Introduction

In this first chapter, devoted to verbs, we examine the ways in which verbs are formed in French and the factors that have to be borne in mind when we are considering our choice of form.

The forms are chosen according to the role that the verbs play as they fit into sentences. We shall see that the form has to be adjusted according to who or what is the subject of the verb (known as the person), the time when the event or state indicated by the meaning of the verb occurs (the tense) and the syntactic circumstances in which the verb occurs.

To provide us with some technical terminology and a general framework in which to work, the following questions are answered – what is a verb? (see 2), what do the terms infinitive (see 4), mood (see 6), person (see 5), tense (see 7) mean?

Verbs

The verb is often the pivotal element of a sentence. Indeed mention of a verb is regularly included in the definition of a sentence or clause – but see 445, 449. The typical purpose of a verb is to indicate how a state, action or process takes place during time and to provide information about it.

Treatment of verbs

Verbs are so vital to communication – they provide information especially about the subject (whether it is a question of singular or plural, first, second or third person), about the time when the speech-event takes place (past, present, future) – that they need to be given extensive treatment.