Indicative in French
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Find a teacherThe indicative (French: l'indicatif) is a personal mood and you use it to talk about life in general. It has 8 tenses.
The present (French: le présent) is used to express what is happening at the moment we talk.
Its endings are various depending of the group verbs:
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) |
---|---|---|
je/j' | aime | grandis |
tu | aimes | grandis |
il/elle/on | aime | grandit |
nous | aimons | grandissons |
vous | aimez | grandissez |
ils/elles | aiment | grandissent |
Note that the 3rd group verbs have three different endings.
3rd group verbs | general | prendre (to take) | pouvoir (can) |
---|---|---|---|
je | mets | prends | peux |
tu | mets | prends | peux |
il/elle/on | met | prend | peut |
nous | mettons | prenons | pouvons |
vous | mettez | prenez | pouvez |
ils/elles | mettent | prennent | peuvent |
All infinitive verbs ending in -dre conjugate like "prendre" except 'joindre' (to join)
'Valoir' (to worth) and 'vouloir' (want) also conjugate like "pouvoir"
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The imperfect (French: l'imparfait) expresses an action or fact that already happened at the moment we talk but is still progressing.
The endings of the imperfect are the same for all group verbs
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: mettre (to put) |
---|---|---|---|
je/j' | aimais | grandissais | mettais |
tu | aimais | grandissais | mettais |
il/elle/on | aimait | grandissait | mettait |
nous | aimions | grandissions | mettions |
vous | aimiez | grandissiez | mettiez |
ils/elles | aimaient | grandissaient | mettaient |
The literary past tense (French: le passé simple) expresses a completed action in the past.
The endings are various depending on the group verbs.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) |
---|---|---|
je/j' | aimai | grandis |
tu | aimas | grandis |
il/elle/on | aima | grandit |
nous | aimâmes | grandîmes |
vous | aimâtes | grandîtes |
ils/elles | aimèrent | grandirent |
Note that for the 3rd group verbs, there are 3 different endings:
3rd group verbs | prendre (to take) | venir (to come) | croire (to believe) |
---|---|---|---|
je | pris | vins | crus |
tu | pris | vins | crus |
il/elle/on | prit | vint | crut |
nous | prîmes | vînmes | crûmes |
vous | prîtes | vîntes | crûtes |
ils/elles | prirent | vinrent | crurent |
The future simple (French: le futur simple) is used when you want to talk about a fact or an action in the near future. It didn't happen yet at the moment of speaking.
The endings of the future simple are the same for all group verbs:
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: mettre (to put) |
---|---|---|---|
je/j' | aimerai | grandirai | mettrai |
tu | aimeras | grandiras | mettras |
il/elle/on | aimera | grandira | mettra |
nous | aimerons | grandirons | mettrons |
vous | aimerez | grandirez | mettrez |
ils/elles | aimeront | grandiront | mettront |
The future of the verb 'aller' is: irai, iras, ira, irons, irez, iront.
The past completed (French: le passé composé) is a used when you want to talk in the past about a fact or an action that already happened at the moment of speaking.
It is formed with an auxiliary avoir or être conjugated in the present tense and the past participle.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: partir (to leave) |
---|---|---|---|
je/j' | ai aimé | ai grandi | suis parti(e) |
tu | as aimé | as grandi | es parti(e) |
il/elle/on | a aimé | a grandi | est parti(e) |
nous | avons aimé | avons grandi | sommes partis(e) |
vous | avez aimé | avez grandi | êtes partis(e) |
ils/elles | ont aimé | ont grandi | sont partis(e) |
The pluperfect (French: le plus-que-parfait) is used to accentuate on the anteriority of a fact or an action related to a past action. In this case, you can either use it with the past completed or the literary past tense.
It is formed with an auxiliary avoir or être conjugated in the imperfect tense and the past participle.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: partir (to leave) |
---|---|---|---|
j' | avais aimé | avais grandi | étais parti(e) |
tu | avais aimé | avais grandi | étais parti(e) |
il/elle/on | avait aimé | avait grandi | était parti(e) |
nous | avions aimé | avions grandi | étions partis(e) |
vous | aviez aimé | aviez grandi | étiez partis(e) |
ils/elles | avaient aimé | avaient grandi | étaient partis(e) |
The past anterior (French: le passé antérieur) is always used with the past simple to accentuate the anteriority of a completed action.
It is formed with the auxiliary avoir or être conjugated in the past simple and the past participle.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: partir (to leave) |
---|---|---|---|
j' | eu aimé | eu grandi | fus parti(e) |
tu | eus aimé | eus grandi | fus parti(e) |
il/elle/on | eut aimé | eut grandi | fut parti(e) |
nous | eûmes aimé | eûmes grandi | fûmes partis(e) |
vous | eûtes aimé | eûtes grandi | fûtes partis(e) |
ils/elles | eurent aimé | eurent grandi | furent partis(e) |
The future perfect (French: le futur antérieur) has two uses: it can be used all alone in this case, it expresses a fact or an action which will be completed at the moment. It can be used along with the future simple, in this case, it expresses an action that will happen after a second action.
It is formed with the auxiliary avoir or être conjugated in the future simple and the past participle.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: partir (to leave) |
---|---|---|---|
j' | aurai aimé | aurai grandi | serai parti(e) |
tu | auras aimé | auras grandi | seras parti(e) |
il/elle/on | aura aimé | aura grandi | sera parti(e) |
nous | aurons aimé | aurons grandi | serons partis(e) |
vous | aurez aimé | aurez grandi | serez partis(e) |
ils/elles | auront aimé | auront grandi | seront partis(e) |
Even if the near future (French: le futur proche) is not considered as a tense, the French grammar use it to talk about an action that will take place very soon.
It is formed with the verb aller conjugated in the present tense and the infinitive of the verb.
Pronouns | 1st group verb: aimer (to like) | 2nd group verb: grandir (to grow) | 3rd group verb: partir (to leave) |
---|---|---|---|
je | vais aimer | vais grandir | vais partir |
tu | vas aimer | vas grandir | vas partir |
il/elle/on | va aimer | va grandir | va partir |
nous | allons aimer | allons grandir | allons partir |
vous | allez aimer | allez grandir | allez partir |
ils/elles | vont aimer | vont grandir | vont partir |
Verbs that uses the auxiliary être agrees in gender and number.
Learn more about the past participle by clicking the link.
Learn about the conjugation of avoir and être to form the compound times.
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1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
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Francois is very patient with my learning, especially as I am an absolute beginner. The lessons contain of a check of the homework, a review of the last lessons, and lastly new vocabulary. Francois tries to stay in French as much as possible and helps me out when I cannot find the meaning of a word or sentence on my own. This helps me learn quicker. In my opinion the homework helps a lot aswell. It helps me focus on what I have learned in the lessons so far, and also to memorize more rapidly.
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Hi! My name is Caterina and I'm a teacher.
I love learning new languages and meet new students.
I have experience in teaching Italian to foreign students and I also have the CEDILS certificate to teach Italian as second/foreign language.
During my classes I speak just Italian and I help you improve in all the abilities (listening, reading, speaking, writing).
I am also available for classes in specific fields, such as Literature, Italian History, Art, Linguistics, Academic writing and getting ready for Italian exams.
I prepare my classes using authentic materials (articles, videos, songs...) and exercises to improve grammar. Most of all, I let you talk to become confident in your speaking.
All the classes are personalized according to students' needs and requests.
I want you to achieve your goals.
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Very talented teacher, excellent preparation, young but at the same time experienced, with an excellent teaching method and a contagious smile. With her, you will learn Italian without getting bored for a second and without any problem. Absolutely recommended.
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Mathieu is a very knowledgeable teacher and has a very good teaching method, recommended for both teenagers and adults. Highly recommended for beginners and those who already have a basic knowledge of French. He uses university textbooks, which are very specific and well written. He customizes the lessons according to the student, he is young but expert at the same time. In addition, he speaks very good Italian. Highly recommended.
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Stefania is an experienced Italian teacher and native speaker. She designs her classes in a flexible and dynamic way and takes a communicative approach. She provided self-made teaching material and focusses on speaking, always considering her student's level and individual needs.
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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I highly recommend Tiska because she quickly and efficiently types up my mistakes in chat without interfering the flow of the conversation. She adapts to the situation and helped me to express myself on higher-level issues. She also has very organized lesson plans but uses humorous and engaging material to help make the learning process fun. Also, she spent a year in the States so she can draw from that experience to help teach you if you are an English speaker.
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Hello everyone!
My name is Wanda, I'm 27 and I'm French.
I have a Master's Degree in Teaching French as a Foreign Language from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, as well as 3 years of teaching experience (face-to-face, remote courses, or group classes).
I can teach you everything from grammar to culture, but I am particularly able to help you get a better pronunciation! Indeed, I also have a Master's Degree in Linguistics, for which I wrote a thesis about the pronunciation of people learning French as a foreign language =)
Regarding pronunciation, I'll help you without any judgment and only if you express the need to improve!
I studied one year in Japan (Osaka) where I gave French classes at the University of Kansai. During this time, I met a lot of people from various background and I became very open-minded and comfortable with different cultures.
What I like the most in teaching French is getting to meet and know people from different cultures =)
So, I'll be waiting for you! =)
See you soon,
Wanda
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Wanda is a fantastic teacher, she's always up to solve problems and doubts. She teaches from grammar to speaking, with a good emphasis on pronunciation and phonetics which are essential in French!
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Hi,
I m claudie , I m french and i have experience to teach french to foreign people.
I create in a school of langage in Spain a little faculty for my french lessons with a group from 15 years olds until 25.
The pupils were all the levels A1 until C2!
I was teaching as well with lillte children and adults in Spain and Rumania.
I m a very dynamic teacher with a lot of patient and empathy.
You will make a lot of progress!
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Claudie is a wonderful, dedicated and very patient teacher. My goal was to speak French, because before, during lessons in my own country, I didn't feel comfortable speaking French and I couldn't manage to speak French without blocking. With Claudie, it's totally different. For over eight months, I took lessons with Claudie almost every week. Claudie gives me self-confidence and I learned a lot. We are talking about everyday life, but also about cultural subjects. She always manages to find interesting topics to discuss. We laugh a lot and I hope we will continue the lessons for a long time.
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WHAT I OFFER:
Online French as a second language (FSL) courses for all levels, preparation for official exams (DELF, DALF, TCF), correction of academic work, translations, preparation for job interviews or public speeches. I also teach Spanish, as I speak it fluently and know about teaching techniques.
MY METHODOLOGY:
I focus on the student, my priority. First I find out what they know, and what their objectives and motivations are. Next, we define together a way forward. Thus, my classes are customized, and based on every student’s needs.
I make sure the learning atmosphere is mellow and agreeable, but never forget that my aim is the student’s improvement. Enjoyment contributes to progress, but some discipline is also necessary. I am used to balancing these two needs.
WHO I AM:
Having taught FSL full-time for 15 years and obtained the DAEFLE (Diploma of Aptitude in Teaching French as a Foreign Language) from the Alliance Française Paris allows me to balance the two elements a good teacher needs: experience and theory. I have worked with people of all levels, from beginners to very advanced, and all ages, from 6 to 86 years old. I also have a great deal of experience in the DELF/DALF tests preparation, with over 90% of success.
I have known for a long time that teaching was my vocation. I like sharing knowledge with others, helping them improve, and feeling that at the end of the day they know more than before. Loving my job and feeling useful is what motivates me to get up every day with a smile.
After a science baccalaureate, I studied audiovisual communication, because I have always been fond of transmitting information. However, I quickly realized I needed a more direct form of contact. During a trip to South America, I started teaching private classes, and immediately understood that was the path I had to follow.
WHY I AM A GOOD TEACHER:
Extensive experience allows me to go fast with quick learners, and to be extremely patient with those who need more time. I have learnt that there isn’t just one way of teaching something, and that some people have a preference for auditory, visual or action-oriented learning. As a private teacher, my priority is to listen to my student in order to adapt my methods to their needs.
Not only do I teach languages, I also provide my students with tools for self-teaching and making progress between classes, allowing them to maximize their investment. I regularly research the latest teaching tools, the evolution of teaching methods, and the neuropsychological findings in that area. This is a surprisingly vast topic.
MY CREDENTIALS:
You will find on my LinkedIn page many letters of recommendation from my students.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-cassagnau-2b2179176/
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Benoît is an exceptional instructor. I am so pleased I found him. He is professional, always prepared for class, and always patient. He never fails to correct my pronunciation, grammar and writing in French - yet, in a kind manner. His expertise and knowledge in ways to help improve my French are worth far more than the investment I have made. He goes above and beyond to make each class count. Benoît is the best French instructor I've ever had!
Benoit C.
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Sari is an involved, responsible and hardworking student. With already an advanced level, its learning curve is very good. A pleasure to work with her.
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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I am really excited about Katia as my teacher. I think she is a very good teacher. And a nice person too. She customise the lessons according to my wishes what i would like to learn. She is very experienced with skype. It all runs very smoothly. I am looking forward to the next lessons and i highly recommend her as your teacher. Miriam
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I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
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I can’t recommend Nancy highly enough. She’s a great teacher. Very patient, flexible and personable.
Nancy C.
thanks for this Anne-Sophie. It is great to have you as a student.
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Hello everyone,
I am a native German speaker who has lived in Bologna for 20 years. Languages are my passion, in addition to German I speak and write Italian and English fluently, and I have some knowledge of French. I've got a legal background, where mastery of the German language is very important. After I moved to Italy I started working as a teacher for a private school, then as an export manager and legal assistant, but I always continued to teach in the evenings. Since 2014, I have been freelancing and devoting myself entirely to teaching and translating. I work for a foundation, in a tutoring centre, I teach in companies and to private people.
I believe I am able to establish a good relationsship with the students and I am flexible in adapting the lesson to the student's needs, or gaps!
I usually use course books with a homework part, but during the lesson I integrate with online material, tests, conversation, material that the student brings me from school or from his workplace.
Come and have a lesson with me and you won't regret it!
See you soon!
Dirk
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Dirk is a likable teacher with 20 years of experience in teaching German. He cares a lot about the individual needs of each of his students and tries to motivate them as best as possible with interesting teaching material. The focus is especially on communication, which is trained through grammar, vocabulary and listening comprehension exercises. I would highly recommend Dirk as a German teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a screening interview.
Dirk F.
Thanks a lot, Alina!
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Hello everyone,
My name is Ilaria, I am 30 years old, I have a post-graduate Master in Linguistic Education at the Ca'Foscari University of Venice. I currently teach Italian to foreigners online.
I gained numerous experiences abroad, I volunteered for one year in Romania, then I worked for two years in Bucharest and two in Ireland in the field of customer service for international companies.
I am a native speaker of Italian but I speak fluent English, Romanian and French.
I currently live in Bologna.
I also love fitness, sitcoms, social media (memes are my passion) and, when the crown allows it, travel.
Can't wait to hear from you! Do not hesitate to send me a message if you would like to be guided in your process of learning my beautiful language.
I have a CEDILS certification.
In the first lesson I try to get an impression of the students, their attitude, cognitive style, needs, level of exposure to the language, motivation etc. I try an inductive - conversational approach first, I plan every lesson and I provide the student with a Google Drive file, anticipating contents and activities.Mostly I tend to work on what it's best for the students (ex. some of them prefer learning tables with grammar rules, verbs etc by heart, I make them understand that this is not considered the fastest nor most efficient way generally, but if it works for them I encourage it). I always try to make them capable of learn by their own and I want them to see me as a facilitator, a guide, not "the person who owns the knowledge". I keep my students focused by constantly stimulating them, asking questions, asking them to share thoughts and formulate hypotheses. Also I always provide explanations for what I do, why I do it in a certain way and at a certain time. I also use a manual.
I often propose topics related to intercultural themes, news, environment, LGBT+ but also tv series, movies and so on, I discuss with students what they'd like to work on and I find or create from scratch activities for them.
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Ilaria is a young and motivated teacher. He personally writes the exercises to be done and uses a very innovative method for learning. It uses Google to share documents to use during the lesson, making it more fluid and effective, with the aim of facilitating the learning of its students. Learning with her is a great choice.
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Ilaria V.
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Thanks Giacomo!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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Very modern. At the same time, we process texts via a file. The lessons were adapted to my needs and are very effective and recommendable!
Natalia L.
We worked with Lida to perfect her French. She is at a very advanced level and we study specific vocabulary for her work. She is a very dedicated student and I see her speaking French better and better. Lida, keep up the good work!
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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She is kind. She listen to me and tries to adapt the course to my expectations. She has all the books to prepare The DELF and DALF Exam which she offers for free to the student.
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Very social and helpful teacher with an excellent grasp on how to improve your french in a structured fashion. The informal style is very pleasant and will help you acquire the language in a natural, unforced fashion. The teaching materials and tools used are geared to your level and are a great help in smoothing out the learning curve. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a learn by doing approach with the help of proven teaching tools and documents.
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1 Present tense in French | Get an overview about the present tense in French and study this topic online. |
2 Past tenses in French | Get an overview about the past tense in French and study this topic online. |
3 Future tenses in French | Get an overview about the future tenses in French and study this topic online. |