Extremely Simplified Grammar - Grammaire Extrêmement Simplifiée → Empezar lección / Descargar tarjetas en MP3

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definición

A few simplified rules which shall allow you to form MORE OR LESS correct and understandable sentences.

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Quelques règles simplifiées qui vous permettront de former PLUS OU MOINS de phrases correctes et compréhensibles.

The position of an adjective

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AFTER the noun

some notable exceptions: petit (small), jeune (young), beau (pretty, beautiful), gros (fat), bon (good), mauvais (bad)

feminine form

an intelligent friend (male) - an intelligent friend (female)

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add "-e" to the noun or adjective in question

many exceptions to this rule though but if a word concludes with "e" it is most likely feminine

un ami intelligent – une amie intelligente

general plural form

intelligent friends

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add "-s" to the noun or adjective in question

des amis inteligents

plurals of the nouns ending in -au, -eau, -eu, -oeu

a beautiful gift - beautiful gifts

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add "-x"

un beau cadeau – des beaux cadeaux

plurals of the nouns ending in -al

an international newspaper - international newspapers

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"-al" becomes "-aux"

exception: un festival – des festivals (festival - festivals)

un journal international – journaux internationaux

3 groups of verbs

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2 patterns + irregular verbs

1. verbs ending in "-er" e.g. "aller" (to go); 2. verbs ending in "-ir" e.g. "finir" (to finish); 3. irregular forms e.g. "être" (to be)

past participles of the 1st group of verbs

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change of ending: "-er" -> "-é"

to go - gone

aller - allé

past participles of the 2nd group of verbs

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change of ending: "-ir" -> "-i"

to finish - finished

finir - fini

passé composé tense for 1st and 2nd group of verbs

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conjugated form of auxiliary verb "avoir" (to have) followed by past participle

to finish - I (have) finished

finir - j'ai fini

the most common verbs which go with auxiliary "être" (to be) in passé composé

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aller – to go

entrer - to enter

partir - to leave, to set off

future tense

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conjugated form of "aller" (to go) + infinitive

to finish - I will finish

finir - je vais finir

negating a word

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"pas" + word

important - not important

important - pas important

comparative of an adjective or adverb

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"plus" + adjective/adverb

fast - faster

vite - plus vite

superlative of an adjective/adverb

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"le plus" + adjective/adverb

fast - the fastest

vite - le plus vite

adverbs

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add "-ment" to the feminine form of an adjective in question

happy -> happily

heureux -> heureuse (feminine form) -> heureusement

usage of indefinite articles "un", "une", "des"

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1. to introduce a new, countable noun; 2. to refer to a general class of things

usage of indefinite articles "le", "la", "les"

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1. to talk about things known from the context; 2. to talk about unique things, phenomena etc.

verb negation

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add "ne" before and "pas" after the main verb

if it's an infinitive "ne" and "pas" do not get separated by a verb but are placed one after the other before an infinitive e.g. danser -> ne pas danser

je danse – je ne danse pas (I'm dancing - I'm not dancing)

Do nouns inflect for cases in French?

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No;)

How to form a question? (1)

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main verb + subject + object/the rest

You speak French. -> Do you speak French?

Vous parlez français. –> Parlez-vous français?

How to form a question? (2)

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(interrogative word e.g. "who", "when" etc.) + "est-ce que" + subject + main verb + the rest

You speak French. -> Do you speak French?

Vous parlez français. –> Est-ce que vous parlez français?

How to form a question? (3)

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by intonation

You speak French. -> You speak French?

Vous parlez français. -> Vous parlez français?

negation in passé composé (past tense)

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subject + "ne" + conjugated auxiliary "avoir" or "être" + "pas" + past participle (participe passé)

I didn't dance.

Je n'ai pas dansé.

question in passé composé (past tense)

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(interrogative word e.g. "who", "when" etc.) + "est-ce que" + subject + conjugated auxiliary "avoir" or "être" + past participle (participe passé) + the rest

Did I dance?

Est-ce que j'ai dansé?

negation in future tense

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subject + "ne" + conjugated auxiliary "aller" + "pas" + infinitive

He will not dance.

Il ne va pas danser.

question in future tense

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(interrogative word e.g. "who", "when" etc.) + "est-ce que" + subject + conjugated auxiliary "aller" + infinitive

When will he dance?

Quand est-ce qu'il va danser?

What's left unexplained?

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Past tenses Imparfait and Plus-que-parfait, passive voice, partitive articles, conditionals, subjunctive mood etc. We kindly invite you to avail yourself of our other courses on VocApp.

How to best learn grammar?

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