1.3: Grammaire - présentation
As in English, the plural is formed by adding an - s to the singular form of the noun. Note, however, that the - s is not pronounced. In spoken language, the determiner is often the only indication that a noun is singular or plural.
Example : Shasta est un grand chat . Shasta et Sasha sont de grands chats .
Nouns ending in -s , -x , or -z do not change in the plural.
Examples : Shasta, regarde, une souris ! Est-ce que tu aimes les souris comme tous les chats ?
Le prix de cette voiture est cher. Les prix des voitures sont chers en général.
Obélix a un grand nez . Obélix et Astérix tous les deux ont de grands nez .
1. Astérix aime (le campus) américains. 2. (L'étudiant) doivent faire (leur choix) et s'inscrire ( sign up ) (au cours) .
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1. Astérix aime les campus américains. 2. Les étudiants doivent faire leurs choix et s'inscrire aux cours.
1. Nouns ending in - al , - ail , or - au in the singular end in - aux in the plural.
Examples: Shasta est un animal . Tous les chats sont des animaux .
=> There are a few exceptions: un bal (ball, dance), des bals ; un carnaval (carnival), des carnavals ; un festival (festival), des festivals ; un récital (recital), des récitals .
2. Nouns ending in - eu or - eau in the singular add - x in the plural.
Examples: Voici un beau taureau . Voici deux beaux taureaux .
3. Nouns ending in - ou end in - oux in the plural:
Examples: un hibou (owl) - des hiboux ; un bijou (jewel) - des bijoux
=> Exceptions include: un clou (nail), des clous ; un sou (money), des sous ; un trou (hole), des trous .
4. Some nouns have an alternate form in the plural:
un oeil (eye), des yeux
Madame (Madam), M es dame s
Monsieur (Sir), M es sieur s
Mademoiselle (Miss), M es demoiselle s
Note that some nouns follow the regular rule of plural formation but are pronounced differently in the plural. For example, the -f is pronounced in the singular, but not in the plural.
un œu f (egg), des œufs
un bœu f (steer), des bœufs
1. Les chats aiment manger (un souris) et (un oiseau). 2. Astérix aime manger (un œuf) mais il n'aime pas trop (le végétal). 3. Sasha adore porter (un bijou).
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1. Les chats aiment manger des souris et des oiseaux. 2. Astérix aime manger des œufs mais il n'aime pas trop les végétaux. 3. Sasha adore porter des bijoux.
Spelling changes occur in the stems of several groups of -er verbs in the present tense. These spelling changes reflect the pronunciation of the present tense forms.
You may have already noticed the spelling change in the verb s'appeler (Je m'appelle ... , My name is ...). For verbs like appeler (to call), rappeler (to call back) and jeter (to throw), the consonant - l or - t in the the stem doubles in all forms of the present tense, except in the first and second person plural (nous and vous). This follows the traditional boot pattern of er-verb conjugations in the present tense.
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My name is Astérix, and what is your name ? (use vous-form)
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Je m'appe ll e Astérix, et vous, comment vous appe l ez-vous ?
This same "boot" pattern is repeated in spelling change verbs like préférer (to prefer). In these verbs the é in the last syllable of the stem changes to an è , except in the first and second person plural (nous and vous). Listen carefully to the different pronunciations of é and è in the conjugations below.
| préf é rer 'to prefer' | |
| je préf è re | nous préf é rons |
| tu préf è res | vous préf é rez |
| il/elle/on préf è re | ils/elles préf è rent |
Verbs conjugated like préférer include:
| considérer , to consider |
| espérer , to hope |
| régler , to regulate, pay, settle, adjust |
| répéter ,to repeat |
| sécher , to dry, skip (a class) |
Astérix prefers French, and you, what class do you prefer ? (use vous-form)
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Astérix préf è re le français, et vous, quel cours préf é rez-vous ?
In verbs which are conjugated like acheter (to buy), the e in the last syllable of the stem also changes to an è , again with the exception of the first and second person plural forms.
| ach e ter 'to buy' | |
| j' ach è te | nous ach e tons |
| tu ach è tes | vous ach e tez |
| il/elle/on ach è te | ils/elles ach è tent |
Verbs conjugated like acheter include:
| amener , to bring somebody (along) |
| emmener , to take somebody (along) |
| lever , to lift, raise |
| mener , to take, lead |
| peser , to weigh |
I get up at 7, and you what time do you get up? (use vous-form)
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Je me l è ve à 7 heures, et vous, à quelle heure vous l e vez-vous ?
Another group of stem-changing verbs include those ending in - ayer , including essayer (to try) and payer (to pay). In these verbs the y changes to i in all persons except the first and second person plural (nous and vous). Note that this change is not mandatory, but verbs that end in - uyer and -oyer ( nettoyer, ennuyer ) do have a mandatory change of y into i .
| essa y er 'to try' | |
| j' essa i e / essaye | nous essa y ons |
| tu essa i es / essayes | vous essa y ez |
| il/elle/on essa i e / essaye | ils/elles essa i ent / essayent |
1. I am paying now, and you, when do you pay ? (use vous-form). 2. I am cleaning my apartment now, and you, when do you clean? (use vous-form).
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1. Je pa i e /pa y e maintenant, et vous, quand pa y ez-vous ? 2. Je netto i e mon appartement maintenant, et vous, quand netto y ez-vous?
Finally, verbs ending in - ger like voyager (to travel) add an e after the g in the nous form of the present tense, so that the g is pronounced as a soft sound before the - ons ending (i.e. nous voyag e ons ). Similarly, in verbs ending in - cer , commencer (to start), for example, the c in the nous form changes to ç to keep the soft c sound ( nous commen ç ons ).
| voyager 'to travel | |
| je voyage | nous voyag e ons |
| tu voyages | vous voyagez |
| il/elle/on voyage | ils/elles voyagent |
Other verbs in this category include:
| corriger , to correct |
| exiger , to demand, require |
| manger , to eat |
| nager , to swim |
| partager , to share |
| ranger , to tidy up, arrange |
| rédiger , to write, compose |
| songer , to dream, reflect |
We are eating some soup, and you what are you eating ? (use vous-form)
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Nous mang e ons de la soupe, et vous, qu'est-ce que vous mangez ?
Aknowledgment: some parts of this page are partially adopted from Francais Interactif .