Learning French conjugation, especially as a beginner, can be confusing. In fact, it can easily turn into a headache. As you wander through all the information that is coming to you, you might be looking at the tenses for beginners in French. By that, I mean the tenses that YOU should learn first, as a beginner.
Which tenses for beginners in French? – Écouter l’épisode
The most important tenses for beginners in French
Le présent de l’indicatif
The very first tense that you are going to learn in French is the present tense (le présent de l’indicatif).
It is commonly called “le présent”. This is the equivalent of the English present simple or present progressive.
Je vais au marché. (I’m going to the market)
Je travaille à la maison. (I work at home)
Je mange un plat. (I’m eating a dish)
Le passé composé
After the present tense, it is important for you to know how to express yourself in other tenses, such as the past tense.
In French, we generally use a combination of 2 tenses. Passé composé (compound past) and imparfait (imperfect).
Regarding passé composé, it is used to express an action in the past, that is done.
It is composed of an auxiliary (être or avoir, conjugated in the present tense), followed by the past participle of a verb.
– Je suis allé au marché. (I went to the market)
– J’ai travaillé à la maison. (I worked at home)
– J’ai mangé un plat. (I ate a dish)
L’imparfait
The imperfect tense in French should also be learned with the passé composé, as both tenses go together. As passé composé is used to express an action that is done (finished) in the past, the imparfait will express 3 different things.
1. Descriptions in the past:
– La maison était belle. (The house was beautiful)
– Elle était contente. (She was glad)
2. Habits in the past:
– Elle se douchait à huit heures. (She used to shower at eight o’clock)
– Je me levais souvent à six heures. (I used to often get up at six o’clock)
3. Ongoing actions in the past:
– Ils mangeaient un plat. (They were eating a dish)
– Je chantais une chanson. (I was singing a song)
Here’s an article if you are wondering when to use IMPARFAIT and PASSÉ COMPOSÉ.
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Le futur proche
– Je vais aller au marché. (I’m going to go to the market)
– Je vais manger un plat. (I’m going to eat a dish)
Le futur simple
– J’irai au marché. (I will go to the market)
– Je mangerai un plat. (I will eat a dish)
The most important tenses for beginners in French – Conclusion
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