The article with the list of important irregular verbs in French has just been updated. New information has been added. Errors have been corrected. If you haven’t already read it, it’s worth checking out. I suggest you memorise at least the first nine (9) verbs on the list. These are être, avoir, faire, aller, venir, devoir, pouvoir, vouloir and savoir.
Read the article at this link.
The English word “could” expresses several distinct ideas, including past ability, successful past opportunity, present or future possibility, polite suggestion, permission, hypothesis, and unreal past events. French does not have a single equivalent. Translation depends on function and context, most commonly using forms of pouvoir, the conditional mood, or other structures. Past ability in general…
The French present participle is a verb form ending in -ant. It is less common in French than in English, but it plays an important role in certain contexts. It can be used as a verb, an adjective, or as part of a clause. It is also used after the preposition en to form what…
The French verb “rester” means “to stay” or “to remain” in English. But “rester” can be used with indirect object pronouns to mean “to have left.” This is an impersonal construction. In an impersonal construction, the “il” in “il me reste” means “it,” rather than “he.” The literal translation of “il me reste” is “it…
The French saying “les chiens aboient et la caravane passe” translates literally as “the dogs bark and the caravan passes.” What it really means is “your insults don’t reach me,” or “I am sure of myself and you cannot prove otherwise.” The saying is originally of Arabic origin. In the Middle East and in North…
The verb “piger” is a colloquial term in French that means “to understand” or “to grasp.” It is often used in informal contexts, instead of the usual verb “comprendre,” meaning “to understand.” The verb “piger” is conjugated like a regular -er verb in French, with forms such as “je pige” (I understand), “tu piges” (you…
What is “jambon cru” in French? What is “jambon cuit?” Both are types of meat made from the same cut of pork. But what is the difference? “Jambon cru” means “raw ham” or “uncooked ham.” Raw ham sounds dangerous to eat, but jambon cru is fine. It is a ham that has been cured over…