Appendix A
General Overview of French Verb Tense Formats:
Temps simples, composés, combinés
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General Comments on French Verb Tense Mechanics – Structure and Voice
As shown throughout the VerbExpress.net site, French verb tenses come in a variety of formats to convey a great variety of meanings.
The basic mechanics of all French verbs can be organized according to Structure and Voice.
Structure
There are 3 structural configurations.
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1) Temps simple A verb form that appears as a single word. Click the link below 'Temps simples (List)' for the full list of all the 'Temps simples' across the site. |
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2) Temps composé A verb form that is a combination of an auxiliary verb (either "avoir" or "être") followed by the participe passé of the main verb (represented throughout this site by the abbreviation (p.p.).) Click the link below 'Temps composés (List)' for the full list of all the 'Temps composés' across the entire site. |
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3) Temps combiné The general term throughout this site for any combination of a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s). Click the link below 'Temps combinés (List)' for the full list of all the 'Temps combinés' across the entire site. |
At the beginning of every verb-tense section throughout this site, an 'Orientation Table' offers a few comments to help the student get an initial feel for the verb tense under study.
These comments address the following essential details:
- Type of Verb Tense (According to structure)
- Frequency of Use in Everyday Communication
- Level of Difficulty in Formulation
- Skill level for Usage Mastery
These Orientation Tables are similar to the one below:
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Type of Verb Tense (According to structure) Temps composé – ("Compound" Tense: an auxiliary verb – "avoir" or "être" – followed by the participe passé (p.p.) of the main verb.) Frequency of Use in Everyday Communication – (Low, Medium, High) Level of Difficulty in Formulation – (Low, Medium, High) Skill level for Usage Mastery – (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) |
In Tables A–C below, you will find a few examples of each type of verb-tense format.
(The actual formulas and translations will be found on the specific verb-tense pages elsewhere on the site.)
| A - Temps simples - See complete list of Temps simples from link on left menu. | |||
| Format Type | Examples | Format Description | |
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temps simple |
je parle |
single-word verb |
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temps simple |
je chanterai |
single-word verb |
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| B - Temps composés - See complete list of Temps composés from link on left menu. | |||
| Format Type | Examples | Format Description | |
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temps composé |
j'ai parlé |
(auxiliary verb + p.p.): avoir/être + main verb (p.p.) |
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temps composé |
je suis retourné(e) |
(auxiliary verb + p.p.): avoir/être + main verb (p.p.) |
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temps composé |
je me suis préparé(e) |
(auxiliary verb + p.p.): avoir/être + main verb (p.p.) |
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| C - Temps combinés - See complete list of Temps combinés from link on left menu. | |||
| Format Type | Examples | Format Description | |
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temps combiné |
je vais parler |
General term for any combination of: a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s) |
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temps combiné |
je viens [de] parler |
General term for any combination of: a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s) |
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temps combiné |
je suis [en train de] parler |
General term for any combination of: a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s) |
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temps combiné |
je vais être [en train de] parler |
General term for any combination of: a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s) |
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temps combiné |
je vais avoir parlé |
General term for any combination of: a temps simple, temps composé, or Infinitif – with or without special added word(s) |
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Voice
There are 3 types of Voice.
The French verb system features something called Voice, which can be pictured as the direction the verb takes between action-doer and action-receiver.
There are three voices, or directions a verb can take:
- Actif
- Passif
- Pronominal
- Actif: The "format actif" is the basic or usual format of the verb when accompanied by a subject, and is used when the subject is actually "doing" the action, or is "driving" the verb. In French, it is called "la voix active" (Active Voice). Here at VerbExpress.net, it is simply referred to as "actif (Basic format)" where it appears in the Verb Title tables.
- Passif: On the other hand, when the subject of the verb is not doing the action, but is rather receiving the action, we call it "la voix passive" (simply "passif" on this site). (See Appendix C for details.)
- Pronominal: Thirdly, the "format pronominal" combines the actif and the passif structure and/or meanings. It represents a verb whose action is first sent by the doer to the receiver, and is then sent right back to the doer. Sometimes the verb has no real reflexive or reciprocal meaning (as in essential and idiomatic pronominals – fully explained in Appendix D), and sometimes it does have a real reflexive or reciprocal meaning (as in optional, also called accidental pronominals – fully explained in Appendix D)