Appendix K
Power Tip
How to Extract Six Extra Tenses from Two
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We use the Infinitif to create two additional simple tenses.
We use the Présent-Indicatif to create four additional simple tenses.
So we can extract (create) eight key simple tenses from two.
See how to do it below.
The Infinitif (présent) is used to create both the Futur simple and the Conditionnel présent. |
Here are the quick rules to use the Infinitif to create the Futur simple and the Conditionnel passé:
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1) The Infinitif creates the Futur simple by adding the following endings (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, and –ont) to the Infinitif form of almost any verb. An Infinitif that ends in "re" simply has the "e" removed before adding the endings. There are also a few verbs that have a special spelling in the Futur simple. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Futur simple section of this site. |
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2) In a similar way, the Infinitif creates the Conditionnel présent by adding the following endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, and –aient) to the Infinitif form of almost any verb. An Infinitif that ends in "re" has the "e" removed before adding the endings. There are also a few verbs that have a special spelling in the Conditionnel présent. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Conditionnel présent section of this site. |
The Présent-Indicatif creates the Participe présent, the Imparfait, the Impératif present, and the Subjonctif présent. |
Once you have the Présent-Indicatif, it is a very simple thing to create or "extract" four other verb tenses.
Here are the quick rules to use the Présent-Indicatif to create the Participe présent, the Imparfait, the Impératif, and the Subjonctif présent: (See the indicated verb-tense sections for full details):
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| 1) The Présent-Indicatif creates the Participe présent by taking the "nous" form of the verb, removing the "-ons" ending, and simply adding the ending (-ant) to the Infinitif form of almost any verb. There are also a few verbs that have a special spelling in the Participe présent. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Participe présent section of this site. |
| 2) The Présent-Indicatif also creates the Imparfait by taking the "nous" form of the verb, removing the "-ons" ending, and simply adding the following endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, and –aient). The verb "être" has a special spelling in the Imparfait. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Imparfait section of this site. |
| 3) The Présent-Indicatif creates the Impératif by simply using the "tu, nous, and vous" forms of the Présent-Indicatif form of almost any verb. There are also a few verbs that have a special spelling in the Impératif. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Impératif section of this site. |
| 4) Finally, the Présent-Indicatif creates the Subjonctif présent by taking two steps.
For the subjects "je, tu, (il/elle/on), (ils/elles)" we take the "ils" form of the verb in the Présent-Indicatif, remove the "ent" ending, and add the following endings: (-e for je), (-es for tu), (-e for il/elle/on) , (-ent for ils/elles).
For the subjects "nous and vous" we take the "nous" form of the verb in the Présent-Indicatif, remove the "-ons" ending, and add the following endings: (-ions for nous), and (-iez for vous). There are also a few verbs that have a special spelling in the Subjonctif présent. See the complete rules and exceptions in the Subjonctif présent section of this site. |