FRENCH DISCIPLINE

FREN1100, 1200, 2610, 2620

Some basic grammatical terms that are useful to know

I PARTS OF SPEECH

1. Nouns (noms)
2. Verbs (verbes)
3. Pronouns (pronoms)
4. Adjectives (adjectifs)
5. Articles (articles)
6. Adverbs (adverbes)
7. Prepositions (prépositions)
8. Conjunctions (conjonctions)

II PARTS OF THE SENTENCE (Parties de la phrase)

III AGREEMENT (accord)

I PARTS OF SPEECH

Words fall into various categories called “Parts of Speech”.

1. NOUNS NOMS / SUBSTANTIFS

Nouns are words that name people and concrete or abstract things.
e.g. boy jewel idea
garçon bijou idée

Nouns in French are either masculine gender or feminine. Gender of words is obvious for
people but arbitrary for things. You have to check in the dictionary: (m) denotes
masculine, (f) = feminine : garçon(m), bijou (m), idée (f).

(i) Number Nombre

Nouns have the ability to indicate Number (singular/plural), usually by means of the
suffix “s”.
e.g. two boys ideas
deux garçons idées

There are some exceptions to “s” plural formation.

e.g. some children some sheep des bijoux (jewels)

(ii) Subject/object Sujet/complément d'objet

Nouns can be subjects or objects.

Subjects are the words that answer the question “who” or “what” in front of the verb.

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e.g. Bill studies hard. “Bill” is the subject because it answers the question “who
studies?”
Jewels are hard. “Jewels” is the subject because it answers the question “what is
hard?”.

Objects are the words that answer the question “who” or “what” after the verb.

e.g. He hit me. “Me” is the object because it answers the question “hit who?”
e.g. He'll sell the jewels. “Jewels” is the object because it answers the question “will sell
what?”.

(iii) Indirect Objects Compléments d'objet indirect are expressed in two ways.
They are the words that follow the preposition “to” or “à” and answer the question “to
whom?”.

e.g. I gave the present to him.

I've offered the jewels to John.
J'ai offert les bijoux à Jean.

When there are two nouns following the verb, the indirect object comes first in English,
and again answers the question “to whom?”.

e.g. I've offered John the jewels. J'ai offert les bijoux à Jean.

2. VERBS VERBES
Verbs are words that name actions. They also include thinking and saying words, as
well as states of being and having. They are the centre of the sentence.

e. g . offer begin meditate

offrir commencer méditer

(i) Tense Temps

Verbs have the ability to indicate Tense, which provides one way of telling when the
action took place.

Present Tense Présent

The event occurs as we speak.
e.g. He begins.
Il commence.

Past Tense Passé

The event occurred before we speak.
e.g. He began. He was beginning.
Il a commencé. Il commençait.

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(ii) Finite and Non-finite Verbs Verbes conjugués et non-conjugués (infinitif)

A verb that indicates tense is called a finite verb. A verb not marked for tense is called
non-finite or infinitive (infinitif). Verbs are listed in a dictionary in their infinitive form.
Infinitives are not the main verbs in a sentence.

e.g. John refuses to begin.

(finite) (infinitive)
Jean refuse de commencer.
(conjugué) (infinitif)

(iii) Auxiliary Verbs Verbes auxiliaires

Some verbs are called “auxiliary” or “helping” verbs because they normally occur in
combination with another, “main”, verb.

e.g. have He has chosen a book by Shakespeare.

Avoir Il a choisi un livre de Shakespeare.

(iv) Active and Passive Voice Voix active et passive

Active Verbs are said to be active if the subject performs the action described by
the verb.

e.g. My mother (subject) chose John.

Ma mère a choisi Jean.

Passive Verbs are said to be passive if the subject of the verb receives the action
described by the verb.

e.g. John was chosen by my mother (subject).

Jean a été choisi par ma mère.

(v) Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Verbes transitifs et verbes intransitifs

Transitive Verbs A verb is said to be transitive if it has an object.

e.g. My mother has chosen six jewels(object).

Ma mère a choisi six bijoux.

Intransitive Verbs A verb that does not take an object is said to be intransitive.

e.g. My mother has slept for a long time (no object).

Ma mère a dormi longtemps.

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(vi) Present Participle Participe présent
The present participle is the form of the verb which ends in “-ing” in English and in
“- ant” in French. The two languages use present participles quite differently.

(a) In English they are used in conjunction with an auxiliary verb to make various tenses.
French does not do that (but uses a single form to express it: an action in process)

e.g. He is studying. She will be arriving soon.

Il étudie. Elle arrivera bientôt.

(b) In English present participles can be used to name activities; French usually uses the
infinitive for that.

e.g. I love singing and dancing.

J'adore chanter et danser.

(c) In English they can be used to describe nouns; that is they can be used as adjectives;
the French equivalent can be a present participle (example 1) but it is usually something
else (examples 2 and3).

e.g.1 The corresponding element

L’élément correspondant

e.g.2 The departing train

Le train au départ

e.g.3 The singing fool

Le fou qui chante

(vii) Past Participle Participe passé

The past participle is in the form of the verb used with an auxiliary verb, like “to have”,
to form the perfect tense.

e.g. We have begun. Nous avons commencé.

Have you chosen? As-tu choisi ?
She has slept. Elle a dormi.

The past participle can also often be use as an adjective.

e. g. a tired child a cultured man

un enfant fatigué un homme cultivé

(viii) Indicative and Subjunctive Indicatif et subjonctif

The indicative mood of verbs is used for making statements or questions; the
subjunctive is for verbs that are coloured by a wish, a feeling or a doubt. The

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subjunctive is very rare in English but very common in French.

e.g. Indicative Indicatif Subjonctive Subjonctif

The Queen lives well Long live the Queen !
La reine vit bien. Vive la reine  !

3. PRONOUNS PRONOMS

Pronouns are words that stand in the place of nouns in the sentence.

(i) Personal Pronouns Pronoms personnels

These are the pronouns most frequently used as substitutes for nouns.

e.g
I, me, are the personal pronouns used for self-reference.

John (noun) is tired and he (personal pronoun) is sleeping.

Jean est fatigué et il dort.

(ii) Interrogative Pronouns Pronoms interrogatifs

These are the pronouns used to ask questions.

e.g.
who, what, which ?
qui, que, lequel...?

Who is tired? Qui est fatigué ?

What do you want? Que désirez-vous ?
Which do you want? Lequel désirez-vous  ?

(iii) Possessive Pronouns Pronoms possessifs

As well as possessive adjectives, English and French also have possessive pronouns.

e.g.
Adjectives Pronouns
My record. Mon disque It's mine. C'est le mien
Your chair. Ta chaise It's yours. C'est la tienne
Her jumper. Son pull It's hers. C'est le sien
Our cat. Notre chat It's ours. C'est le nôtre

The possessive pronoun stands for the possessive adjective plus its noun.

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(iv) Demonstrative Pronouns Pronoms démonstratifs
These are the pronouns used to draw attention to things, e.g. this and that.

e.g.
This (demonstrative pronoun) is the colour that I like.
Celle-ci est la couleur que j’aime.

I love these (demonstrative pronoun).

J'adore celles-ci.

(v) Reflexive Pronouns Pronoms réfléchis

These are the pronouns ending in -self.

myself me
yourself (informal) te
himself, herself, itself se
ourselves nous
yourselves (formal or group of people) vous
Themselves se

e.g.
The cat washes itself. Le chat se lave.
John talks to himself. Jean se parle.

A verb with a reflexive pronoun is a reflexive verb, verbe pronominal.

4. ADJECTIVES ADJECTIFS

These words describe nouns or pronouns. In French they usually follow their noun.
e.g.
a scarlet rose une rose écarlate
a little rose une petite rose
an interesting subject un sujet intéressant
She is Australian. Elle est australienne.

(i) Comparative and superlative adjectives Adjectifs comparatifs et superlatifs

Adjectives often indicate degrees of comparison.

positive (normal use) small petit(-e)

comparative smaller plus petit(-e)
superlative the smallest le/la plus petit(-e)

Note irregular patterns: e.g. good, better, the best; bon, meilleur, le meilleur.

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(ii) Interrogative adjectives Adjectifs interrogatifs
e.g.
Which record do you prefer?
Quel disque préférez-vous ?

(iii) Demonstrative adjectives Adjectifs démonstratifs

e.g.
That cat is clever.

(iv) Possessive adjectives Adjectifs possessifs

e.g.
my mother ma mère
my father mon père
our cat notre chat

5. ARTICLES ARTICLES

English has only two articles.

(i) Definite Défini : - the (specific reference)

e.g. the cat (we know which cat) le chat

(ii) Indefinite Indéfini : - a/an (non-specific reference)

e.g. a cat (any cat) un chat

(iii) French has a third article, the Partitive Article Article partitif

e.g. some/any wine du vin

6. ADVERBS ADVERBES

Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. (They
often, but not always, end in “-ly” in English and in “ -ment” in French.)

e.g.
He speaks (verb) seriously (adverb).
Il parle sérieusement.

He is speaking very (adverb) seriously (adverb).

II parle très sérieusement.

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 He is seriously (adverb) ill (adjective).
II est gravement malade.

7. PREPOSITIONS PRÉPOSITIONS
Prepositions are words which come before a noun (or pronoun), indicating a
relationship to another word in the sentence.

e.g.
A tree (noun) in (preposition) the forest (noun).
Un arbre dans la forêt.

A card (noun) from (preposition) me (pronoun).

Une carte de moi.

I live (verb) in (preposition) Newcastle (noun).

J'habite à Newcastle.

8. CONJUNCTIONS CONJONCTIONS

Conjunctions are words that join other words (or groups of words).

(i) Co-ordinating conjunctions conjonctions de co-ordination

and, but, or join words (or groups of words) of the same type.

e.g. cats and dogs (noun + noun)

chats et chiens

swiftly but silently (adverb + adverb)

rapidement mais silencieusement

red or green (adjective + adjective)

rouge ou vert

(ii) Subordinating conjunctions conjonctions de subordination

e.g.as, since, after, because, although, when, join subordinate clauses to main clauses
(See Section II below)

e.g.
She loves John although he loves another woman.
Elle aime Jean bien qu'il aime une autre femme.

Say hello when she comes in.

Dites bonjour quand elle entrera.

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 Since he is stupid, I prefer to talk to my cat.
Comme il est idiot, je préfère parler à mon chat.

II PARTS OF THE SENTENCE (Parties de la phrase)

A sentence (une phrase) is a group of words (or even one word) which conveys a
complete message.

CLAUSE PROPOSITION

There are two types of clauses:

(i) Main/Principal Clause Proposition principale
Every sentence must contain one of these. It may stand on its own as a sentence. It
contains a finite verb.
e.g.
The lamp was lit. (A principal clause standing alone as a sentence.)
The lamp was lit when I came in. (A principal clause plus a subordinate clause.)
The lamp was lit, the table was ready, and so was I. (Three principal clauses.)

(ii) Subordinate Clause Proposition subordonnée

A subordinate clause may not stand on its own as a sentence. It extends the meaning of a
sentence.
e.g.
You will see it when we get there.
I couldn't see the man who had snatched my bag.
I told him that the car was ready.

III AGREEMENT (Accord)

Words change their form to show what other words they are linked to.

Non-agreement Agreement
e.g. She is my father He* is my father
That cats Those** cats.
He be He is***

* gender agreement (accord en genre)

** number agreement (accord en nombre)
*** subject-verb agreement (accord sujet - verbe)

In French, adjectives agree in number and gender.

e.g.
Jean est petit. (masculin singulier)
Marie est petite. (féminin singulier)

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 Philippe et Jean sont petits. (masculin pluriel)
Marie et Jeanne sont petites. (féminin pluriel)

(The Staff of the French Discipline would like to express here our thanks to our
colleagues in Linguistics, who provided us with the basis of these notes.)

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