7 Easy Steps To Learning The Verbs in French

Sometimes, it feels like the only thing you’re doing when studying the French language is learning verbs in French.

Many students learn the French verb forms in writing: so they can spell them. That’s OK if your goal is to pass a written test.

However, to use your verbs in French correctly and fast in conversation, it’s the pronunciation of the verbs that matters!

And I have good news for you: saying the verb forms is actually much easier than writing them… Many French verb forms are spelled different ways, but sound exactly the same way!

Here are 7 steps to learn your French verbs efficiently.

Step 1: Learn Verbs In French With Audio

Listen to the French verb form. If you are learning French to speak / understand French, you first need to know how the verb in French is pronounced.

Watch out, there are many silent letters, liaisons and glidings in French! Even in verb conjugations!

For example:

1. the “ent” at the end of a verb in the “ils” form is silent…
2. “Je suis” is actually pronounced [shui] in modern French pronunciation.
3. There are strong liaisons in Z after nous, vous, ils and elles.
   If for “ils ont” you say [eel ont], the French are not going to understand you. They expect [eel zon].
4. There are glidings after il and elle – “elle est” is pronounced [elay] like the city of L.A.
5. Even when you are OK with French pronunciation, all the letters used in French to spell a word can be confusing! Are you sure you know how to pronounced “ils ont eu” or “nous nous asseyions”…
   Nous nous asseyions = we sat down, using s’asseoir in the imparfait: [noo noo za say ion(nasal)]
   Ils ont eu = they had, using the passé composé of avoir: [eel zon(nasal) u]

This is why you absolutely need to learn your French verb forms with audio. Not just with books.

Unfortunately, most French learners use only written sources to learn their French verb forms. And it’s a real mistake.

Check out my French verb drill audiobooks. They will teach you the correct pronunciation of verbs in French and you’ll… drill them! It’s the perfect tool to memorize the French verb conjugations.

Step 2: Repeat Out Loud

Repeat out loud. And out loud is the key here.

Mimic the pronunciation of the speaker so you don’t butcher your verbs in French and actually say the verb forms like the French do.

It’s important you get the right pronunciation both to understand the French when they speak and to be understood by them.

Step 3: Read As The Audio Is Playing

This time read the French verb forms as you are listening to the audio recording.

Pay attention to what letters are pronounced and which ones are silent: if necessary, take pronunciation notes so the written form doesn’t fool you into a wrong pronunciation.

Above all, do not pronounce the silent letters to remember how the verb is spelled.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the verb pronunciation comes easily to you.

Step 4: Drill With ALL The Pronouns

Typically, French verb conjugation are going to be presented in a list or a chart, with the subject pronouns, in that order: je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils.

What about “elle”, “on” and “elles”? Don’t you think you should drill with them as well?

Always drill your verb form WITH the subject pronoun (not just “avons” but “nous avons”: otherwise, you’ll be missing on a ton of liaisons… And mispronounce the verb forms!

Step 5: Conjugate French Verbs In the Affirmative & Negative

Same logic here: in conversation, you’re going to be using the French verbs in the affirmative nearly as often as in the negative…

When you’re learning your French verbs, drill them out-loud in the affirmative and negative form. You’ll often use the negative in conversations and won’t have time to think about it.Click to Post

You won’t have time to think and add “ne”…”pas” around your verb… Think wether the “ne” becomes “n'” or if there are liaisons or glidings …

You should really have already drilled on your French verb negative forms so they come fast and easily to you.

Step 6: Conjugate French Verbs Out Of Order

Now here is the key to really memorizing your French verbs efficiently: learn the French forms out-of-order.

As you know, French verb conjugations are almost always presented in a list or a chart, with the subject pronouns, in that order: je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils.

So that’s how students memorize the verbs. In that order. From “je” to “ils”. And by doing so, your super smart and efficient brain adds code: it learns the order and prioritizes the data. “Je” is very important, “ils” not as much.

1. You do remember a lot of your irregular verbs in the “je”form, and then struggle for “ils”, don’t you? That’s the reason why.
2. Do you have to go through “je, tu, il, nous” before you can find the correct “vous” form? That’s also why.

However, in conversation, this order doesn’t help you. When you are talking to someone using “vous”, you cannot go through the “je”, “tu”, “il”, “nous” forms before you get to the “vous”! You don’t have enough time.

So when you memorize your French verb forms, when you drill on them, do it out of order. Let your pen drop at random on a subject pronoun (don’t forget the elle, elles and on!), and then say the subject pronoun followed by the verb out-loud.

Access your French verb faster! When you’re learning a French verb conjugation, learn it ‘out of order’. Let your pen drop on a subject pronoun at random and say the verb form out-loud.Click to Post

Now that you know how to drill correctly your French verbs, spend some time drilling out-of-order. This is really the key and how you’ll gain speed coming up with the correct verb form in conversation.

Step 7: First, Really Understand The French Tenses

Unless you are learning your French verb conjugations to pass a written test (in which case you should really learn all your verb conjugations because you’ll be tested on them) you need to stop and think what tenses you are really going to use.

Knowing the verb form is not the same as understanding when to use that tense… You need to learn both!Click to Post

I’ve seen many students spend hours upon hours studying verb conjugations, and studiously go from present to plus-que-parfait, and the different French moods. Yet, they didn’t know when they should use passé-composé, imparfait or the dreaded French subjunctive.

Studying French verbs this way is a waste of time. Furthermore, memorizing French verb forms is not super fascinating nor fun and will end up disgusting you French studying French!

French tenses and moods are explained thoroughly – but progressively – and illustrated within the story of my French learning method – with audio of course!

To gain speed when speaking French, pick the verbs and tenses YOU are likely to use. Drill them in the affirmative and in the negative, and randomly from je to ils.Click to Post

Unless you are going to write a novel in French (or pass written exams) you don’t need to know “passé-simple”. You may need to understand it if you read a lot of French novels in French, but you won’t need to use it yourself.

And believe me, one can survive without knowing the subjunctive! Or rather, I should say it shouldn’t be your priority as a beginner French student or intermediate student…

So, yes, when learning French, you will need to spend some time drilling on your French verbs. But before, it’s worth asking yourself whether this is the best use of your time.

Is knowing your verb forms inside out a priority, or can you afford to make a mistake?

Isn’t it more important that you know how to talk about yourself, your interests, your family, or be able to order in a restaurant?

The answer depends on your French level, but also on your goals in French.

Good luck with your drilling!