There are two forms of the first person singular of pouvoir: je peux and je puis.
The present tense of pouvoir is often translated as I can.
Complete each sentence with the present tense of the verb in parentheses.
1. (pouvoir) Vous _______________ entrer.
2. (vouloir) _______________ -vous du sucre?
3. (pouvoir) _______________ -je entrer?
4. (savoir) Je/J’ _______________ ma leçon.
5. (savoir) Ils ne _______________ pas danser.
6. (vouloir) Je/J’ _______________ de l’eau.
7. (pouvoir) Il _______________ écrire au président.
8. (savoir) File le _______________.
9. (pouvoir) Nous _______________ nous reposer demain.
10. (savoir) Tu _______________ jouer au tennis.
11. (vouloir) Elles _______________ aller an cinéma.
Translate the following phrases into French.
1. I want __________________________________________
2. I can ___________________________________________
3. he knew ________________________________________
4. we used to know __________________________________
5. I have been able ___________________________________
6. we could ________________________________________
7. she would like to __________________________________
8. I shall know ______________________________________
9. we have known ____________________________________
10. he was able _______________________________________
Translate the following phrases into English.
1. je veux ________________________________________
2. elle pouvait _____________________________________
3. nous saurons ____________________________________
4. il put __________________________________________
5. qu’elle sût ______________________________________
6. nous voulions ___________________________________
7. on saurait ______________________________________
8. nous sûmes _____________________________________
9. elles ont pu _____________________________________
10. vous voulûtes ____________________________________
11. puis-je? ________________________________________
12. je sais _________________________________________
13. sache! _________________________________________
14. ils peuvent ______________________________________
15. nous voudrions ___________________________________
16. qu’elle veuille ___________________________________
17. que nous puissions ________________________________
18. que vous sussiez __________________________________
19. tu as su _________________________________________
20. pouvant _________________________________________
verbs conjugated like dormir
s’endormir (to fall asleep)
mentir (to lie)
partir (to go away)
sentir (to feel; to smell)
servir (to serve)
sortir (to go out [conjugated with être])
verbs conjugated like prendre
apprendre (to learn)
comprendre (to understand)
reprendre (to take back; to continue)
surprendre (to surprise)
verbs conjugated like ouvrir
couvrir (to cover)
découvrir (to discover)
offrir (to offer)
recouvrir (to cover [again])
souffrir (to suffer)
Write the following verbs in the tense and person indicated.
1. present indicative
2. imperfect indicative
3. future
4. passé simple
5. present subjunctive
6. past participle
7. imperfect subjunctive
Translate the following phrases into English.
1. je partis ________________________________________
2. nous comprenions ________________________________
3. vous sentirez ____________________________________
4. elle a pris ______________________________________
5. il ouvrira _______________________________________
6. j’ai découvert ____________________________________
7. elle offrirait _____________________________________
8. que nous nous comprenions _________________________
9. que vous dormiez _________________________________
10. tu reprends ______________________________________
11. je dors _________________________________________
12. qu’il dormît _____________________________________
13. ouvrez! ________________________________________
14. elle surprenait ___________________________________
15. je surpris _______________________________________
16. il a compris _____________________________________
17. nous sommes sortis _______________________________
18. elle est partie ____________________________________
19. on partit ________________________________________
20. nous offririons ___________________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I am leaving. _____________________________________
2. He is sleeping. ___________________________________
3. we took ________________________________________
4. she has taken ____________________________________
5. They will understand. ______________________________
6. They do understand. _______________________________
7. he was serving ___________________________________
8. that one may feel _________________________________
9. that we might go out _______________________________
10. I shall offer _____________________________________
11. I do offer _______________________________________
12. I am taking ______________________________________
13. she took ________________________________________
14. We left. _________________________________________
15. You have gone out. ________________________________
16. She has slept. ____________________________________
17. we feel _________________________________________
18. Go out! _________________________________________
19. Let’s leave! ______________________________________
20. he opened _______________________________________
idiomatic expressions with the verb aller
Comment allez-vous? (How are you?)
Je vais bien. (I am fine.)
Il va travailler. (He is going to work.)
Cette robe lui va bien. (This dress suits her well [fits her].)
Tu t’en vas déjà? (s’en aller) (You’re leaving already?)
verbs conjugated like venir
appartenir (to belong)
convenir (to suit)
devenir* (to become)
provenir* de (to result from)
revenir* (to come back)
se souvenir* de (to remember)
verbs conjugated like voir
apercevoir (to catch sight of, notice)
prévoir (to predict)
revoir (to see [again])
Write the following verbs in the tense and person indicated.
1. present indicative
(aller) je/j’ ______________________
(venir) il ________________________
(voir) nous ______________________
(aller) vous ______________________
(revenir) je/j’ ____________________
2. past imperfect (indicative)
(venir) je/j’ ______________________
(aller) tu ________________________
(voir) nous ______________________
(apercevoir) je/j’ _________________
(devenir) vous ___________________
3. future
(revoir) tu ______________________
(venir) elle _____________________
(aller) je/j’ _____________________
(voir) nous _____________________
(revenir) ils _____________________
4. passé composé
(voir) je/j’ ______________________
(aller) nous _____________________
(venir) elles _____________________
(revoir) nous ____________________
(aller) tu _______________________
5. passé simple
(aller) il _______________________
(voir) je/j’ _____________________
(revoir) nous ___________________
(venir) je/f _____________________
(devenir) elles __________________
6. present subjunctive
(voir) que je/f ___________________
(aller) qu’il _____________________
(venir) que nous __________________
(devenir) qu’elles _________________
(revoir) que vous __________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into English.
1. il vit ___________________________________________
2. je vois _________________________________________
3. elle allait _______________________________________
4. nous venons _____________________________________
5. je verrai ________________________________________
6. on alla _________________________________________
7. nous avons vu ____________________________________
8. nous sommes venus _______________________________
9. je suis devenue ___________________________________
10. Allons enfants de la patrie! __________________________
11. Elle vient d’entrer. ________________________________
12. Il va venir. ______________________________________
13. Venez voir. ______________________________________
14. Nous allons bien. _________________________________
15. Ce chapeau vous va bien. ____________________________
16. Revenez nous voir. ________________________________
17. Voyons! ________________________________________
18. Nous irons au bois. ________________________________
19. Il veut s’en aller à midi. _____________________________
20. Elle reviendra à Pâques. _____________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I saw __________________________________________
2. He went to school. ________________________________
3. We’re going to learn French. _________________________
4. How is she? _____________________________________
5. Go see her! _____________________________________
6. we have seen ____________________________________
7. I shall return. ____________________________________
8. We used to go to France. ___________________________
9. He will come back soon. ___________________________
10. What has become of her? ___________________________
11. Everything’s going well. ____________________________
12. we were seeing __________________________________
13. she has seen ____________________________________
14. Come here! _____________________________________
15. I’m coming. _____________________________________
16. He came to class. _________________________________
17. You (fam.) will come back. __________________________
18. I see. __________________________________________
19. The red coat suits her well. __________________________
20. It goes well with her hat. ____________________________
Give the English equivalent of the underlined French words. Then, try to get the gist of the entire quote.
1. «Je suis venu, calme orphelin,
Riche de mes seuls yeux tranquilles,
Vers les hommes des grandes villes;
Ils ne m’ont pas trouvé malin.» —Verlaine
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2. «Vous verrez dans une seule vie toutes les extrémités des choses humaines.» —Bossuet
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3. «Mais mon regard, peu à peu, devenait savant et apprenait à distinguer les moindres clartés.
Et bientôt, très loin derrière les transparences, je vis le feu lui-même. Et je ne vis plus que le feu.» —Nora Mitrani
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4. «Tout le monde ne sait pas voir.» —Fontenelle
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5. «La plus grande ville que le soleil eût jamais vue.» —Bossuet
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6. «Les grandes pensées viennent du cœur.» —Vauvenargues
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7. «Il te vient un vrai coup sur la tête lorsque tu t’aperçois que tout cela, finalement, était une entreprise de pouvoir.» —Dominique Desanti
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8. «Je crains que ce groupe ne vienne pas assez sur le devant.» —Didier
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9. «Du haut de ce balcon votre malheureux frère vint tomber tout sanglant.» —Delille
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10. «Va, je ne te hais pas.» —Corneille
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11. «Tout ce que je fais me vient naturellement, c’est sans étude.» —Molière
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12. «Quiconque a beaucoup vu
Peut avoir beaucoup retenu.» —La Fontaine
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13. «Voir au milieu de la nuit, dans le plus beau lieu du monde, une personne qu’il adorait, la voir sans qu’elle sût qu’il la voyait, et la voir tout occupée de choses qui avaient du rapport à lui... » —Mme de La Fayette
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verb conjugated like faire
satisfaire (to satisfy)
verbs conjugated like mettre
commettre (to commit)
se mettre à (to begin, start)
permettre (to allow)
promettre (to promise)
remettre (to put back; to postpone)
verbs conjugated like connaître
apparaître (to appear)
disparaître (to disappear)
paraître (to seem)
reconnaître (to recognize)
The verb faire is used very frequently in French. It expresses many types of actions, including the pursuit of academic disciplines, sports, arts and hobbies, housekeeping activities, transference of emotions, and descriptions of the weather. The following list of idioms with faire is in alphabetical order according to the identifying word:
faire attention (à) (to pay attention [to], to mind)
il fait beau (it’s good weather [out])
se faire beau (belle) (to dress up, get dressed up)
faire de la bicyclette (du cyclisme) (to go bike riding)
faire du bien (à) (to do [some] good [for])
faire les cartes (to read the [fortune-telling] cards)
faire du cent à l’heure (to go a hundred kilometers an hour)
faire la chambre (to clean/make up the room)
il fait chaud (it’s hot [out])
faire ses chaussures (to polish one’s shoes)
chemin faisant (on the road, on the way)
faire la cour (à) (to court)
faire une course (des courses) (to do an errand [errands])
faire de la couture (to sew)
faire la cuisine (to cook)
faire son droit (to study law)
faire de l’exercice (to exercise)
Vous êtes fait(e)! (You’ve had it!)
il fait frais (it’s cool [out])
il fait froid (it’s cold [out])
il fait jour (it’s daylight)
faire la lessive (to do the laundry)
faire le lit (to make the bed)
faire mal (à) (to hurt [someone])
faire du mal (à) (to harm)
faire une malle (les valises) (to pack a trunk [one’s bags])
faire le marché (to do the shopping)
il fait mauvais (it’s bad weather [out])
faire le ménage (to clean house)
faire le mort (to play dead)
faire de la musique (to do, make music)
il fait noir (it’s dark, nighttime)
faire partie de (to belong to)
faire une partie de tennis (to play a game of tennis)
faire de la peine (à) (to hurt [someone’s] feelings)
faire de la peinture (to paint [fine art])
faire peur (à) (to frighten [someone])
faire de la photographie (to do photography)
faire des pieds et des mains (to move heaven and earth)
faire plaisir (à) (to please [someone])
faire la pluie et le beau temps (to get one’s way)
faire de la poésie (to do, write poetry)
faire une promenade (to take a walk, go on an outing)
ne pas s’en faire (not to worry)
faire du ski (to ski, go skiing)
il se fait tard (it’s getting late)
faire la vaisselle (to do the dishes)
faire de la vitesse (to speed [while driving])
Write the verb in parentheses in the tense and person indicated.
1. present indicative
(faire) je/j’ ______________________________________
(faire) elles _____________________________________
(mettre) je/j’ ____________________________________
(permettre) nous _________________________________
(connaître) tu ____________________________________
2. future
(paraître) il ______________________________________
(promettre) je/j’ __________________________________
(faire) nous ______________________________________
(remettre) tu _____________________________________
(paraître) elles ____________________________________
3. past participle
(faire) __________________________________________
(connaître) ______________________________________
(mettre) ________________________________________
4. present participle
(faire) _________________________________________
(connaître) ______________________________________
5. passé simple
(mettre) elle _____________________________________
(permettre) nous __________________________________
(faire) vous ______________________________________
(paraître) ils _____________________________________
(reconnaître) je/j’ _________________________________
6. present subjunctive
(faire) que je ____________________________________
(mettre) que nous _________________________________
(paraître) qu’ils ___________________________________
(apparaître) que vous _______________________________
(disparaître) que je/j’ _______________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into English.
1. nous faisions _____________________________________
2. tu fis ___________________________________________
3. qu’il fasse _______________________________________
4. nous mettons _____________________________________
5. on a mis _________________________________________
6. vous commettiez __________________________________
7. nous promettons __________________________________
8. que vous disparaissiez ______________________________
9. je connus ________________________________________
10. elle connut _______________________________________
11. Faites le marché! ___________________________________
12. Il fera beau demain. _________________________________
13. Ils ont fait une partie de tennis. ________________________
14. Savez-vous faire la cuisine? ___________________________
15. Elles font du basket-ball. _____________________________
16. Nous allons faire une promenade. ______________________
17. Cela vous fait plaisir. ________________________________
18. Il se faisait tard. ____________________________________
19. Ne vous en faites pas. ________________________________
20. Que ferez-vous demain? ______________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I knew __________________________________________
2. they promised ____________________________________
3. we are appearing __________________________________
4. he has allowed ____________________________________
5. I will not allow ____________________________________
6. we are committing _________________________________
7. she is promising ___________________________________
8. I shall recognize ___________________________________
9. let us allow! ______________________________________
10. He’ll do the cooking. ________________________________
11. She used to be in photography. _________________________
12. You were speeding. _________________________________
13. She scares me. ___________________________________
14. We studied law. ___________________________________
15. They took a walk. __________________________________
16. We packed our trunks. _______________________________
17. He dressed up for the occasion. ________________________
18. You’ve had it! _____________________________________
19. Do you want to study music? __________________________
20. Tomorrow, the weather will be bad. _____________________
Some verbs are used only in the third person masculine singular (il). These are called impersonal verbs.
some common uses of impersonal expressions
il y a (there is, there are)
il y avait une fois (once upon a time)
Il fait beau. (The weather is fine [It’s a beautiful day].)
Il fait froid. (It’s cold [out].)
il convient de dire... (it is fitting to say ... )
Il est une heure. (It’s one o’clock.)
Il faut que je m’en aille.3 (I must [it is necessary that I] leave.)
Il paraît qu’elle parle français. (It seems that she speaks French.)
Il reste du champagne. (There is some champagne left.)
Write the verb falloir in the forms indicated.
1. (present indicative) il __________________________
2. (passé simple) il ______________________________
3. (present subjunctive) qu’il _______________________
4. (future) il ___________________________________
5. (past participle) _______________________________
Write the verb pleuvoir in the forms indicated.
1. (passé simple) il __________________________
2. (passé composé) il ________________________
3. (future) il _______________________________
4. (imperfect subjunctive) qu’il _________________
5. (conditional) il ___________________________
Translate the underlined words into English.
1. «Il pleure dans mon cœur _________________________________
2. Comme il pleut sur la ville. ________________________________
Quelle est cette langueur
Qui pénètre mon cœur?» —Verlaine
verb conjugated like battre
combattre (to combat, fight)
verbs conjugated like conduire
construire (to build, construct)
produire (to produce)
réduire (to reduce)
reproduire (to reproduce)
traduire (to translate)
Write the verb battre in the forms indicated.
1. (present indicative) je/j’ ______________________________
2. (past participle) ____________________________________
3. (future) il _________________________________________
4. (present subjunctive) que nous _________________________
5. (passé composé) vous ________________________________
Write the verb boire in the forms indicated.
1. (passé simple) je/j’ _________________________________
2. (passé composé) je/j’ _______________________________
3. (conditional) vous __________________________________
4. (imperative [tu]) ___________________________________
5. (imperative [nous]) _________________________________
Write the verb conduire in the forms indicated.
1. (imperfect indicative) nous ____________________________
2. (present subjunctive) que vous __________________________
3. (present participle) __________________________________
4. (imperfect subjunctive) qu’on __________________________
verbs conjugated like craindre
éteindre (to extinguish; to turn out [lights, etc.])
peindre (to paint)
plaindre (to pity)
se plaindre (to complain)
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I ran. _____________________________________________
2. we feared _________________________________________
3. I believed _________________________________________
4. I used to believe ____________________________________
5. Is she running? _____________________________________
6. they would believe __________________________________
7. I will fear _________________________________________
8. they did fear _______________________________________
9. you believe ________________________________________
10. Let’s run! _________________________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into English.
1. Il courut. _________________________________________
2. qu’elle craigne _____________________________________
3. nous croyions ______________________________________
4. elle crut __________________________________________
5. Il courra. __________________________________________
6. Elles coururent. _____________________________________
7. Courez! ___________________________________________
8. tu croiras __________________________________________
9. Que craignez-vous? __________________________________
10. Je crains que vous couriez trop. _________________________
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. J’écrirai au président (à la présidente).
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2. Il faut que je lui écrive.
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3. Oui, vous devriez lui écrire.
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4. On dit que vous devez trente-cinq euros au coiffeur.
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5. Oui, je lui dois trente-cinq euros.
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6. Je disais que j’allais écrire à mon sénateur.
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7. Vous devez avoir quelque chose d’important à lui dire.
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8. Écrivez-vous beaucoup?
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9. Non, mais j’écrivais beaucoup autrefois.
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10. Elle dit qu’elle a écrit une lettre à son sénateur.
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Translate the following sentences into French.
1. I wrote the book.
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2. We are writing a book.
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3. You must be Michelle’s husband.
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4. We have to work.
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5. She should write a book.
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6. He has written a book.
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7. He did not write that book.
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8. I owe (à) my friend ten euros.
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9. Let’s write to our senator!
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10. I was saying that she has to write a book.
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Translate the following phrases and sentences into English.
1. Elle est morte. _____________________________________
2. Nous mourons de faim. _______________________________
3. Il meurt. __________________________________________
4. Nous lisions. ______________________________________
5. on lut ____________________________________________
6. Vous lisiez. _______________________________________
7. il naquit (il est né) __________________________________
8. elle naquit (elle est née) ______________________________
9. nous naquîmes (nous sommes nés) ______________________
10. qu’il meure! _______________________________________
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. He will die one day. _________________________________
2. She was born in Paris. ________________________________
3. We read the newspapers. ______________________________
4. She is reading a book. ________________________________
5. Many have died. ____________________________________
6. I am dying. ________________________________________
7. He is dead. ________________________________________
8. I will read this article. ________________________________
9. We have read the book. _______________________________
10. Before dying . . . ____________________________________
verbs conjugated like plaire
déplaire (to displease)
se taire* (to quiet down, be silent)
verb conjugated like rire
sourire (to smile)
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I am laughing. _____________________________________
2. he will receive ____________________________________
3. we were pleasing ___________________________________
4. I have pleased _____________________________________
5. she does receive ___________________________________
6. you have received __________________________________
7. Laugh! ___________________________________________
8. one would receive __________________________________
9. that he may receive _________________________________
10. pleasing __________________________________________
11. I will please _______________________________________
12. we would receive ___________________________________
13. You will laugh. _____________________________________
14. She is laughing. _____________________________________
15. that I may please ____________________________________
16. they do receive _____________________________________
17. you received _______________________________________
18. He laughed. ________________________________________
19. Let’s laugh! ________________________________________
20. Don’t laugh! _______________________________________
Translate the underlined words into English, and try to get the gist of the entire quote.
1. «Riez de ma faiblesse.»—Corneille
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2. «Rira bien qui rira le dernier.» —Proverbe
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3. «Plus on est de fous, plus on rit.» —Proverbe
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4. «Votre fille me plut, je prétendis lui plaire.
Elle est de mes serments seule dépositaire.» —Racine
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5. «La fortune se plaît à faire de ces coups.» —La Fontaine
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6. «Plût à Dieu vous savoir en chemin présentement!» —Mme de Sévigné
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7. «Vous plaît-il, don Juan, nous éclaircir ces beaux mystères?» —Molière
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8. Elle a été reçue à l’Académie française.
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9. «Recevez par cette lettre un pouvoir absolu sur tout le palais.» —Montesquieu
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10. «La terre ne rit plus à l’homme comme auparavant.» —Bossuet
verb conjugated like suivre
poursuivre (to pursue; to follow through)
verbs conjugated like tenir
appartenir à (to belong to)
contenir (to contain)
obtenir (to obtain, get)
retenir (to retain)
verb conjugated like vaincre
convaincre (to convince)
Translate the following phrases and sentences into French.
1. I hold ____________________________________________
2. he was following ____________________________________
3. we will conquer _____________________________________
4. you followed _______________________________________
5. I follow ___________________________________________
6. you will hold _______________________________________
7. you do follow ______________________________________
8. Follow me! ________________________________________
9. I would follow ______________________________________
10. they conquered ______________________________________
11. conquering _________________________________________
12. I will conquer _______________________________________
13. we have conquered ___________________________________
14. they are conquered ___________________________________
15. I’ll follow. _________________________________________
16. you are followed ____________________________________
17. You will be followed. _________________________________
18. You have been followed. ______________________________
19. the following example ________________________________
20. She was holding the cat. _______________________________
The verb valoir is most often used in the impersonal form (il vaut mieux + infinitive/que + subjunctive, it would be better/best if/that). It also means to be worth/to cost.
Translate into English.
1. Depuis quand est-ce que vous vivez à Montréal?
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2. J’ai essayé de vendre mes livres, mais ils ne valaient pas beaucoup.
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3. Il vaut mieux que nous commencions tout de suite.
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4. Mozart ne vécut que 33 ans.
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5. Vive le Roi!
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Translate into French.
1. How much is a diploma worth?
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2. She lived in Lyon for three years.
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3. Long live the president!
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4. It would be better to leave before noon.
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5. When I was a child we lived near a lake.
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6. How much does that motorcycle cost? (use valoir)
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Translate into English.
1. Asseyez-vous!
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2. Je me suis assis devant la porte.
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3. Il faut que tu t’asseyes.
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4. Asseyons-nous maintenant.
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5. Nous nous sommes assises dans le train.
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Translate into French.
1. Sit down here. (fam.)
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2. Let’s sit down.
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3. O.K., I’ll sit down (present tense), if you wish.
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4. They (f.) sat down while waiting.
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5. She asked me to sit down.
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Translate the underlined words into English, and try to get the gist of the entire quote.
1. «Seigneur, je sais que je ne sais qu’une chose; c’est qu’il est bon de vous suivre.» —Pascal
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2. «Qui m’aime me suive.» —Proverbe
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3. «D’où tenez-vous ce pouvoir de traverser la vie en la perturbant avec arrogance... ?» —Tahar Ben Jelloun
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4. «Une goutte d’eau tient quelque chose du vaste océan.» —Voltaire
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5. «Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu auras.» —Proverbe
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6. «Alexis et Henriette la suivirent, dociles. Elle marchait devant, menant sa bicyclette: “On va se mettre là, si vous avez un moment”, dit-elle en s’asseyant sur le petit mur de pierre... » —Elsa Triolet
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7. «Elle ne me voyait pas. Elle était absorbée par ses prières. Je m’assis à côté d’elle...
Elle ressemblait étrangement à l’Assise. Moins corpulente, elle avait cependant les mêmes gestes, la même façon de s’asseoir. J’arrêtai de prier et me mis à la regarder avec inquiétude.» —Tahar Ben Jelloun
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8. «À vaincre sans péril on triomphe sans gloire.» —Corneille
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9. «On ne vainc qu’en combattant.» —Rotrou
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10. «Je suis vaincu du temps, je cède à ses outrages.» —Malherbe
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1. Note that the imperative forms of vouloir are used only in very formal situations.
2. The asterisk (*) indicates that the verb is conjugated in compound tenses with the auxiliary verb être.
3. See Part 1 (Section 14) for use of the subjunctive after impersonals.
4. The asterisk (*) indicates that the verb is conjugated in compound tenses with the auxiliary verb être.
5. The imperative of valoir is hardly ever used.
6. The asterisk (*) indicates that the verb is conjugated in compound tenses with the auxiliary verb être.
7. The forms of s’asseoir with -ie- or -ey- (Je m’assieds, Asseyez-vous!) are used more commonly than those with -oi- and -oy-.
