Third Conjugation Regular Verbs (ending in -re)

[Deimos]

My medium sized dictionary (Collins) has a really good section in the back that gives the conjugations for regular verbs ending in -er, -ir and -re. Also a section of irregular verbs. I have now noticed that my large dictionary (also a Collins) has conjugations in the back but only gives regular conjugations of -er and -ir verbs - everything else is classed as irregular. Thus, vendre (the 3rd conjugation regular very in the medium sized Collins dictionary) is listed as irregular in the large Collins.

Is there something strange going on with -re verbs. I do notice that the list of irregular verbs ending in -re is much longer in the medium sized dictionary.

(Sorry its rather a basic question but my French is not great)

Many thanks

Ian

[Cat]

Just a thought Ian, but is your large Collins a French (as in published in France, for French people) dictionary, rather than a French-English one?

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that French people don't acknowledge -re verbs as being regular.  I shall go off and Google for a while to see if I can confirm this.

 

 

[Deimos]

Both are UK purchased dictionaries. However, the grammar section in the back of the medium sized one is all targeted at English speakers trying to speak French. However, the large one is a bit more "both ways". The "helpful bits" such as how to write a letter, verbs and the like are both in English (for English speakers with French verb conjugations) and then French for French speakers with English verbs though the English verbs bit it pretty minimal. Definitely more orientated at English speakers though as the verb bits for French speakers does not even have "I am, you are, etc.")

Ian

[Ron Avery]

Have a look at http://french.about.com/About_French_Language.htm

Its a US based site but has a good verb conjugator, it sometimes uses canadian French expressions but for the basics it is very good and over time if you get the periodical newsletter E mailed it to you, it  covers and explains a lot of the things that cause problems to beginners and intermediates, in fact they have a page dedicated to the mistakes we make when learning French

[cooperlola]

 I've picked up a couple of good little grammar books in the remaindered shops here.  One is "Dictionnaire des Conugaisons" by Pierre Ripert.  Cost me about 1 euro if I remember and very useful. 

[Cassis]

Going back to whether '-re' verbs are no longer regarded as regular, I think it may simply down to the whim of the dictionary editors.  In order to make things as complicated as possible, my big Larousse Chambers conjugates 116 French verbs in no particular order without even separating the 'regular' verbs from the rest.

[Chancer]

Buy the bible "Bescherel L'art de conjugaison" nothing but verb conjugation, does what it says on the cover.

And best of all all your new French friends will say "I used to have one of them, it was the first thing that i threw away when I left school!"

[hastobe]

[quote user="J.R."]

Buy the bible "Bescherel L'art de conjugaison" nothing but verb conjugation, does what it says on the cover.

[/quote]

I agree - it's excellent.

Kathie

[Cassis]

Another online verb conjugator.

http://www.leconjugueur.com/

You can download it onto your PC as well (only the trial version is free).

[Mochas]

You might also try the translation website:

http://www.wordreference.com

This is also downloadable and has recently added a conjugation facility.