7.3: DIRE, to say, tell.

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 142315

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

DIRE, to say, tell.

Je dis toujours la vérité.	I always tell the truth.
Tu dis qu'elle est malade?	You say that she's sick?
Elle dit "bonjour".	She says "hello."
Nous disons "au revoir".	We say "farewell."
Qu'est-ce que vous dites?	What are you saying?
Ils disent qu'ils ont froid.	They're saying that they're cold.
Passé composé: j'ai dit, ...
Imparfait: je disais, ...
Futur: je dirai, ...	Futur proche: je vais dire, ...

Figure 7.6. Cette petite fille porte un cartable. Ou va-t-elle?

Questions et Réponses

B. What are you going to do tomorrow? When are you going to leave?

—Qu'est-ce que vous allez faire demain?
—Je vais aller aux cours, comme toujours.
—Je vais travailler.
—Quand allez-vous partir?
—Nous allons partir demain. (Le train part à six heures du matin. Tu peux aller à la gare avec nous?)
—Nous partons² tout de suite. (Pourquoi?)

² This is the use of the present tense (nous partons) for the future, just as it is used colloquially in English ("We're leaving").

Exercice IV

Prepare at least five answers to questions like No. 1. and be ready to ask those questions, changing the time period mentioned (instead of demain, you could say ce soir, for example). Then create at least five additional questions following the pattern in No. 3. (You can ask "when" or "where." plus inquire about some specific activity. ) Remember, you are not restricted to asking directly or exclusively about the person to whom you are talking. Make it more meaningful by referring to things of interest to your fellow students now.

Grammar Notes: The verb tables provide the first-person form of the future tense for your information. In French, as in English, bv far the most common way of expressing the future in a verb construction is with aller ("to go") plus an infinitive, as illustrated above. Use it as much as possible: it's very easy and very useful. For comments on the construction, see the Reference Grammar, 6.3.3.