The radical of a verb + the 3 verb groups

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Hello English speakers who want to learn French 🙂 !

In this article I share with you how to recognize :

• the radical of a verb
• the verbs of the three verb groups

 

The structure of a verbal form

Identify the radical of a verb

• Many verbs have a radical that does not change. To identify it, you have to remove the element that varies.

Verb in the infinitive : Rentrer → To enter/get in (verb of the 1st group)

Je	rentre (indicatif présent) → I return/ get in
Nous	rentrons (indicatif présent) → We return/ get in
Il	rentrerait (conditionnel présent) → He would return/ get in

If we compare these 3 verb forms of Rentrer, we find that the invariable element is rentr- : rentr- is the radical of the verb Rentrer.

 

• Other verbs have a radical that varies from one mode to another, from one time to another, from one person to another. The same radical can take up to 7 different forms.

Verb in the infinitive : Devoir → To have to/must (verb of the 3rd group)

Je	dois (indicatif présent) → I must/have to		Nous	devons (indicatif présent) → We must/have to
Tu	dois (indicatif présent) → You must/have to		Je	devrai (indicatif-Futur simple) → I will must/have to
Il	doit (indicatif présent) → He must/has to		Ils	devaient (indicatif-Imparfait) → They had to

The classification of verbs is done in three groups. It takes into account both the endings of the infinitives and the variations of the radical.

 

The verb groups

The verbs of the 1st group

The verbs of the 1st group have an infinitive in -er. With few exceptions the radical is fixed. Even when he knows variations, they are weak and he remains in general very easy to recognize.

Verb in the infinitive : Aimer → To like

J’	aime (indicatif présent) → I like
Nous	aimions (indicatif imparfait) → We liked
Ils	aimeraient (conditionnel présent) → They would like

The ending of the infinitive is -er.
The radical at all times is aim-.

Verb in the infinitive : Voyager → To travel/trip

Je	voyage (indicatif présent) → I travel
Nous	voyageons (indicatif présent) → We travel

The ending of the infinitive is -er.
The radical variation is limited to adding an e to 1st and 2nd person plural.

Notes :
The verb Aller is not part of the verbs of the 1st group, since it presents important radical variations. This irregular verb of the 3rd group is the only verb in -er not to be classified in the 1st group.

Verbs of the 2nd group

The verbs of the 2nd group have :
–an infinitive in -ir
-a participle present in –issant (forget it for now it is too complicated)
-a 1st and a 2nd person of the plural in -issons et -issez

Verbe à l’infinitif : Finir → To finish

Je	finis (indicatif présent) → I finish
Nous	finissons (indicatif présent) → We finish
Vous	finissez (indicatif présent) → You finish
	finissant (participe présent) → finishing

The radical of the verbs of the 2nd group has two forms:
-a form in i
-a form in iss

The verbs of the 3rd group

The 3rd group is all the other verbs.
It comprises :
-the verbs in -ir that do not make their present participle in -issant (example : courir → running, partir → leaving)
-very verbs in -oir (example: devoir → have to, pouvoir → can)
-the verbs in -re (example: conclure → to conclude, prendre → to take, vaincre → to overcome)

Irregular verbs

These are the verbs like être → to be, avoir → to have, aller → to go, dire → to say, faire → to do
Their radical forms are both numerous and very different from each other.

Verb in the infinitive : être

Je	suis → I am		Il	sera (indicatif futur) → he will be
Tu	es → you are		Qu’il	soit (subjonctif présent) → wether
Ils	sont → they are			soyons (impératif présent) → let’s be
Il	était (indicatif imparfait) → he was		Il	fut (indicatif passé simple) → he was

The radical of the verb être counts eight variants.

 

Exersises

Indicatif présent → Present indicative

Les verbes du 1^er groupe

1 – Infinitive : Jouer. 1^st person singular : je joue. Radical : ……………………………..……………….……………………

To play → I play

2 – Infinitive : Continuer. 1^st person plural : nous continuons. Radical : …………………………..………………….

To carry on → we carry on

3 – Infinitive : Distribuer. 2^nd person plural : vous distribuez. Radical : ……………………………………………….

To distribute → you distribute

4 – Infinitive : Echouer. 2^nd person singular : tu échoues. Radical : ………………………………………….…………..

To fail → you fail

5 – Infinitive : Louer. 3^rd person singular : elle loue. Radical : ………………………………………………………………

To rent → she rents

6 – Infinitive : Secouer. 3^rd person plural : elles secouent. Radical : ………………………………………………………

To shake → she shakes

7 – Infinitive : Remuer. 2^nd person singular : tu remues. Radical : …………………………………………………………

To stir → you stir

8 – Infinitive : Evaluer. 1^st person plural : nous évaluons. Radical : ……………………………………………………….

To assess → we assess

9 – Infinitive : Avouer. 3^rd person singular : elle avoue. Radical : ………………………………………………………….

To confess → she confesses

10 – Infinitive : Etudier. 1^st person singular : j’étudie. Radical : …………………………………………………………….

To study → I study

 

Les verbes du 2^ème groupe

1 – Infinitive : Adoucir. 2^nd person singular : tu adoucis. Radical : ………………………………………………………

To soften → you soften

2 – Infinitive : Arrondir. 2^nd person plural : vous arrondissez. Radical : ………………………………………………

To round → you round

3 – Infinitive : Aplatir. 1st person singular : j’aplatis. Radical : ……………………………………………………………

To flatten → I flatten

4 – Infinitive : Amortir. 1^st person plural : nous amortissons. Radical : ……………………………………………..

To cushion → we cushion

5 – Infinitive : Blanchir. 3^rd person singular : elle blanchit. Radical : ….……………………………………………..

To bleach → she bleaches

6 – Infinitive : Bondir. 3^rd person plural : elles bondissent. Radical : ….……………………………………………..

To jump → they jump

7 – Infinitive : Désinvestir. 2^nd person plural : vous désinvestissez. Radical : ….…………………………………

To disinvest → you disinvest

8 – Infinitive : Choisir. 1^st person plural : nous choisissons. Radical : …………..….………………………………..

To choose → we choose

9 – Infinitive : Durcir. 1^st person singular : je durcis. Radical : …………..….……………………………………….….

To harden → i harden

10 – Infinitive : Divertir. 2^nd person singular : tu divertis. Radical : …………..….…………………………………..

To entertain → you entertain

 

Les verbes du 3^ème groupe

1 – Infinitive : Aller. 2^nd person plural : vous allez. Radical : …………………………………………………………………

To go → you go

2 – Infinitive : Courir. 2^nd person singular : tu cours. Radical : …………………………………………………….……….

To run → you run

3 – Infinitive : Secourir. 3^rd person plural : nous secourons. Radical : …………………………………………………….

To rescue → they rescue

4 – Infinitive : Parcourir. 3^rd person singular : elle parcourt. Radical : ……………………………………………………

To travel → she travels

5 – Infinitive : Dormir. 1^st person singular : je dors. Radical : ……………..………………………………………….………

To sleep → I sleep

6 – Infinitive : Servir. 1^st person plural : nous servons. Radical : ……………..……………………………………………..

To serve → we serve

7 – Infinitive : Mentir. 3^rd person singular : il ment. Radical : ……………..…………………………………………………

To lie → he lies

8 – Infinitive : Sortir. 2^nd person plural : vous sortez. Radical : ……………..………………………………………….……

To go out → you go out

9 – Infinitive : Fuir. 3^rd person plural : elles fuient. Radical : ……………..…………………………………………………..

To flee → they flee

10 – Infinitive : Tenir. 2^nd person singuar : tu tiens. Radical : ……………..………………………………………………….

To hold → you hold

 

Answers

Les verbes du 1^er groupe

1 – jou

2 – continu

3 – distribu

4 – échou

5 – lou

6 – secou

7 – remu

8 – évalu

9 – avou

10 – étudi

11 – modifi

 

Les verbes du 2^ème groupe

1 – adouc

2 – arrond

3 – aplat

4 – amort

5 – blanch

6 – bond

7 – désinvest

8 – chois

9 – durc

10 – divert

 

Les verbes du 3^ème groupe

1 – all

2 – cour

3 – secour

4 – parcour

5 – dor

6 – ser

7 – men

8 – sor

9 – fu

10 – tien

 

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