Now heres a big question!! for some one who has a spare life

[Pads]

Last week my teacher metioned that this week we would start on the past tense, so I thought I'd have a quick look in my verb book to get a bit of a start .............................[:-))] What did I find ? 1, Past anterior, 2 Past conditional 3 Past subjunctive. Then theres french for past 1, passe simple, 2    passe compose Now which one do you think she meant ? and what do they all mean, I dont even know them in English let alone french.

So can I ask for just être (to be ) in the I form:

in english whats are these

Present

Je suis  = I am

Imperfect

j'étais = I was

Passe simple

je fus =

future

je serai = 

condition

je serai =

present subjunctive

que je sois =

imperfect subjunctive

que je fusse =

passe compose

j'ai été = I have been 

pluperfect

j'avais été =

past anterior

j'eus été=

future anterior

j'aurai été =

past contdition

j'aurais =

past subjunctive

que j'aie été =

pluperfect subjunctive

que j'eusse été =

If any one can answer this I will be very impressed[8-)][kiss]

Edit: as they come in I will fill them in in red  

 

 

 

 

 

[lorna]

I can't give you the answers myself but this site: http://www.languageguide.org/francais/grammar/ gives lots of explanation about the various tenses. It also gives rules for telling the gender of French nouns - I didn't know such rules existed! Anyway, it's a really good site for grammar.

Lorna.

[Pads]

Thanks for that Lorna [:)], but I have tried reading about them like this but none of it makes any sense to me what I need is just a simple list , There are loads of french list but none translated into english, I missed out on a good education as a child , as I was dragged around the world with my parents. if (and I doubt it) I was every told about all this as a child I have totally forgotten about it. [8-)]   

[Pierre ZFP]

If you're just starting on the 'Past Tense' it will be the passé composé which is dead easy.  It's just 'to have' or 'to be' plus the whole verb

e.g.

I buy = J'achète

I bought = J'ai acheter

 

[suein56]

Pads I have sent you a pm

Sue

[Pads]

Thanks for that Pierre, so thats

j'ai été = I was ? 

[suein56]

I have been

Sue

[DerekJ]

The imperfect is the      was/were ..... ing tense.

So, I was = j'étais

[Clair]

This page might help: http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa010100.htm

[Ron Avery]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

If you're just starting on the 'Past Tense' it will be the passé composé which is dead easy.  It's just 'to have' or 'to be' plus the whole verb

e.g.

I buy = J'achète

I bought = J'ai acheter

[/quote]

or I bought  is J'ai acheté perhaps?

[Panda]

Hi Pads

I felt the same when I first started to study french and found that good books on english grammar really helped me to remember the english equivalent.

 I also have a book which describes both the english and french versions alongside each other, this helps too.  What you will find is that whilst you do know and use all of the various tenses you probably either don't know or have forgotten what they are called as I don't think we are ever taught them in the way the french are.  Interestingly though if you watch any french quiz shows you will see a look of horror when even a french person is asked a question on conjugation and they often get it wrong. 

Panda

 

[Ron Avery]

Pads do not try to run before you can walk.  As Pierre says for the past tense you will do the passé composé as a start and then the imparfait.  Forget the rest for a while, you must grasp these two and their composition to have any chance of understanding the rest.  We did most of those others in year 5,  not year 1.

Its not easy remembering when to use which, however as a rough guide, the perfect or passé composé (PC)  is used for an action that was in the past and completed in the past. "I bought a hat", "I fell over the cat".

The Imperfect or imparfait (IMP) is used for describing something in the past that was not completed. "The bus was red"  "The sun was shining"

For the use of the imparfait, think of story telling and scene setting.  "When we arrived (PC- action completed)  the sea was blue, (IMP) and the beach was empty (IMP).  My brother made a sandcastle (PC) and Dad put up the tent (PC ).

I would strongly advise you to buy a book like the Hugo French in 3 months, as if,  but it does explain the basics and addresses the sort of problems you are going to encounter like when to use être and when to use avoir in the passé composé.

,  

[Pads]

Thanks for that Ron that clears them a little, I like the scene setting Idea. [:)] 

[cooperlola]

Pierre and Ron are right - I would not go into all the tenses at this stage, but work with your teacher, because without a context, the translations are meaningless. I started to do them but some are the same in English although different tenses are used in French.  We, for instance, don't really have a "passe simple" equivalent as it's a literary form.  The subjunctive is a minefield but best described as something which might not necessarily ever happen (something you wish for, or which is imaginary - as in "if I were a rich man" "if wishes were horses" etc..)

I have an excellent  book called "Grammaire Progressive du Francais" which is full of exercises, and it too is very contextual - to my mind the best way to learn grammar altogether - not just verbs!

[Nicos]

Past historic????

[Pads]

[quote user="Nicos"]Past historic????
[/quote]

I know Nicos its scarey isnt it ?

I just wanted one example of each heading so I had a clue for the future, im not going to do much work on them until they come up in my class. I was really just checking which past tense I would be using tomorrow so I could have a look at a few before we start.

Thanks everyone for your input , it all helps  

[Chancer]

Ok as no one else has I will try, corrections welcomed

[quote user="Pads"]

Last week my teacher metioned that this week we would start on the past tense, so I thought I'd have a quick look in my verb book to get a bit of a start .............................[:-))] What did I find ? 1, Past anterior, 2 Past conditional 3 Past subjunctive. Then theres french for past 1, passe simple, 2    passe compose Now which one do you think she meant ? and what do they all mean, I dont even know them in English let alone french.

So can I ask for just être (to be ) in the I form:

in english whats are these

Present

Je suis  = I am

Imperfect

j'étais = I was (or I was at that time, I was being)

Passe simple

je fus = I was (used in literature not speech)

future

je serai =  I will be

condition

je serais = I would be

present subjunctive

que je sois = That I am

imperfect subjunctive

que je fusse = That I was being

passe compose

j'ai été = I have been I was

pluperfect

j'avais été = I  I had been

past anterior

j'eus été=   beyond my level I'm afraid!

future anterior

j'aurai été = I will have been

past contdition

j'aurais = actually j'aurais été _I would have been

past subjunctive

que j'aie été = That I was being

pluperfect subjunctive

que j'eusse été = That I was being been?[:)]

If any one can answer this I will be very impressed[8-)][kiss]

Edit: as they come in I will fill them in in red  

[/quote]

Pads, when I was at your stage of the language and curiosity I asked the same question myself and found that very few people could answer it, those answers that I did get and/or worked out along the way I pencilled in my Bescherelle as an aide memoire but on the next page "AVOIR"

To give you some confidence that was when I moved here 2 1/2 years ago (I have had about 2 years immersion during that period), now I understand, read and use confidently in speech (and the few times in writing) the following tenses:

Present infinitif and participe

Passé composé

Imparfait

Plus que parfait

Passe simple (only when reading)

Futur simple and antérieur

Conditionnel present and passé 1iere form

Imperatif (you missed out that one but it is really simple)

Subjonctif present and past

Its only when I list them like this I realise just how much I have learned but more importantly use.

The learning was 4 hours a week term time with a great tutor but finished last June

The using has been mostly the last 6 months when my confidence ahd grown and after finding a French girlfriend.

Stick at it and you will be rewarded.

[cooperlola]

Sorry to disagree, JR, but correctly, the present subjunctive in English is "were"  I wish I were... If I were a rich man, as said above - but it is often used wrongly in English (or not used at all) because many people would incorrectly say "if I was rich" - but Topol was correct!

[Chancer]

Dont apologise Cooperlola I were[6] actively seeking corrections I were[6]

Two years ago my knowledge of both French and English grammar was non existant, I did and still would, but for your correction say "if I was a rich man"!

Were (was[:)]are) you impressed Pads?

[woolybananasbrother]

OK guys, here is a challenge. Describe the future (tense) in English as if you had to teach it to a non native speaker.

[Chancer]

Very crafty!

Without a crystal ball only the conditional tense can be described!

[woolybananasbrother]

clever. OK then, what is the future in English as compared to French say.

[Pads]

[quote user="J.R."]

Dont apologise Cooperlola I were[6] actively seeking corrections I were[6]

Two years ago my knowledge of both French and English grammar was non existant, I did and still would, but for your correction say "if I was a rich man"!

Were (was[:)]are) you impressed Pads?

[/quote]

I was /am dead impressed JR thats what I need a french boyfriend ........[:D] any offers out there ?[:$] You also have to be under 50 big doe...ey brown eyes , and shruggy shoulders [Www]

No one's allowed to tell the hubby though [:-))]

[Danny]

pads,

I'm not being funny but may I suggest that you but a book of verb tables! then you will have all the common verbs and their conjugations

A good one in English - teach yourself 'French Verbs'

and in French - Bescherelle 'La Conjugaison'

you will find each verb and all its conjugations and translations on each page.

I have found them very useful. or "Je leur'ai trouvé très utile".... Ok that's me putting my head above the parapet waiting for Clair to correct me. It takes a bit of courage to write here in French.

I enjoy reading your questions because I get see how you are progressing and also I learn things too

Danny

[Pads]

For christmas I got The big blue book of french verbs 555 fully conjugated verbs, its realy good , but sadley its for clever people as its only in french , as I guess They expect me to know the english version, but I dont , it has examples of a few sentances in english but then it dosnt say which tense they are using [:(]. when it wont affend I will sneak a book with the english versions in too[Www]