Notes on the use of tenses

From Schaum's Outlines: French Grammar (Fourth Edition) by Mary E. Coffman Crocker, A French Reference Grammar (Second Edition) by H. Ferrar, and french.about.com.

Indicatif Présent

The present tense is used to express an action which is taking place in the present. The present tense is used to express habitual actions taking place or a permanent situation.

To insist on the duration of an action, use être en train de plus an infinitive.

It is also used to express the immediate future.

A special use of the present tense is with the time expressions: depuis, il y a...que, voilà...que, and ça fait...que.

The present tense of venir de plus the infinitive is used to describe something that has just happened recently. It means to have just done something. This is known as the Passé récent pseudo tense.

Indicatif Imparfait

Continuing or Habitual Action

The imperfect tense is used to describe activities in the past. The imperfect tense is used to indicate actions begun in the past but not necessarily completed. The imperfect tense is used to express those past actions which are habitual or customary. Some common adverbial expressions which would indicate continuance and thus frequently use the imperfect are:

Examples:

The imperfect tense is used to describe what people where doing rather than what they did.

With Verbs Denoting Mental Activity or Conditions

Since most mental processes involve duration or continuance, verbs which deal with mental activities or conditions are often expressed in the imperfect when used in the past. The most common of these verbs are:

Descriptions in the Past

The imperfect tense is used to describe conditions or circumstances that accompanied a past action or to designate a condition in the past that no longer exists.

Si and the Imparfait

Si and the on or nous form of the verb in the imperfect tense can be used as a kind of imperative to make a wish or suggestion.

Depuis, il y avait...que, voilà...que, and ça faisait...que and the Imperfect Tense

Depuis, il y avait...que, voilà...que, and ça faisait...que are used with the imperfect tense to mean had been.

Venir de in the Imparfait

Venir de in the imperfect tense is the past tense of to have just done something.

Indicatif Passé composé

The passé composé is used to relate what happened at a definite time in the past or what happened next. It is used to indicate an action that was completed in the past. Some common time expressions that are used with the passé composé are:

Differences between the Passé composé and Imparfait

Specific action versus habitual or continuing action

The imperfect tense is used to describe continuing action, habitual action or past action of long duration. The passé composé is used to express an action which definitely began and was completed in the past. Even though the action may have taken place in the past for an extended period of time, the passé composé is used if the action has been terminated.

With souvent, parfois, quelquefois

Depending on the speaker's point of view, either the passé composé or the imperfect can be used with expressions such as souvent, parfois or quelquefois. The passé composé is used for a series of specific completed actions.

The imperfect is used for habitual occurrences.

Specific action versus ongoing action

The imperfect tense is used to describe what was taking place and continuing to take place in the past when something else happened. The latter action is expressed in the passé composé. If the actions occurred simultaneously, the two actions are in the same tense.

Sometimes the tense will change, depending upon whether the speaker wishes to portray the event as a background condition or as something that happened.

Events versus background

The imperfect tense is used to describe the background conditions to an event in the passé composé. In other words, the imperfect tense relates to the conditions, state of mind or actions that were going on and the passé composé relates what happened or what happened next.

Verbs with different meanings in the imparfait and passé composé

Some verbs have different meanings in the imperfect tense and passé composé.

Indicatif Plus-que-parfait

The pluperfect tense is used the same in French as in English to express a past action completed prior to another past action that is either mentioned or understood from the context.

It can also be used to express a habitual action when used after a conjunction of time.

Indicatif Passé simple

The passé simple or literary past tense is a past tense that designates a completed action in the past with no relation to the present. The passé simple is used in literary contexts whereas the passé composé is used in conversation.

Indicatif Passé antérieur and Passé surcomposé

Like the plus-que-parfait, the passé antérieur expresses a past action that occurred before another past action. It is usually used in subordinate clauses after quand, lorsque, après que, aussitôt que, dès que or à peine which indicate a past action immediately preceding another.

Note that the subject and verb are inverted after à peine.

The passé antérieur is only used in written language. In spoken language, it is replaced by the passé surcomposé.

Indicatif Futur simple

The futur simple tense is used to relate actions that will take place in the future.

After certain conjunctions

The future tense is used after the following conjunctions when the verb of the main clause is in the future tense. The future time is implied in the dependent clause. Note that the present tense is often used in English.

The verb will also be in the future tense after these conjunctions with an imperative that refers to an action that will take place in the future.

If the action is habitual, the present tense is used after these conjunctions.

After penser que, savoir que, espérer que, ne pas savoir si and in direct discourse

The present or future tense can be used after penser que, savoir que espérer que, ne pas savoir si and in direct discourse when the main clause is in the present.

The future tense is also used in indirect discourse to express a future action when the main clause is in the present tense.

To express probability

In familiar conversational French, the future tense is sometimes used to express supposition or probability, particularly with avoir or être. Since these forms are used in conversation, the meaning is often conveyed by intonation. The future of probability is never used out of context.

Indicatif Futur antérieur

The future perfect tense is used to express a future action that will be completed prior to another future action.

The future perfect tense is used especially after the conjunctions quand, après que, aussitôt que, dès que and tant que with the future or future perfect in the main clause.

Like the future tense, the future perfect tense is often used to express probability. It is often used in this way with all verbs.

Indicatif Futur proche

The immediate future can be expressed by using the present tense of the verb aller together with an infinitive. This is the equivalent of to be going to in English.

Indicatif Passé récent

The recent past can be expressed by using the present tense of venir de together with an infinitive. This is the equivalent of to have just come from doing in English.

Similarly the imparfait of venir de together with an infinitive can be used to express a past action that occurred just before another past action.

Indicatif Si Clauses

Si clauses are used to express conditions contrary to fact. For such clauses there is a definite sequence of tenses to be followed.

Study the following examples:

In sentences expressing general rules or conditions, the present tense can be used in both clauses.

Subjonctif Présent

The subjonctif is used to express an action which is dependent upon a subjective idea, opinion or condition. The idea in the dependent clause is either contrary to fact, or possible but not probable.

In the first example, even though the father wants his son to become a doctor, it is not certain that the boy will carry out the father's desire. Therefore, the action is expressed in the subjonctif.

Subjonctif in noun clauses

The subjonctif is required in clauses following verbs which denote desire, doubt, denial, necessity, fear, etc. The subjonctif verb usually appears in a clause introduced by que. Some common expressions requiring the subjonctif are:

1. wish, preference or desire

Note that espérer (to hope) is following by the indicatif.

2. doubt

3. denial

4. emotions and feelings

5 an order, command or requirement

6. permission or refusal of permission

Subjonctif with impersonal expressions that express opinion or emotions

The subjonctif is also required after many impersonal expressions that denote an element of subjectivity.

If the opinion is a general one, then the impersonal expression is followed by the infinitif.

The indicatif is used with the following expressions:

Although il semble que is followed by the subjonctif, il me semble que is following by the indicatif.

Subjonctif with expressions of doubt

The indicatif is used with expressions that denote certainty in the affirmative.

The subjonctif is used in the negative and interrogative forms of the above expressions, since uncertainty is implied.

The indicatif is used with affirmative forms of croire and penser since there is no uncertainty.

The subjonctif is used with the negative and interrogative forms of croire and penser when they express doubt or uncertainty.

Note that many expressions that take the indicatif are followed by a future tense.

Note that the conditional can also be used if the clause expresses a supposition or eventuality.

Subjonctif with subordinate clauses

The following conjunctions require the subjonctif.

1. Of time

2. Of cause or negation

3. Of purpose

In certain cases, de manière que, de façon que and de sorte que are followed by the indicatif, particularly when the result is an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed or fact.

4. Of concession

5. Of condition

Ne is usually used after à moins que, avant que, de peur que, de crainte que, de manière que, de sort que when the verb in the dependent clause is affirmative. When the verb is negative, ne...pas is used.

The following conjunctions do not take the subjonctif.

Subjonctif as an imperatif

The subjonctif may be used as an imperatif when not talking to the person to whom the command is directed.

Subjonctif after an affirmation

The subjonctif is used in the following expressions of affirmation.

Subjonctif in relative clauses

Indefinite antecedent

The subjonctif is used in relative clauses when the antecedent (the word the clause modifies) is indefinite. On other words, it is used after a noun or pronoun representing someone or something that is not yet identified or found. If the antecedent is definite, the indicatif is used.

After rien, personne, quelqu'un

The subjonctif is also used after rien, personne or quelqu'un when doubt is implied.

But:

With the superlative and seul, unique

The subjonctif is used in a relative clause after a superlative expression, and after seul and unique when the superlative expression implies judgement or is considered to be an exaggeration.

The subjonctif after indefinite words such as si...que, quelque...que, quel...que, qui que..., etc.

The subjonctif is used after certain indefinite words.

Avoiding the subjonctif

When there is no change of subject in the relative clause, the infinitif is usually used.

Verbs indicating a command, permission or refusal of permission are usually not used with a subjonctif clause. The clause is normally replaced by an indirect object introduced by à and followed by an infinitif introduced by de.

You can also avoid the subjonctif by replacing a clause with a noun.

Subjonctif Passé

The subjonctif passé is used in the same circumstances as the subjonctif présent but it expresses past actions instead.

Subjonctif Imparfait

The subjonctif imparfait is used only in written language when the verb in the main clause is in the past of the indicatif or in the conditional. In spoken language, the subjonctif présent replaces the subjonctif imparfait.

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait

The subjonctif plus-que-parfait is a literary tense. In conversation, the subjonctif passé replaces the subjonctif plus-que-parfait.

If the subjonctif is obligatory, the sentence can usually be rewritten to avoid it.

Subjonctif Si Clauses

The subjonctif is used in si clauses in literary style. The subjonctif plus-que-parfait can be used in the si clause to replace the indicatif plus-que-parfait and in the main clause to replace the conditionnel passé. It is in reality a "literary past conditional."

Spoken:

Written:

Sequence of tenses in indirect discourse

Direct discourse directly cites someone's words.

Indirect discourse indirectly reports someone's words.

When the verb in the principal introductory phrase is in the present or the future tense, there is no tense change in indirect discourse. When the principal verb is in the past tense, the following changes of tense occur.

Note that the first and second persons are generally replaced by the third person in indirect discourse.

Impératif Présent

The impératif présent is used to make a suggestion or to give a command.

Impératif Passé

The impératif passé can be used to give a command for something that must be done before a certain time.

Conditionnel Présent

To express the idea would

The conditional describes an action that would happen if it were not for some other circumstances. It is translated by would in English.

Do not confuse the meaning of the conditional with the verb devoir.

After certain conjunctions

The conditional is used after quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que and tant que when the main verb is in the conditional.

It is also used after au cas où. The main verb can be in any tense.

To soften a request, command or desire

The conditional is used to soften a request, command, or desire.

To express possibility or unsure action

The conditional is used to express a possible action or condition in the present. It is often used with exclamations or questions.

It is also used to describe an action that is unsure or not known to be true. It is often used by journalists and reporters.

In indirect discourse

The conditional is used to express a future action in indirect discourse when the main verb is in the past tense. The present conditional can be equivalent to a simple future in the past.

Remember that the future tense is used when the verb in the main clause is in the present tense.

Conditionnel Passé

The past conditional is used to describe what would have taken place if something else had not interfered.

Like the conditional, the past conditional is used to express a possible action in the past.

It is also used to describe an action that is unsure. Like the present conditional, it is used by journalists and reporters.

The first form of the conditionnel passé is used in spoken language. The second form is only used in written language.

Infinitif Présent

After prepositions

The infinitif is used after most prepositions, such as avant de, pour, afin de and sans. The past participle is sometimes used in English.

En is followed by the participe présent.

After the preposition après, the infinitif of avoir or être plus the participe passé of the verb is used.

As a Noun

As an Imperatif

As an Interrogative Phrase Expressing Deliberation

In an Exclamatory Phrase

Faire in Causative Constructions

An important use of the verb faire is in causative constructions. In this construction, the subject causes an action to be done by someone or something else. Faire is followed by the infinitif.

When there is one object, it is a direct object. If it is a noun, it follows the infinitif. If it is a pronoun, it precedes faire in the negative imperatif and in declarative sentences.

In the above sentence, the object of faire is construire. Faire does not agree with the direct object pronoun.

In the affirmative imperatif, the direct object noun follows the infinitif, but the direct object pronoun precedes the infinitif.

When there are two noun or pronoun complements, one will be the direct object and the other will be the indirect object. The person or thing doing the action is the indirect object. Again, all pronoun objects precede faire expect in the affirmative imperatif.

But:

The participe passé of faire is always invariable when followed by an infinitif.

To avoid possible ambiguity with the indirect object, the person or thing doing the action can be introduced by par instead of à. For example, il fait chanter une chanson à Marie can mean (1) He has Mary sing a song, or (2) He has a song sung to Mary. If the first meaning is intended, par can replace à.

A reflexive pronoun can be used with the verb faire in causative construction.

Laisser and Verbs of Perception plus the Infinitif

After the verb laisser and after the verbs of perception entendre, voir, écouter, regarder and sentir, the infinitif is used. Unlike in English, the infinitif precedes the noun. The pronoun precedes the main verb. These verbs function similarly to the verb faire in causative construction.

Note that the participe passé agrees with the preceding direct object if the object performs the action expressed by the infinitif. In the expression la femme que j'ai entendue chanter, the woman did the singing and, therefore, the participe passé agrees. However, in the expression la chanson que j'ai entendu chanter, the participe passé does not agree since chanson is the object of chanter.

The Use of the Prepositions à and de before an Infinitif

à

The following verbs are followed by the preposition à before an infinitif.

The following verbs have a direct object before à plus the infinitive.

de

The following verbs are followed by the preposition de before an infinitif.

Demander à is used when there is no indirect object.

Demander de is used when there is an indirect object.

The following verbs have direct objects before de.

Note: The use of de after forcer and obliger is practically confirmed to the participe passé of these verbs:

The following group of verbs have an indirect object complement and are followed by de plus an infinitif.

The following verbs are followed directly by an infinitif.

Some transitive verbs that are intransitive in English are not followed by a preposition.

Some verbs have a thing as a direct object and a person as an indirect object.

To Indicate Function, Result or Tendency of a Noun

The preposition à can introduce an infinitif that indicates the function for the preceding noun or the use to which an object is destined. Often à has the meaning of for. The infinitif complement is often the equivalent of an expression with "-ing" in English.

À can introduce an infinitif phrase that describes a preceding noun in terms of a possible result.

À can also introduce an infinitif phrase that intensifies the meaning of an adjective.

After an adjective, à introduces an infinitif that indicates the action to which the adjective applies.

After Expressions of Duration, Length of Time and Position of the Body

À introduces an infinitif after certain expressions indicating duration, length of time and position of the body. À plus the infinitif is used to describe what the subject does during this time or in this position.

Generally, the infinitif following an adjective or noun are followed by de.

After the impersonal il plus être plus an adjective, de precedes the infinitif.

Infinitif Passé

The infinitif passé indicates an action that occurred before the action of the main verb when the subject of both verbs is the same. It can modify the verb or the adjective in the main clause.

It is also used with the preposition après.

Participe Présent

The participe présent can be used as an adjective. It agrees with the noun it modifies.

The participe présent is in invariable when it is used to express an action that takes place at the same time as the action of the principle verb.

The participe présent can be replaced by qui plus a verb.

The participe présent is often used after the preposition en to form the gerund. En means by, while, upon, although.

By doing something is expressed in French by en plus the participe présent except after the verbs commencer and finir. Par with the infinitif is used with these verbs.

With prepositions other than en, the infinitif is used rather than the participe présent.

The participe présent can also express cause.

The participe présent can also be used as a noun, in which case it has normal masculine and feminine forms.

Participe Passé

As an Adjective

The participe passé can be used as an adjective to describe a quality or state. It agrees with the noun or pronoun it qualifies or refers to.

The participe passé may be considered an adjective in the following expressions.

In the above expressions, the participe passé expresses a state or position. Compare this with the following expressions where the participe passé forms part of a compound tense describing an action.

Note: In the case of some participles, used as adjectives, which express an attitude of the body (like assis) the participe passé is used in French where the present participle is used in English (e.g. appuyé, penché, agenouillé, couché, étendu, (sus)pendu).

As Participe Alone

The participe passé may stand as the verb in a clause, without avoir or être in sentences such as the following. It agrees with the noun or pronoun it refers to.

In Compound Tenses

The participe passé is used with être and avoir to form the compound tenses and the infinitif passé. When used with être the participe passé agrees with the subject of the verb.

When used with avoir, the participe passé agrees with the direct (accusative) object of the verb provided that this direct object precedes it.

When used with avoir, the participe passé is invariable when the direct object does not precede the verb, when there is no direct object, when there is a preceding indirect (dative) object, when the verb is impersonal, and when the verb is faire governing another verb.

Reflexive Verbs

The participe passé of reflexive verbs, even though they are compounded with être, follows the rule for agreement as with avoir. In most cases the reflexive pronoun is in fact the preceding direct object, and so there is agreement.

However, in some cases the reflexive pronoun is dative, and so there is no agreement.

It should be remembered that the reflexive pronouns me, te, nous and vous may be masculine or feminine, according to whom they are referring to. When they are direct objects, the participe passé agrees as appropriate.

Similarly, vous may be either singular or plural.

As a Noun

The participe passé can be used as a noun, in which case it has regular feminine and plural forms.

Passive Voice

Forms of the Passive Voice

True Passive with être

The passive voice is used less frequently in french than in English. When the true passive voice is used, however, it is formed by using a form of the verb être plus the participe passé.

Passive:

Active:

The agent or person who performed the action is usually introduced by the preposition par.

De is used with verbs expressing condition or emotion.

The passive voice should be avoided, if possible. If the agent is expressed, simply rewrite the sentence actively.

When the agent is not expressed, the passive voice can be replaced by on and an active verb.

The passive voice cannot be used with intransitive verbs. In English we can say:

But in French, we must say:

In English, an indirect object can be the subject of a passive verb. This cannot be done in French.

The Passive Voice with se

A common way to form the passive voice in French is by using the reflexive pronoun se with the third person singular or plural form of the verb. This construction is most common when the action is habitual or normal or when the person by whom the action is carried out (the agent) is unimportant.