Verb Agreement in French: A Comprehensive Guide

One of the most important aspects of learning French is mastering verb agreement. This can be a daunting task, but with a little practice and attention to detail, you can become proficient in verb agreement and improve your French language skills.

The basic rule of verb agreement in French is that the verb should agree with the subject in gender and number. In other words, if the subject is singular and feminine, the verb should be singular and feminine as well. If the subject is plural and masculine, the verb should be plural and masculine.

Let`s take a look at some examples:

– Je suis (I am) – The subject “je” is singular and masculine, so the verb “suis” is also singular and masculine.

– Tu es (You are) – The subject “tu” is singular and feminine, so the verb “es” is also singular and feminine.

– Ils mangent (They eat) – The subject “ils” is plural and masculine, so the verb “mangent” is also plural and masculine.

– Elles parlent (They speak) – The subject “elles” is plural and feminine, so the verb “parlent” is also plural and feminine.

Irregular Verbs

While most French verbs follow the basic rule of verb agreement, there are some irregular verbs that require special attention. For example:

– Être (to be) – The verb “être” is irregular because its conjugation changes depending on the subject. For example, “je suis” (I am) but “nous sommes” (we are).

– Avoir (to have) – The verb “avoir” is also irregular, but not as much as “être”. Its conjugation changes with the subject as well: “j`ai” (I have) but “vous avez” (you have).

– Aller (to go) – The verb “aller” is irregular in that its conjugation does not change with the subject. For example, “je vais” (I go) and “nous allons” (we go).

Agreement with Pronouns

When a pronoun is used as the subject of the verb, the verb should agree with the pronoun in gender and number. For example:

– Elle parle (She speaks) – The subject “elle” is singular and feminine, so the verb “parle” is also singular and feminine.

– Ils parlent (They speak) – The subject “ils” is plural and masculine, so the verb “parlent” is also plural and masculine.

Agreement in Compound Tenses

In compound tenses (such as the passé composé), the auxiliary verb (such as “avoir” or “être”) agrees with the subject in gender and number, while the past participle remains the same. For example:

– J`ai mangé (I ate) – The subject “j`” is singular and masculine, so the auxiliary verb “ai” is also singular and masculine.

– Elles ont parlé (They spoke) – The subject “elles” is plural and feminine, so the auxiliary verb “ont” is also plural and feminine.

Conclusion

Verb agreement in French is a vital part of mastering the language. By paying attention to the gender and number of the subject, as well as irregular verbs and agreement with pronouns and in compound tenses, you can improve your French language skills and communicate more effectively in both written and spoken forms. With practice and dedication, verb agreement can become second nature, and you can take your French language skills to the next level.