BASIC GRAMMAR
We have already learnt that second-group verbs are verbs ending in "ir". Now let's learn their conjugation.
But, before everything, let's first see some second-group verbs
| Verbs | Meaning |
|---|---|
| finir | to finish |
| agir | to act |
| choisir | to choose |
| remplir | to fill |
| ralentir | to slow down |
| subir | to undergo |
| réunir | to gather, join |
| réussir | to succeed |
| établir | to establish |
| établir | to establish |
| démolir | to demolish |
| guérir | to heal |
| punir | to punish |
| investir | to invest |
| applaudir | to clap |
| aneantir | to annihilate |
Now, how to conjugate them ?
They are conjugated differently following the conjugation tenses. That's why we have to
conjugate them in the simple tenses and compound tenses of the
conjugation.
In French, there are four (04) simple tenses : le présent
simple (the simple present),
l'imparfait (the simple past / preterit),
le passé simple (the simple past / preterit) and le futur simple (the simple future).
The imparfait or the passé
simple is just one tense in english. We'll explain this when conjugating the passé simple.
When conjugating the second group verbs in the simple present tense, we replace ir with the following endings :
| Subject pronouns | Endings |
|---|---|
| je | is |
| tu | is |
| il | it |
| elle | it |
| nous | issons |
| vous | issez |
| ils | issent |
| elles | issent |
Example
Finir : (to finish).
Affirmative
form :
Je finis
: I
finish.
tu finis
: you
finish.
il finit
: he
finishes.
elle finit
: she
finishes.
nous finissons
: we
finish.
vous finissez
: you
finish.
ils finissent
: they
finish.
elles finissent
: they
finish.
Negative
form :
Je ne finis pas
: I do not
finish.
tu ne finis pas
: you do not
finish.
il ne finit pas
: he does not
finish.
elle ne finit pas
: she does not
finish.
nous ne finissons pas
: we do not
finish.
vous ne finissez pas
: you do not
finish.
ils ne finissent pas
: they do not
finish.
elles ne finissent pas
: they do not
finish.
Interrogative
form :
finis-je ?
: do I
finish ?
finis-tu ?
: do you
finish ?
finit-il ?
: does he
finish ?
finit-elle ?
: does she
finish ?
finissons-nous ?
: do we
finish ?
finissez-vous ?
: do you
finish ?
finissent-ils ?
: do they
finish ?
finissent-elles ?
: do they
finish ?
Interronegative
form :
ne finis-je pas ?
: do I not
finish ?
ne finis-tu pas ?
: do you not
finish ?
ne finit-il pas ?
: does he not
finish ?
ne finit-elle pas ?
: does she not
finish ?
ne finissons-nous pas
?
: do we not
finish ?
ne finissez-vous pas
?
: do you not
finish ?
ne finissent-ils pas
?
: do they not
finish ?
ne finissent-elles
pas
?
: do they not
finish ?
