Verbs With Seven Principal Parts
Most irregular French verbs can be described with seven principal parts. In reality, few if any verbs have separate stems for all seven parts; instead, they tend to "inherit" the same stem as another part. Note that the endings for these verbs are basically the same as for regular -ir verbs; in fact, regular -ir verbs can be fit into this scheme by treating the -iss- variants as different principal parts.
| Principal part | How to get the stem | "Inherited" (regular) value of stem |
|---|---|---|
| infinitive | Remove ending -er, -ir, -oir, -re | — |
| First singular present indicative | Remove ending -s, -e | Infinitive stem |
| First plural present indicative | Remove ending -ons | Infinitive stem |
| Third plural present indicative | Remove ending -ent | First plural present stem |
| (First singular) future | Remove ending -ai | Full infinitive stem (minus any -e) |
| (Masculine singular) past participle | Full word | Infinitive stem, plus -i (plus -u if ends -re) |
| (First singular) simple past | Remove ending -s, -ai | Past participle (minus any -s or -t) |
The following table shows how the paradigm of an irregular verb is constructed from its principal parts. Note that a few verbs construct the present indicative (especially the singular) differently.
| Indicative | Subjunctive | Conditional | Imperative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Simple past | Imperfect | Future | Present | Imperfect | Present | Present | |
| je | 1S+s | PAST+s | 1P+ais | FUT+ai | 3P+e | PAST+sse | FUT+ais | |
| tu | 1S+s | PAST+s | 1P+ais | FUT+as | 3P+es | PAST+sses | FUT+ais | (same as pres. indic. 3rd. sg. if ends with vowel, else 2nd. sg.) |
| il | 1S+t1 | PAST+t | 1P+ait | FUT+a | 3P+e | PAST+ˆt | FUT+ait | |
| nous | 1P+ons | PAST+ˆmes | 1P+ions | FUT+ons | 1P+ions | PAST+ssions | FUT+ions | (same as pres. indic. 1st pl.) |
| vous | 1P+ez | PAST+ˆtes | 1P+iez | FUT+ez | 1P+iez | PAST+ssiez | FUT+iez | (same as pres. indic. 2nd pl.) |
| ils | 3P+ent | PAST+rent | 1P+aient | FUT+ont | 3P+ent | PAST+ssent | FUT+aient | |
1 The -t is regularly dropped when directly following a d or t (e.g. il vend "he sells", not *il vendt).
Non-finite forms:
- Infinitive: (full infinitive, with suffix)
- Present participle: 1P-ant
- Gerundive: en 1P-ant
- Verbal adjective: 1P-ant(e)(s)
- Past participle: PP(e)(s)
The following table gives principal parts for a number of irregular verbs. There are a number of fair-sized groups of verbs that are conjugated alike; these are listed first. There are some additional irregularities in the present indicative, which are listed below. Nearly all irregularities affect the singular, and are purely issues of spelling. (Stems that are irregular in the sense of being unpredictable by the above rules are given in boldface.)
| INF: Infinitive | Meaning | FUT: Future | Present Indicative | PP: Past Participle | PAST: Simple Past | Notes | Similar verbs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1S: 1st Sing (2nd Sing, 3rd Sing) | 1P: 1st Plur (2nd Plur) | 3P: 3rd Plur | |||||||
| (chois-ir | "to choose" | choisir-ai | choisi-s | choisiss-ons | choisiss-ent | choisi | choisi-s) | How a regular -ir verb would be represented by its principal parts | About 300 verbs in -ir |
| vend-re | "to sell" | vendr-ai | vend-s, vend-s, vend1 | vend-ons | vend-ent | vendu | vendi-s | So-called "regular -re" verbs; all end in -dre, but not -indre | attendre "wait", défendre "defend", descendre "go down", entendre "hear", étendre "extend", fondre "melt", pendre "hang", perdre "lose", prétendre "pretend", rendre "return, give back", répandre "spill", répondre "respond", etc. |
| craind-re | "to fear" | craindr-ai | crain-s | craign-ons | craign-ent | craint | craign-is | All verbs in -aindre, -eindre, -oindre, e.g. contraindre "compel", plaindre "complain"; atteindre "reach", ceindre "gird", empreindre "stamp", éteindre "turn off", étreindre "hug", feindre "pretend", geindre "whine", peindre "paint", restreindre "restrict", teindre "dye"; joindre "join", oindre "anoint", poindre "dawn", rejoindre "rejoin" | |
| part-ir | "to leave" | partir-ai | par-s | part-ons | part-ent | parti | parti-s | Sing. pres. indic. stem drops last consonant of basic stem: je pars, dors, mens, sors, sens, sers /ʒ(ə) paʁ, dɔʁ, mɑ̃, sɔʁ, sɑ̃, sɛʁ/ | dormir "sleep", mentir "lie (tell lies)", sentir "feel", servir "serve", sortir "go out" |
| ouvr-ir | "to open" | ouvrir-ai | ouvr-e, ouvr-es, ouvr-e | ouvr-ons | ouvr-ent | ouvert | ouvri-s | Sing. pres. indic. uses endings -e -es -e, as with -er verbs | couvrir "cover", offrir "offer", souffrir "suffer" |
| condui-re | "to lead" | conduir-ai | condui-s | conduis-ons | conduis-ent | conduit | conduisi-s | All verbs in -uire (except nuire), e.g. construire "build", cuire "cook", détruire "destroy", instruire "instruct", produire "produce", traduire "translate" | |
| recev-oir | "to receive" | recevr-ai | reçoi-s | recev-ons | reçoiv-ent | reçu | reçu-s | Other verbs in -cevoir, e.g. apercevoir "perceive", concevoir "conceive", décevoir "disappoint" | |
| envoy-er | "to send" | enverr-ai | envoi-e2 | envoy-ons2 | envoi-ent2 | envoyé | envoy-ai | ||
| voir | "to see" | verr-ai | voi-s | voy-ons | voi-ent2 | vu | vi-s | ||
| dev-oir | "to owe, must" | devr-ai | doi-s | dev-ons | doiv-ent | dû | du-s | Very similar to recevoir, but adds a circumflex to du to distinguish it from the partitive article du - due, dus and dues remain unchanged | |
| pleuv-oir | "to rain" | pleuvr-a | pleu-t | (stem pleuv-) | (stem pleuv-) | plu | plu-t | Impersonal (3rd-singular only) | |
| asseoir | "to sit" | assiér-ai; assoir-ai | assied-s, assied-s, assied;1 assoi-s | assey-ons; assoy-ons | assey-ent; assoi-ent | assis | assi-s | Note double forms, irregular infinitive | |
| cueill-ir /kœjiʁ/ | "to gather" | cueiller-ai | cueill-e, cueill-es, cueill-e | cueill-ons | cueill-ent | cueilli | cueilli-s | Like ouvrir except the future; sing. pres. indic. uses endings -e -es -e, as with -er verbs | |
| ven-ir | "to come" | viendr-ai | vien-s | ven-ons | vienn-ent | venu | vin-s | Note simple past plural vînmes, vîntes, vinrent /vɛ̃m, vɛ̃t, vɛ̃ʁ/ | tenir "hold" |
| mour-ir | "to die" | mourr-ai | meur-s | mour-ons | meur-ent | mort | mouru-s | ||
| cour-ir | "to run" | courr-ai | cour-s | cour-ons | cour-ent | couru | couru-s | ||
| di-re | "to say, tell" | dir-ai | di-s | dis-ons, dites | dis-ent | dit | di-s | Note the 2nd pl. dites | |
| li-re | "to read" | lir-ai | li-s | lis-ons | lis-ent | lu | lu-s | ||
| écri-re | "to write" | écrir-ai | écri-s | écriv-ons | écriv-ent | écrit | écrivi-s | décrire "describe", inscrire "inscribe" | |
| ri-re | "to laugh" | rir-ai | ri-s | ri-ons | ri-ent | ri | ri-s | sourire "smile" | |
| suffi-re | "to suffice" | suffir-ai | suffi-s | suffis-ons | suffis-ent | suffit | suffi-s | confire "pickle", circoncire "circumcise", frire "fry" | |
| boi-re | "to drink" | boir-ai | boi-s | buv-ons | boiv-ent | bu | bu-s | ||
| croi-re | "to believe" | croir-ai | croi-s | croy-ons2 | croi-ent2 | cru | cru-s | ||
| conclu-re | "to conclude" | conclur-ai | conclu-s | conclu-ons | conclu-ent | conclu | conclu-s | Other verbs in -clure | |
| plai-re | "to please" | plair-ai | plai-s, plai-s, plaît | plais-ons | plais-ent | plu | plu-s | Note the 3rd sg. plaît | |
| clo-re | "to close" | clor-ai | clo-s, clo-s, clôt | clos-ons | clos-ent | clos | (missing) | Also missing the imperfect; note the 3rd sg. clôt | |
| prend-re | "to take" | prendr-ai | prend-s, prend-s, prend1 | pren-ons | prenn-ent | pris | pri-s | ||
| viv-re | "to live" | vivr-ai | vi-s | viv-ons | viv-ent | vécu | vécu-s | ||
| suiv-re | "to follow" | suivr-ai | sui-s | suiv-ons | suiv-ent | suivi | suivi-s | ||
| naît-re | "to be born" | naîtr-ai | nai-s, nai-s, naît | naiss-ons | naiss-ent | né | naqui-s | Note the 3rd sg. naît | |
| connaît-re | "to recognize" | connaîtr-ai | connai-s, connai-s, connaît | connaiss-ons | connaiss-ent | connu | connu-s | Note the 3rd sg. connaît | |
| mett-re | "to put" | mettr-ai | met-s, met-s, met1 | mett-ons | mett-ent | mis | mi-s | ||
| batt-re | "to beat" | battr-ai | bat-s, bat-s, bat1 | batt-ons | batt-ent | battu | batti-s | Close to vendre | |
| romp-re | "to break" | rompr-ai | romp-s | romp-ons | romp-ent | rompu | rompi-s | Very close to vendre | |
| vainc-re | "to conquer" | vaincr-ai | vainc-s, vainc-s, vainc | vainqu-ons | vainqu-ent | vaincu | vainqui-s | Essentially same as vendre, except for c/qu variation | |
| coud-re | "to sew" | coudr-ai | coud-s, coud-s, coud1 | cous-ons | cous-ent | cousu | cousu-s | ||
| moud-re | "to grind, mill" | moudr-ai | moud-s, moud-s, moud1 | moul-ons | moul-ent | moulu | moulu-s | ||
| absoud-re | "to absolve" | absoudr-ai | absou-s | absolv-ons | absolv-ent | absous | (missing) | ||
1 The ending -t is regularly dropped when directly following a d or t (e.g. il vend "he sells", not *il vendt).
2 Alternation of -oi- before consonant or unstressed e, -oy- before other vowels is automatic in all verbs.
The following table shows an example paradigm of one of these verbs, recevoir "to receive".
| Indicative | Subjunctive | Conditional | Imperative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Simple Past | Imperfect | Future | Present | Imperfect | Present | Present | |
| je | reçoi-s /ʁəswa/ |
reçu-s /ʁəsy/ |
recev-ais /ʁəsəvɛ/ |
recevr-ai /ʁəsəvʁe/ |
reçoiv-e /ʁəswav/ |
reçu-sse /ʁəsys/ |
recevr-ais /ʁəsəvʁɛ/ |
|
| tu | reçoi-s /ʁəswa/ |
reçu-s /ʁəsy/ |
recev-ais /ʁəsəvɛ/ |
recevr-as /ʁəsəvʁa/ |
reçoiv-es /ʁəswav/ |
reçu-sses /ʁəsys/ |
recevr-ais /ʁəsəvʁɛ/ |
reçoi-s /ʁəswa/ |
| il | reçoi-t /ʁəswa/ |
reçu-t /ʁəsy/ |
recev-ait /ʁəsəvɛ/ |
recevr-a /ʁəsəvʁa/ |
reçoiv-e /ʁəswav/ |
reçû-t /ʁəsys/ |
recevr-ait /ʁəsəvʁɛ/ |
|
| nous | recev-ons /ʁəsəvɔ̃/ |
reçû-mes /ʁəsym/ |
recev-ions /ʁəsəvjɔ̃/ |
recevr-ons /ʁəsəvʁɔ̃/ |
recev-ions /ʁəsəvjɔ̃/ |
reçu-ssions /ʁəsysjɔ̃/ |
recevr-ions /ʁəsəvʁijɔ̃/ |
recev-ons /ʁəsəvɔ̃/ |
| vous | recev-ez /ʁəsəve/ |
reçû-tes /ʁəsyt/ |
recev-iez /ʁəsəvje/ |
recevr-ez /ʁəsəvʁe/ |
recev-iez /ʁəsəvje/ |
reçu-ssiez /ʁəsysje/ |
recevr-iez /ʁəsəvʁije/ |
recev-ez /ʁəsəve/ |
| ils | reçoiv-ent /ʁəswav/ |
reçu-rent /ʁəsyʁ/ |
recev-aient /ʁəsəvɛ/ |
recevr-ont /ʁəsəvʁɔ̃/ |
reçoiv-ent /ʁəswav/ |
reçu-ssent /ʁəsys/ |
recevr-aient /ʁəsəvʁɛ/ |
|
Non-finite forms:
- Infinitive: recevoir
- Present participle: recevant
- Gerundive: en recevant
- Verbal adjective: recevant(e)(s)
- Past participle: reçu(e)(s)
Read more about this topic: Etre, Third Group
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