en + present participle

en + present participle

In French, the structure en followed by the present participle (le participe présent) is used to express actions happening simultaneously, means of doing something, or cause and effect. The English equivalents are often “while,” “by,” or “in.” The present participle is formed by taking the nous form of the verb in the present tense, removing…

asseoir & s’asseoir

asseoir & s’asseoir

The French verbs asseoir and s’asseoir both mean “to seat” or “to sit.” The verb asseoir is mostly used in the reflexive form s’asseoir, which means “to sit down.” It is an irregular verb with more than one accepted conjugation pattern. In modern French, the most commonly used form is based on the root assié-…

seize

seize

Several French verbs can translate to the English word “seize,” each with distinct nuances. The most common are saisir, s’emparer de, and sauter sur. While they share the general idea of taking hold of something, their usage varies depending on context, intention, and tone. Saisir Saisir is the most neutral and versatile of the three…

regular -re verbs

regular -re verbs

French verbs that end in “re” also follow a regular pattern for their conjugation in the present tense and the passé composé. A good example is the verb “vendre,” which means “to sell.” Regular -re verb endings Person Ending je -s tu -s il/elle/on (no ending, just the stem) nous -ons vous -ez ils/elles -ent…

regular -ir verbs

regular -ir verbs

French verbs that end in “ir” follow a regular pattern for their conjugation in the present tense and the passé composé. A good example is the verb “finir,” which means “to finish.” Regular -ir verbs present tense endings Person Ending je -is tu -is il/elle/on -it nous -issons vous -issez ils/elles -issent Finir conjugated Present…

past subjunctive

past subjunctive

The French past subjunctive is called le subjonctif passé. It is a compound tense used to express uncertainty, emotion, doubt, necessity or possibility about an action that has already been completed. Like the present subjunctive, the past subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses introduced by que. The past subjunctive is formed using the present subjunctive…

intéresser

intéresser

The French verb intéresser belongs to the first group of regular verbs ending in -er. It means to interest or to be interested in. Although it resembles the English verb “to interest” in meaning, its grammatical structure differs significantly. 1. To interest someone: To attract someone’s attention or curiosity In this sense, intéresser means to…