Tense in French

The grammar for French tenses may seem confusing, but it's simple once you know the basic rules. I am using the example of the first group verb only. Here is a breakdown of each tense's grammar:

Present Tense

The present tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or habitual actions. The present tense is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb's infinitive form. For example, the infinitive form of the verb parler is parler, so the present tense conjugations are as follows:

• Je parle (I speak)
• Tu parles (You speak)
• Il/Elle/On parle (He/She/One speaks)
• Nous parlons (We speak)
• Vous parlez (You speak)
• Ils/Elles parlent (They speak)

Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense is used to describe actions that were happening in the past but are now finished. The imperfect tense is formed by adding the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, and -aient to the verb's stem. For example, the stem of the verb parler is parl-, so the imperfect tense conjugations are as follows:

• Je parlais (I was speaking)
• Tu parlais (You were speaking)
• Il/Elle/On parlait (He/She/One was speaking)
• Nous parlions (We were speaking)
• Vous parliez (You were speaking)
• Ils/Elles parlaient (They were speaking)

Past Tense (Passé composé)

The passé composé is used to describe actions that happened in the past and are now finished. The passé composé is formed by using the auxiliary verb avoir or être and the past participle of the verb. For example, the past participle of the verb parler is parlé, so the passé composé conjugations are as follows:

• J'ai parlé (I spoke)
• Tu as parlé (You spoke)
• Il/Elle/On a parlé (He/She/One spoke)
• Nous avons parlé (We spoke)
• Vous avez parlé (You spoke)
• Ils/Elles ont parlé (They spoke)

Pluperfect Tense (Plus-que-parfait)

The plus-que-parfait is used to describe actions that happened before another action in the past. The plus-que-parfait is formed by using the auxiliary verb avoir or être and the past participle of the verb with the adverb avant (before). For example, the past participle of the verb parler is parlé, so the plus-que-parfait conjugations are as follows:

• J'avais parlé (I had spoken)
• Tu avais parlé (You had spoken)
• Il/Elle/On avait parlé (He/She/One had spoken)
• Nous avions parlé (We had spoken)
• Vous aviez parlé (You had spoken)
• Ils/Elles avaient parlé (They had spoken)

Future Tense

The future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. The future tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb aller and the infinitive form of the verb. For example, the infinitive form of the verb parler is parler, so the future tense conjugations are as follows:

• Je parlerai (I will speak)
• Tu parleras (You will speak)
• Il/Elle/On parlera (He/She/One will speak)
• Nous parlerons (We will speak)
• Vous parlerez (You will speak)
• Ils/Elles parleront (They will speak)

Conditional Tense

The conditional tense is used to describe hypothetical actions or actions that would happen under certain conditions. The conditional tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb avoir or être and the past participle of the verb with the conditional marker si (if). For example,

• Si j'avais faim, je mangerais une pomme. (If I were hungry, I would eat an apple.)
• Tu mangerais bien une glace, n'est-ce pas ? (You would like an ice cream, wouldn't you?)
• Il mangerait volontiers avec nous. (He would gladly eat with us.)

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is used to give orders or instructions. The imperative mood is formed by using the infinitive form of the verb without the infinitive marker -er. For example,

• Mange! (Eat!)
• Parle! (Speak!)
• Finis! (Finish!)

Subjunctive Mood

The Subjunctive is used to express doubt, uncertainty, emotion, desire, or subjective opinions. It often appears in subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions such as "que." Here's an explanation examples with the verb "manger" (to eat)

• Il est important que je mange bien. (It is important that I eat well.)
• Je veux que tu manges tes légumes. (I want you to eat your vegetables.)
• Il est nécessaire que nous mangions à temps. (It is necessary that we eat on time.)

Conclusion

Please note that when conjugating irregular verbs the stem may change and specific endings are added. Consistent practice is key to mastery in French Tenses.