Monika Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 For all those with trouble learning French something to cheer you up. [:D] I have just read that the verb "aider " has thirty- six possible endings. Do the French know all these endings by heart, have we ever got a chance to learn all these? (This could be a question for Frenchie and Jimmy taktak?). I think I stick to talking in the "present tense"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hi MonikaI would suggest you buy a copy of Bescherelle's " Complete guide to cojugating 12000 French verbs", and you will see that all verbs technically have many more forms than that, probably in the order of 100![:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Maricopa, it's a good idea to get one of these, but is this Bescherelle guide a huge book or just a little one I can take everywhere, I am looking for a small handy one with all the most important verbs? Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I like the Larousse de Poche, "Le Pratique du Francais" as a general grammar and verb guide. Available HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 [quote user="Monika"]For all those with trouble learning French something to cheer you up. [:D]I have just read that the verb "aider " has thirty- six possible endings. Do the French know all these endings by heart, have we ever got a chance to learn all these? (This could be a question for Frenchie and Jimmy taktak?). I think I stick to talking in the "present tense"![/quote]I suspect that Frenchie, like me, had to learn all these by heart at school, and not just for the simple verbs like aider (1er groupe) or finir (2ème groupe), but also those from the 3rd group like paraître, vaincre and moudre... [:P]Do I use all the tenses?No not all of them, but some of them are part of everyday conversation: présent du sbujonctif, futur antérieur, conditionel passé... but without thinking about it, it's just instinctive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hi againIts about 140mm x 200mm x 10mm (about A5 size). Big pocket size, but be aware there is a version with grammar in as well, that is much thicker and heavier! Sorry, can't remember the cost.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juswundrin Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 " I am looking for a small handy one with all the most important verbs? Any advice?"Larousse do a series of small grammar guides including one called "Mini Verificateur: Conjugaison", which I highly recommend; just about every tense / ending for 8000 verbs.It's about 3" x 4", so easy to carry around if you need to. We got ours from Leclerc, cost just €3.32. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 This is the book for verbs. So popular it is in its 5th edition.http://www.amazon.co.uk/501-French-Verbs-Verb/dp/0764124293 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have it too Cathy and find it is better for a begnner as it has descriptions and examples in English, however it is hardly portable which the OP wants, mine sat in the bureau and the Bescherelle travelled with me.I dont carry anything now and prefer to wing it, writing the above made me reflect that I actually stopped taking my E-F F-E dictionary around with me very quickly whereas the Bescherelle I carried for over a year.So to comment on the question in the subject line, I would say that for me the conjugation and tenses were, and still are the hardest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted May 20, 2008 Author Share Posted May 20, 2008 Thanks for all your good suggestions. This has given me an idea that I was going to try and make my own version, looking it all up and writing it all down would be an added excersise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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