Among irregular verbs, some share conjugation patterns. Sort the 17 irregular verbs from the lesson into the correct family. Three verbs are "loners" (unique pattern).
Why do verb families exist? Verbs built on the same Latin root conjugate the same way. Prendre (Latin prehendere — to seize) generated apprendre, comprendre, surprendre. If you know one, you know them all.
Famille
Pattern (je / il / ils)
Verbes de la leçon qui suivent ce pattern
VOIR / CROIRE
je vois, il voit, ils voient je crois, il croit, ils croient
Hint: -oi- stem, -yons/-yez with nous/vous
VENIR / TENIR
je viens, il vient, ils viennent
Latin venire / tenere — double -nn- at ils
POUVOIR / VOULOIR / DEVOIR
je peux, il peut, ils peuvent
-x/-x/-t at je/tu/il + stem change at ils
SUIVRE / VIVRE
je suis, il suit, nous suivons
-v- reappears at nous/vous/ils
Réguliers (-ER)
je donne, il donne, ils donnent
Which 3 verbs from the list are actually regular?
Isolés
(unique pattern each)
aller, faire, dire, falloir, savoir, mettre, sortir — which ones?
Fill in the missing forms. No looking at the lesson!
Verbe
EN
je
tu
il/elle
nous
vous
ils/elles
aller
to go
tu vas
vous allez
faire
to do
je fais
il fait
dire
to say
il dit
nous disons
pouvoir
can
tu peux
vous pouvez
prendre
to take
je prends
vous prenez
venir
to come
tu viens
devoir
must
il doit
vous devez
vouloir
to want
je veux
mettre
to put
tu mets
voir
to see
je vois
vous voyez
savoir
to know
il sait
nous savons
croire
to believe
je crois
⚠️ Watch out — "je suis" is ambiguous! It means both "I am" (être) and "I follow" (suivre). Context always disambiguates: Je suis fatigué (I am tired) vs. Je suis le cours (I follow the class). Same Latin root sequī gave EN "pursue / sequel".
EXERCICE 3 — Choisissez et conjuguez / 10 pts
Pick the right verb from the 20 and conjugate it. Each verb is used only once.
Qu'est-ce que tu __________ ce week-end ? (What are you doing this weekend?)
Nous __________ le métro tous les jours. (We take the metro every day.)
Elle __________ à Lyon depuis 2020. (She has been living in Lyon since 2020.)
Il __________ partir maintenant, sinon on est en retard. (We must leave now, otherwise we're late.)
Je __________ chez toi à 18h. (I'm coming to your place at 6pm.)
Tu __________ ce soir ou tu restes à la maison ? (Are you going out tonight or staying home?)
Les enfants ne __________ pas aller à l'école demain. (The children don't want to go to school tomorrow.)
Vous __________ où pour les vacances ? (Where are you going for the holidays?)
Je ne __________ pas si c'est vrai. (I don't know if it's true.)
EXERCICE 4 — "Il faut" ou "devoir" ? / 6 pts
Both express obligation, but differently: Il faut + infinitif = impersonal, general ("one must") — no subject, universal rule. Devoir + infinitif = personal ("I/you/she must") — specific person. EN parallel: "It is necessary to..." (falloir) vs. "I have to..." (devoir). Latin: fallere (to lack → to be necessary) / debere (to owe → EN "debt, due, duty").
Complete with "il faut" or the correct form of "devoir".
__________ étudier pour réussir. (One must study to succeed. — general rule)
Tu __________ appeler le médecin. (You must call the doctor. — personal)
__________ du courage pour faire ça. (It takes courage to do that.)
Nous __________ partir à 8h. (We must leave at 8.)
__________ toujours dire la vérité ? (Must one always tell the truth? — philosophical!)
Elle __________ 200 euros à son ami. (She owes 200 euros to her friend. — devoir = to owe!)
These verbs have multiple meanings. Learn the contexts: mettre = to put / to put on (clothes) / to turn on (music) / to set (the table) porter = to carry / to wear (ongoing state) / to bear (a name) passer = to pass / to spend (time) / to take (an exam) / to stop by donner = to give / to give (classes) / to give (an opinion) / to overlook (a window)
Translate into French using the correct verb.
I'm putting on my coat. →
She wears glasses. →
We're spending the weekend in Nice. →
Can you set the table? →
He's taking his exam tomorrow. →
She gives French classes. →
I'm carrying a heavy bag. →
Put on some music! →
Mettre vs. Porter for clothes:mettre = the action of putting on (Je mets mon manteau = I'm putting on my coat, right now). Porter = the state of wearing (Je porte un manteau = I'm wearing a coat). Same distinction as EN "to put on" vs. "to wear".
Each French verb has English words descended from the same Latin root. Match them and write the Latin ancestor.
Français
Latin
English cognates
voir(to see)
video, vision,
faire(to do)
fact, factory,
dire(to say)
diction, dictate,
venir(to come)
venue, adventure,
prendre(to take)
apprehend,
mettre(to put)
mission, emit,
croire(to believe)
credible, creed,
suivre(to follow)
pursue, suite,
vivre(to live)
vivid, survive,
tenir(to hold)
tenant, maintain,
Word bank — Latin roots:vidēre, facere, dīcere, venīre, prehendere, mittere, credere, sequī, vīvere, tenēre Extra EN cognates to choose from: evident, manufacture, predict, intervene, comprehend, submit, incredible, sequel, revive, detention, verdict, benefit, transmit, consecutive
EXERCICE 7 — Mini-dialogues : en situation / 6 pts
A) Au café
— Qu'est-ce que vous __________ ? (What do you want?)
— Je __________ un café, s'il vous plaît. (I'll take a coffee, please.)
— Vous __________ du sucre ? (Do you want sugar?)
B) À la maison
— Tu __________ où ? (Where are you going?)
— Je __________ ce soir, je __________ des amis au restaurant. (I'm going out tonight, I'm seeing friends at the restaurant.)
C) En classe
— Vous __________ nager ? (Do you know how to swim?)
— Non, mais je __________ apprendre ! (No, but I want to learn!)
— Il __________ beaucoup pratiquer. (You have to practice a lot.)
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