5.9: Structure - Les verbes comme prendre
- Page ID
- 118938
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn about the verb prendre.
On étudie !
Le verbe prendre
We are now going to look at the very useful French verb prendre. This is how you conjugate prendre:
| Singulier | Pluriel |
|---|---|
| je prends | nous prenons |
| tu prends | vous prenez |
| il, elle, on prend | ils, elles prennent |
The verbe prendre is an irregular -re verb useful for a variety of expressions about transportation and daily activities. It can usually be translated to English as "to take", but not always. Observe how it is used in the following sentences:
Je prends le bus pour aller au café. (I take the bus to the café.)
Au café, je prends un café avec mes amis. (At the café, I have a coffee with my friends.)
Nous parlons d'un cours que nous prenons. (We talk about a class that we are taking.)
Je prends mon temps pour rentrer chez moi. (I take my time going home.)
Quand je rentre à la maison, je prends un bain. (When I get home, I take a bath.)
You will see prendre used in a variety of expressions. Here are some examples:
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| prendre des risques | to take risks |
| prendre du vin | to have some wine |
| prendre le petit déjeuner | to have breakfast |
| prendre quelque chose au pied de la lettre | to take something literally |
| prendre un verre avec des amis | to grab a drink with friends |
Watch this video review the the verb review the verb prendre.
D'autres verbes comme prendre
Other important verbs that conjugate in the same exact way are comprendre (to understand), apprendre (to learn), reprendre (to take again, to take back, to resume), surprendre (to surprise, to catch someone doing something), and entreprendre (to undertake, to set about). Notice how they all end with -prendre.
Nathalie ne comprend pas la leçon. (Nathalie does not understand the lesson.)
Est-ce que tu apprends l’italien ? (Are you learning Italian?)
Vous apprenez le français, mais parfois vous ne le comprenez pas. (You are learning French, but sometimes you do not understand it.)
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| prendre | to take, to drink |
| reprendre | to re-take, to take back |
| apprendre | to learn |
| comprendre | to understand |
| surprendre | to surprise |
| entreprendre | to undertake |
We will look at regular -re verbs later. In the meantime, we are going practice using these three -prendre verbs.
On pratique !
Activité A
Complétez avec « prendre », « apprendre », ou « comprendre » :
- Tu______________le bus pour aller au travail ?
- Vous____________quels cours ce semestre ?
- Les Français__________________leur temps à table. Ils aiment bavarder pendant des heures.
- On_____________un verre au bistrot du coin ?
- Je ne sais pas faire du vélo, mais je vais_______________cet été.
- Les Québécois_____________le français de France mais les Français ne______________pas le français du Québec.
- Marianne_______________toujours le dernier biscuit.
Activité B
Complétez ces phrases :
- Chaque matin, je prends____________________________.
- Tu comprends____________________________ ?
- Aujourd’hui, nous allons ____________________________.
- Dans la vie, il faut prendre____________________________.
- Pour apprendre le français, nous devons____________________________.
- Quand elle fait ses devoirs, elle prend____________________________.
- Vous prenez____________________________ .
On approfondit !
Use the following resources to type accents and/or search for words:
- Accents: ç, à, é, è, â, ê, î, ô, û, ù, ë, ï, ü
- Dictionnaire français-anglais