Top answers

How do I know the gender of a new word?

The ending of the word gives you a strong indication of its gender, if it is a new noun. The most common of these endings are listed below: If it ends in -é, -enne, -ette, -ande, ière, or -appe it will be fe...
NG
Answered by Nathalie G. • French tutor
2969 Views

What is the difference between 'passé composé' and 'imparfait' ?

First and foremost, the tenses in French can never be translated literally from English! Whether the phrase 'I was walking' is translated into PC or imparfait is determined by the context of the phrase in th...
MD
Answered by Maria D. • French tutor
2969 Views

When do you use the compound past or the imperfect tense in French?

The compound past is used for actions that are completed and have no further relevance at present. For example, " J’ai fini mes devoirs." On the other hand, the imperfect tense is used for ongoing ...
LB
Answered by Louise B. • French tutor
2327 Views

How do I form the passé composé and when do I use it?

The passé composé is a past tense in french, and is used for completed actions in the past. It has two equivalents in english: both "I ate" and "I have eaten". Therefore, if you are descr...
EP
Answered by Eleanor P. • French tutor
3548 Views

When do you use the subjunctive?

You should use the subjunctive in a few cases, which are all dictated by grammatical structure. Usually, the subjunctive indicates a 'feeling' in the verb, especially of fear, doubt, or uncertainty. It is ne...
JH
Answered by Jack H. • French tutor
3486 Views