
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 1er groupe
1 – Infinitive : Jouer. 1st person singular : je joue. Radical : ……………………………..……………….……………………
To play → I play
2 – Infinitive : Continuer. 1st person plural : nous continuons. Radical : …………………………..………………….
To carry on → we carry on
3 – Infinitive : Distribuer. 2nd person plural : vous distribuez. Radical : ……………………………………………….
To distribute → you distribute
4 – Infinitive : Echouer. 2nd person singular : tu échoues. Radical : ………………………………………….…………..
To fail → you fail
5 – Infinitive : Louer. 3rd person singular : elle loue. Radical : ………………………………………………………………
To rent → she rents
6 – Infinitive : Secouer. 3rd person plural : elles secouent. Radical : ………………………………………………………
To shake → she shakes
7 – Infinitive : Remuer. 2nd person singular : tu remues. Radical : …………………………………………………………
To stir → you stir
8 – Infinitive : Evaluer. 1st person plural : nous évaluons. Radical : ……………………………………………………….
To assess → we assess
9 – Infinitive : Avouer. 3rd person singular : elle avoue. Radical : ………………………………………………………….
To confess → she confesses
10 – Infinitive : Etudier. 1st person singular : j’étudie. Radical : …………………………………………………………….
To study → I study
Les verbes du 2ème groupe
1 – Infinitive : Adoucir. 2nd person singular : tu adoucis. Radical : ………………………………………………………
To soften → you soften
2 – Infinitive : Arrondir. 2nd 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. 1st person plural : nous amortissons. Radical : ……………………………………………..
To cushion → we cushion
5 – Infinitive : Blanchir. 3rd person singular : elle blanchit. Radical : ….……………………………………………..
To bleach → she bleaches
6 – Infinitive : Bondir. 3rd person plural : elles bondissent. Radical : ….……………………………………………..
To jump → they jump
7 – Infinitive : Désinvestir. 2nd person plural : vous désinvestissez. Radical : ….…………………………………
To disinvest → you disinvest
8 – Infinitive : Choisir. 1st person plural : nous choisissons. Radical : …………..….………………………………..
To choose → we choose
9 – Infinitive : Durcir. 1st person singular : je durcis. Radical : …………..….……………………………………….….
To harden → i harden
10 – Infinitive : Divertir. 2nd person singular : tu divertis. Radical : …………..….…………………………………..
To entertain → you entertain
Les verbes du 3ème groupe
1 – Infinitive : Aller. 2nd person plural : vous allez. Radical : …………………………………………………………………
To go → you go
2 – Infinitive : Courir. 2nd person singular : tu cours. Radical : …………………………………………………….……….
To run → you run
3 – Infinitive : Secourir. 3rd person plural : nous secourons. Radical : …………………………………………………….
To rescue → they rescue
4 – Infinitive : Parcourir. 3rd person singular : elle parcourt. Radical : ……………………………………………………
To travel → she travels
5 – Infinitive : Dormir. 1st person singular : je dors. Radical : ……………..………………………………………….………
To sleep → I sleep
6 – Infinitive : Servir. 1st person plural : nous servons. Radical : ……………..……………………………………………..
To serve → we serve
7 – Infinitive : Mentir. 3rd person singular : il ment. Radical : ……………..…………………………………………………
To lie → he lies
8 – Infinitive : Sortir. 2nd person plural : vous sortez. Radical : ……………..………………………………………….……
To go out → you go out
9 – Infinitive : Fuir. 3rd person plural : elles fuient. Radical : ……………..…………………………………………………..
To flee → they flee
10 – Infinitive : Tenir. 2nd person singuar : tu tiens. Radical : ……………..………………………………………………….
To hold → you hold
Answers
Les verbes du 1er 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 2ème groupe
1 – adouc
2 – arrond
3 – aplat
4 – amort
5 – blanch
6 – bond
7 – désinvest
8 – chois
9 – durc
10 – divert
Les verbes du 3ème 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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