French Reference Grammar - Verb forms
Introduction
'Verbs are used to assert or state what is happening, or what is the case. They are sometimes called ‘doing words’ or ‘action words’, but they do not always show action: if we say ‘he is bone idle’ or ‘he has stopped’ there is not much action going on.
Verbs also show the time when things are happening: this is called the tense of the verb.' (Language into Languages Teaching, University of Glasgow, Scottish Executive Education Department, 2001)
The subject pronouns are
| je - I | nous - we |
| tu - you | vous - you |
| il/elle - he/she | ils/elles - they |
| on - one |
'Je', 'tu' and 'il/elle/on' are first, second and third persons singular respectively.
'Nous', 'vous' and 'ils/elles' are first, second and third persons plural respectively.
Notes on the subject pronouns
- 'Tu' is traditionally used to address close friends, members of the immediate family, close relatives, children and animals and pets. Otherwise its use can be considered condescending.
- 'Vous', although strictly speaking second person plural, is the polite form of address to another person when the speakers are not closely acquainted. It is the formal mode of address to a single person. It is also the plural mode of address used when speaking to more than one close friend, member of the immediate family etc and to more than one person who is not closely acquainted.
In school, teachers would address individual pupils by 'tu', and groups of pupils by 'vous'.
Pupils should address the teacher by 'vous'.
- 'On', which is translated here as 'one', is used much more frequently in French than in English, and does not carry the hint of a certain social stratum as it does in English. It is used to express 'we', or 'you' when that 'you' is being used in a very general sense, and also 'they' in a general sense. It can even be used to express 'I'. However, young children should be encouraged to use it in its restricted meaning of 'we'. 'On' can be used to indicate one or several people.
Word file: Classroom commands in French for primary teachers (22 KB)