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Les auxiliaires

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What is it?

Auxiliary verbs are verbs used to form past, future, and conditional compound tenses. They are classified as irregular verbs and therefore, they will not have a regular pattern. The auxiliary verbs, in the present tense, are used to form a compound past tense, so you need to know them by heart.

Être = To be
Je suis I am
Tu es You are
Il/elle/on est He/she is
Nous sommes We are
Vous êtes You are
Ils/elles sont They are

Note

Remember to use the “z” link for “vous.”

Forming sentences

It is easier, in the present tense, to make a sentence with “to be” if you are using it with the meaning “to be located somewhere.” There are only a few things someone can be (a woman, a man, a doctor, etc.), but a person can be at a lot of different places at different times. However, if you use the verb “être” to mean “to be” it can directly be followed by a profession, a nationality, or a religion without the use of an article.

For example:
Je suis au cinéma → I am (located) at the cinema.
Je suis française → I am a French woman.

Note

See the lessons on the omission of the indefinite article and on affirmative sentences in this book.

Avoir = To have
J'ai I have
Tu as You have
Il/elle/on a He/she has
Nous avons We have
Vous avez You have
Ils/elles ont They have

Note

Remember to use the “z” link for “nous,” “vous,” “ils” and “elles.”

Forming sentences

It is quite easy to form sentences with “avoir” as there are many things someone can possess.

For example:
J’ai un chat → I have a cat.

Note

See the lesson on affirmative sentences in this book.

More in the books

Werther you are learning by yourself, with Anais and Co or if you are a FLE teacher find this lesson and many more in a beautiful book.

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