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Contents

Module 1: French Greetings – Les Salutations Leçons de vocabulaire

Les Présentations - Qui suis-je ? – How to introduce yourself Les Présentations (2) – Qui est-ce ? – How to introduce somebody Les Descriptions physiques– Comment sont-ils ? – How to describe somebody (Intro) Les Vêtements et les couleurs – Qu’est-ce que tu portes ? – Talking about what you are wearing

Leçons de grammaire

L’Emploi de TU et VOUS – Forms of address with TU or VOUS Les Articles et le genre – Introducing the French articles and gender Les Noms et les Nombres – Sais-tu compter ? Introducing French nouns and numbers La Négation avec « ne…pas » – How to construct the negation with « ne…pas »

Leçons de conjugaison

L’Auxiliaire ÊTRE in the present – Conjugating the auxiliary verb ÊTRE (to be) S’APPELER – Conjugating the verb S’APPELER (to be called)

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L’Auxiliaire EÊ TRE – Conjugating “ê tre” (to be) in the present tense WHY IT MATTERS:

Well, let’s put this way… If the Bescherelle itself (which is the de facto authority on French conjugation) says that “le verbe être est le plus fréquent de la langue Française” you better believe it. If there is one verb you must know by heart even if you were unconscious, it’s got to be être. That’s why its conjugation chart almost always shows up in first place all French conjugation books. Now, let’s see what you can do with the verb être.

Using être as an auxiliary verb

Although this lesson isn’t specifically about être as an auxiliary verb – we’ll learn this in a later chapter on the passé composé – I do want to emphasize this value of ÊTRE as one of its most easily recognizable traits. But what exactly do we mean by “auxiliary” in the phrase auxiliary verb? Put simply, an auxiliary is somebody or something that helps another achieve something. In grammar, thus, the task of être will be to help conjugate many other verbs. [In a few grammar textbooks, you can actually see the terminology “helping” verb rather than auxiliary.] ÊTRE (like AVOIR) is a verb that is very often used in the conjugation of other verbs, notably in compound tenses such as the passé composé or the pluperfect, etc. 

Je suis arrivé hier en Chine. I have arrived in China yesterday.



Marie s’est douchée rapidement ce matin. Mary showered quickly this morning.

We will spend more time learning this value of être in Module 7 of this course and GRAMR100.

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As a “helping” verb, ÊTRE is also the verb used by default to construct the passive voice which will also be studied at a later time. For now, you only need to be aware of these different values of the auxiliary ÊTRE. Now, let’s see another very important aspect of ÊTRE

ÊTRE as an attributive (state) verb

ÊTRE introduces an attribute, that is, it provides information about the properties of a person or a thing. This attribute is generally an adjective or a noun: 

Je suis malade aujourd’hui (I am sick today)



Cette fête est très amusante. (This party is very fun)



Nous sommes collègues. (We are colleagues)

Conjugating ÊTRE

R EMEMBER T HIS: Être (to be) je suis I am

nous sommes we are

tu es you are (sing.)

vous êtes you are (plur. / formal)

il, elle est he, she, it is

ils, elles sont they (masc. / fem.) are

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LET’S PRACTICE!

A.) Translate the sentences below into French. Whenever possible, I will provide you with a few hints to help you decide between “tu” and “vous”. I strongly encourage you to use a good dictionary (hard cover or online) for words you don’t know whenever necessary. Example: You (sir) are very nice. The sir in this case implies that this “you” is formal and that we should use vous instead of tu. In the absence of any indication, use tu. 1. Elena is sick (malade).

2. You are modest (modeste).

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3. We are tall (grands).

4. I am healed (guéri).

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5. They (f.) are the same (les mêmes)

6. She is beautiful (belle).

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7. You are handsome (beau).

8. You (all) are physicians (médecins)

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9. We are left-handed (gauchers)

10. They (m.) are natural (naturels).

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11. I am sweaty (en sueur).

12. She is (m.) present (présente).

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13. They (f.) are interested (intéressées).

14. I am in love (amoureuse).

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15. She is interesting (intéressante).

16. We are busy (occupés).

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17. I am overwhelmed. (débordé)

18. You (lady) are troubling (troublante)

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LET’S PRACTICE! [Audio Available: “etre-and-liaisons.mp3”]

B.) Pronunciation Exercise: Liaisons between être + vowels / silent h

With vowels

je suis un homme (man) tu es une femme (woman) il est irrationnel (irrational) nous sommes avancés (ahead) vous êtes accueillants (welcoming) elles sont incorruptibles (incorruptible)

With silent h je suis honoré (honored/flattered) tu es hospitalier (welcoming) il est huilé (oiled) nous sommes heureuses (happy) (f.) vous êtes habillés (dressed) elles sont habiles (skillful)

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LET’S PRACTICE! [Answer Key]

Translate the sentences below into French. Whenever possible, I will provide you with a few hints to help you decide between “tu” and “vous”. I strongly encourage you to use a good dictionary (hard cover or online) for words you don’t know whenever necessary. Example: You (sir) are very nice. The sir in this case implies that this “you” is formal and that we should use vous instead of tu. In the absence of any indication, use tu. 1. Elena is sick (malade).

2. You are modest (modeste).

Elena est malade.

Tu es modeste.

3. We are tall (grandes).

4. I am healed (guéri).

Nous sommes grandes (f.)

Je suis guéri.

5. They (f.) are the same (les mêmes)

6. She is beautiful (belle).

Elles sont les mêmes.

Elle est belle.

7. You are handsome (beau).

8. You (all) are physicians (médecins)

Tu es beau.

Vous êtes médecins.

9. We are left-handed (gauchers)

10. They (m.) are natural (naturels).

Nous sommes gauchers

Ils sont naturels.

11. I am sweaty (en sueur).

12. She is (m.) present (présente).

Je suis en sueur

Elle est présente.

13. They (f.) are interested (intéressées).

14. I am in love (amoureuse).

Elles sont intéressées

Je suis amoureuse (f.)

15. She is interesting (intéressante).

16. We are busy (occupés).

Elle est intéressantes

Nous sommes occupés

17. I am overwhelmed. (débordé)

18. You (lady) are troubling (troublante)

Je suis débordé

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