Grammar notes English translation Not done in class (to be done later)

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Grammar notes
English translation
Not done in class (to be done later)
10/05/14
1. Summary
- Article
Most of the time a noun is preceded by its article
Definite article: le before (nm), la before (nf), les
before (nmp) or (nfp)
Indefinite Article:
un for (nm), une if it is an (nf), des (before (nmp) or
(nfp)
- Prepositions
à
To indicate location or a direction
before a (nm), a (nmp) or a (nfp) the preposition à and
article le, la or les merge to become au or aux (à le =
au, à les = aux)
De
To indicate provenance (as in the English "from")
To indicate a topic (as in the English "about")
before a (nm) or a (nmp) the preposition de and article
le or les merge to become du or des (de le = du, de les
= des)
Avant, depuis, pendant, après (time prepositions)
To indicate when something is happening.
Exercise: Make a basic sentence, then add either avant,
depuis, pendant, or après (before, since, while, after) +
an event noun with its article
Ex: (I) + (am) + (tired) + (after) + (the class)
(subject) + (conjugated verb) + (object) + (time preposition) + (event object)
2. Verb groups
- There are 3 verb groups
 Premier groupe (first group) - verbs ending in -er
(aimer (to like/love), manger (to eat))
 Deuxième groupe (second group) - verbs ending in -ir
(partir (to leave), dormir (to sleep))
 Troisième groupe (third group) - all irregular verbs
not ending in -ir and -er (including verbs ending in
-oir / verbs ending in -ir)
(faire (to do), voir (to see))
Note: There are also irregular verbs within the first and
second groups
- Conjugating regular verbs of the first group
Ex: aimer (to like/love)
1. Take out the -er (aim-)
2. Add the first group ending (in blue)
Personne (nf)
(person)
Pluriel (nm,
adj.)(plural)
Première (nf)
(first)
Singulier (nm,
adj.)
(singular)
J'aime
I like
Deuxième (nf)
(second)
Tu aimes
You like
Vous aimez
You like
Nous aimons
We like
(you guys)
Troisième (nf)
(third)
Il (Elle) (on)
aime
He likes
(she)(we)
Ils (Elles)
aiment
They like
Exercises:
1. Using 1. and 2. above, conjugate the verb manger.
2. Make a basic sentence with the verb aimer. (Note: with
the verb aimer you can use the infinitive form of a verb
as an object (ex: J'aime manger (I like to eat))
3. Vocabulary
Some event nouns (event objects)
classe (nf) (the class)
concert (nm) (the music show)
film (nm) (the movie)
petit-déjeuner (nm) (breakfast)
déjeuner (nm) (lunch)
dîner (nm) (dinner)
repas (nm) (meal)
The days of the week
lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi, dimanche
They can be used as compléments circonstanciels de temps
(adverbial phrase of time) in their noun form (with
article)
Ex: Je suis fatigué(e) le lundi
(I am tired on Monday)
(subject)+(verb)
+
(object)
+
(adv. phrase of time)
Parts of the day
matin (nm) (morning)
après-midi (nm) (afternoon)
soir (nm) (evening)
nuit (nf) (night)
Same as the days of the
adverbial phrase of time
Ex: Je suis triste le soir
week,
they
can
be
used
as
(I am sad in the evening)
(subject)+(verb)+(object) + (adv. phrase of time)
4. Exercises
1. Conjugate these regular verbs from the first group
jouer (to play)
parler (to speak)
chanter (to sing)
envoyer (to send)
enseigner (to teach)
2. Using all that we've seen this week and last week, you
should be able to translate:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
I like black cats
The cat plays in the evening
Frédéric teaches French on Sunday
They send a letter to the United States
We sing a song in the afternoon
Before the movie, she eats a salad
I like breakfast