She puts her family above everything.
Tous les matins je sors pour acheter le journal.
Every morning I go out to buy the newspaper.
Nous ne voyons pas où est le problème.
We can’t see what the problem is.
Elle ne se sent pas prête à prendre cette décision.
She doesn’t feel ready to take this decision.
5 Other irregularsTable 7.5a: Present tense of irregular verbs
Infinitive Paradigm asseoir assieds, assieds, assied, asseyons, asseyez, asseyent
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battre bats, bats, bat, battons, battez, battent
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courir cours, cours, court, courons, courez, courent
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connaître connais, connais, connaît, connaissons, connaissez, connaissent
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craindre crains, crains, craint, craignons, craignez, craignent
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recevoir reçois, reçois, reçoit, recevons, recevez, reçoivent
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devoir dois, dois, doit, devons, devez, doivent
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écrire
écris, écris, écrit, écrivons, écrivez, écrivent
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falloir il faut mourir meurs, meurs, meurt, mourons, mourez, meurent
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pouvoir peux, peux, peut, pouvons, pouvez, peuvent
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savoir sais, sais, sait, savons, savez, savent
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tenir tiens, tiens, tient, tenons, tenez, tiennent
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ouvrir ouvre, ouvres, ouvre, ouvrons, ouvrez, ouvrent
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valoir vaux, vaux, vaut, valons, valez, valent
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vouloir veux, veux, veut, voulons, voulez, veulent
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Tous les hommes naissent égaux en droit.
All men are born equal before the law.
Le prix inclut le petit déjeuner et le dîner.
The price includes breakfast and dinner.
En travaillant ainsi vous courez le risque de vous rendre malade.
Working like that you run the risk of making yourself ill.
Laurent seul détient la réponse à cette question.
Laurent alone holds the answer to this question.
S’il t’interroge sur l’incident d’hier tu te tais.
If he asks you about yesterday’s incident say nothing.