# French verb conjugations **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971 "2004-03-23T19:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![quelquechose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6f9a4e/32.png) [@quelquechose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quelquechose)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/1 "2004-03-23T19:48:45Z")
I was wondering which conjugation fits best in each of these sentences, some have more than one answer. And no, this is not homework. These were questions that I got wrong on a test, and my teacher couldn’t really explain why they were wrong, so now I turn to the SDMB for answers. 1. Si je te (donner) de l’argent, (pouvoir)-tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? 2. Si vous (avoir) le temps, venez me voir. 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’(écrire) chaque dimanche. Si j’(être) à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. 4. Si vous (vouloir) voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. If you could explain why one uses a certain conjugation in a certain place, ça m’aiderait beaucoup. Et aussi, comment dit-on “conjugation” en français? ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/2 "2004-03-23T20:29:04Z")
> [@quelquechose](#): > > I was wondering which conjugation fits best in each of these sentences, some have more than one answer. And no, this is not homework. These were questions that I got wrong on a test, and my teacher couldn’t really explain why they were wrong, so now I turn to the SDMB for answers. > > 1. Si je te (donner) de l’argent, (pouvoir)-tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? > 2. Si vous (avoir) le temps, venez me voir. > 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’(écrire) chaque dimanche. Si j’(être) à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. > 4. Si vous (vouloir) voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. > > If you could explain why one uses a certain conjugation in a certain place, ça m’aiderait beaucoup. > > Et aussi, comment dit-on “conjugation” en français? I’ll give it a stab; it’s been a while. (Pretty rotten teacher if they won’t explain errors). 1. je te donne peux-tu acheter 2. vous avez 3 ils m’ecrivait j’etais 3. vous voudriez 1 & 2 us epresent tense 3 uses imperfect tense 4 I forget what tense this is but the translation is if you would like to see the play… To Conjugate is conjuguer (the verb) ---
**Author:** ![DirtyKash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@DirtyKash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirtyKash)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/3 "2004-03-23T20:45:24Z")
1. Si je te **donne** de l’argent, **peux** -tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? 2. Si vous **avez** le temps, **venez** me voir. 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’ **écrivaient** chaque dimanche. Si j’ **étais** à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. 4. Si vous **voudriez** voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. -DirtyKash (in Montreal!) ---
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/4 "2004-03-23T20:59:44Z")
1. Si je te (donner) de l’argent, (pouvoir)-tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? donnais/pourrais This is the oft-misunderstood subjunctive case. 2. Si vous (avoir) le temps, venez me voir. avez 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’(écrire) chaque dimanche. Si j’(être) à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. m’ont ecrits/??? 4. Si vous (vouloir) voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. voulez If you could explain why one uses a certain conjugation in a certain place, ça m’aiderait beaucoup. Et aussi, comment dit-on “conjugation” en français? [/QUOTE] conjugaision ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/5 "2004-03-23T21:16:39Z")
1. Si je te (donner) de l’argent, (pouvoir)-tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? 2. Si vous (avoir) le temps, venez me voir. 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’(écrire) chaque dimanche. Si j’(être) à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. 4. Si vous (vouloir) voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. 1. Si je te donne de l’argent, pourras-tu m’acheter une nouvelle robe demain? The second verb could have been written as “peux-tu” if the person had not written “demain”-- clearly requiring the future tense. 2. Si vous avez le temps, venez me voir. 3. L’été dernier, quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’écrivaient chaque dimanche. (écrivaient-- the ‘imparfait’ denotes in this case a repeated or habitual action). Si j’avais été à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. (in this case, the plus-que-parfait tense used in the clause containing the condition calls for a conditional anterior tense in the other clause). 4. Si vous voulez voir la pièce, if faudra acheter des billets… Conjugation = conjugaison ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/6 "2004-03-23T21:18:49Z")
La concordance des temps in French is a little complicated, I agree. (dixit a French teacher) ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/7 "2004-03-23T21:49:33Z")
> [@quelquechose](#): > > 1. Si je te (donner) de l’argent, (pouvoir)-tu acheter une nouvelle robe demain? Several possibilities : 1. “Si je te donne de l’argent, pourras-tu acheter une robe demain?” : “strong” hypothetical. You’re enquiring about the good will of the other person, but seriously intend to hand him money if he agrees. 2)“Si je te donne de l’argent, pourrais-tu acheter une robe demain?”. Same as above. Slightly more formal/polite. 2)" Si je te donne de l’argent, peux-tu acheter une robe demain?" Same as above. possibly remotely uncorrect in theory, I wouldn’t know for sure, but extremely common. 1. “Si je te donnais de l’argent, pourrais-tu acheter une robe demain?” “weak” hypothetical. You’re just enquiring, and do not necessarily intend to give the money. You just want to know. > [@](#): > > 1. Si vous (avoir) le temps, venez me voir. “Si vous avez le temps, venez me voir”. I wouldn’t know how this is called grammatically, but it’s kind of a “permanent present” : whenever you can (in the future), come. > [@](#): > > 1. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’(écrire) chaque dimanche. Si j’(être) à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. Two possibilities : 1)“Ils m’ont écrit chaque dimanche” 1. “ils m’écrivaient chaque dimanche” There’s only a very slight difference, and difficult to explain. The first one is somewhat more emphatic (I was very pleased. They sent me a letter _each_ sunday), the second one more neutral, descriptive of a regular action occuring in the past. But honestly, you can use either without worrying. Once again, it’s possible that the first one isn’t in theory perfectly correct (since it follows the “imparfait” “étaient”). But if it isn’t, essentially no french speaker would be aware of it, except for grammarians. In both cases, it’s followed by “si j’avais été à leur place”. Don’t ask me why. It’s just so. A conditionnal sentence in the past is formed with “plus que parfait” ( “si j’avais mangé celà”) + “conditionnel passé” ( “j’aurais été malade”). > [@](#): > > 1. Si vous (vouloir) voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. “Si vous voulez voir la pièce” : The intent is expressed by the present. > [@](#): > > Et aussi, comment dit-on “conjugation” en français? Conjugaison ---
**Author:** ![quelquechose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6f9a4e/32.png) [@quelquechose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quelquechose)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/8 "2004-03-23T22:04:01Z")
My answers were: 1. Si je te donnais de l’argent, pourrais-tu acheter une robe demain? 2. Si vous aurez le temps, venez me voir 3. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’écrivaient chaque dimanche. Si j’etais à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. 4. Si vous voudriez voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. The one that bothers me the most is number 3, with …ils m’écrivaient chaque… My teacher said that one must use the perfect past (m’ont ecrit) because the imparfait is never used with chaque. Je crois qu’elle devient folle… Also, thanks for the help with the others. I feel stupid for missing number 2; I should have known to use the present. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/9 "2004-03-23T22:07:28Z")
> [@DirtyKash](#): > > Si j’ **étais** à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. Nope. “si j’etais à leur place” is only used for the present. “Si j’etais à leur place, je ne pourrais pas faire celà”. > [@](#): > > 1. Si vous **voudriez** voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. Nope. “voudriez” is the “conditionnel présent”. For instance : “si vous connaissiez cet acteur, vous _voudriez_ voir la pièce” . In a conditionnal sentence, the “imparfait” is used for the condition (knowing the actor) and the “conditionnel présent” for the subsequent action (going to the theater). (respectively the “plus-que-parfait” and “conditionnel passé” for a _past_ conditionnal sentence, as in the previous example). ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/10 "2004-03-23T22:45:27Z")
> [@quelquechose](#): > > My answers were: > > 1. Si je te donnais de l’argent, pourrais-tu acheter une robe demain? Definitely correct, as written above, amongst several possibilities. > [@](#): > > 1. Si vous aurez le temps, venez me voir /quote] > > Blatantly false. By using “blatantly”, I do not intend to chastize you. I just mean that it would be recognized immediatly as uncorrect by any french speaker. > > > [@](#): > > > > 1. L’été dernier quand mes parents étaient en France, ils m’écrivaient chaque dimanche. Si j’etais à leur place, je n’aurais pas pu faire cela. > > Nope, since “si j’etais a leur place” indicates the present and “je n’aurais pas pu” the past. For instance a correct sentence could be “Mes parents sont en france et m’écrivent chaque dimanche. Si j’étais à leur place, je ne pourrais pas faire celà” > > > [@](#): > > > > 1. Si vous voudriez voir la pièce, il faudra acheter des billets en avance. > > See my post above. > > > [@](#): > > > > The one that bothers me the most is number 3, with …ils m’écrivaient chaque… My teacher said that one must use the perfect past (m’ont ecrit) because the imparfait is never used with chaque. Je crois qu’elle devient folle… > > She probably isn’t mad, but definitely wrong. The imparfait is used for repetitive, customary actions in the past “chaque dimanche, j’allais a la messe”. “chaque matin, je promenais mon chien”. Using the “passe compose” for repetitive actions somehow add emphasis, makes the actions noticeable in some way, since this tense is normally used for _ponctual_ actions (j’ai mangé ce matin"). So in this case, the “passe compose” sort of refers to a string of ponctual actions rather than to a customary one . For instance : “comme tu me l’avais demandé, chaque matin j’ai promené le chien”. (“see! I did what you asked me! Each morning!”) or “pendant un an, chaque matin, j’ai promené le chien” (fortunately, I didn’t have to before and I don’t anymore). But we’re in a realm of subtleties, here. You can use one or the other without worrying (except worrying about your teacher’s opinion, unfortunately). > > Also, thanks for the help with the others. I feel stupid for missing number 2; I should have known to use the present. ---
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/11 "2004-03-23T23:25:31Z")
Man, I suck. ☹ Thanks for the explanations, vous autres! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/12 "2004-03-24T04:39:22Z")
Ok…Waking up early this morning, and remembering reading peeking recently at a a grammar book and discovering there arez zillions of rules which are totally ignored by 99.9 % of the french population, I had second thoughts, concerning “chaque” and the imparfait. It came to my mind that _maybe_ there could actually exist some obscure rule, stating that the “imparfait” can’t be used after “chaque” (that “tous les dimanches, j’allais a la mese” is correct, while “chaque dimanche j’allais a la messe” is not). So, perhaps your teacher is right, and perhaps she’ll be able to point at the page 347 of her book " 1001 obscure french grammar rules to trick your students", and laugh at you. I don’t have a complete reference grammar book to check that. But however, I would maintain that in any case, “chaque” followed by the imparfait is used without second thought by eveybody, except possibly the 0.1% of the population who, for some unfathomable reason, would have heard about this obscure rule and would apply it. That’s assuming that your teacher is right and such a rule exist (though I don’t have such a faith in teacher’s knowledge, generally speaking, as to assume they’re always right). If true, then, you’re going to learn something which will allow you to correct essentially all the french population about the proper use of their language. If it’s the point of your french courses, then, that’s great. ---
**Author:** ![DirtyKash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@DirtyKash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirtyKash)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-verb-conjugations/235971/13 "2004-03-25T00:31:57Z")
I go to school in French, and have since kindergarten. But whatever. :o