An Overview of Verbs
Verbs are used to describe actions, e.g.: je mange or to establish relationships, e.g.: il est mon ami. To write verbs correctly, you need to be able to identify and produce the different forms a verb can take.
The base form of the verb is called the infinitive. This is the form listed in the dictionary and it is the starting point for using a verb in a sentence. Mastering French verbs involves learning infinitives (since they supply the basic meaning) and knowing the different forms a verb takes depending on categories such as tense (e.g.: present, past, etc.), mood (e.g.: subjunctive, indicative, etc.) and subject (e.g.: je, tu, etc.). Providing this information allows the infinitive to "come to life" in a sentence.
Our overview of verbs also provides a discussion of pronominal verbs, negation, past participles, imperatives, present participles and interrogation.
A list of anglicisms involving verbs can be found here.
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