Editing Language/French/Grammar/How-to-use-Be

<div class="pg_page_title">How to use the verb "to be" in French</div>
[[File:learn_french_etre.png|thumb]] 
__TOC__
==Present: verb "être" (to be) conjugation==
The common French verb "être" (to be) is one of the most important, if not the most important. It is therefore crucial that know it well. 

"être" is an irregular verb whatever the tense is. 

Here is the conjugation in the present:
{| class="wikitable" 
!French
!English
|-
  |
Je '''suis'''
  
  |
I am  
 
 |-
  |
Tu '''es'''
  
  |
You are  
 
 |-
  |
Il / Elle '''est'''
  
  |
He is  
 
 |-
  |
Nous '''sommes'''
  
  |
We are  
 
 |-
  |
Vous '''êtes'''
  
  |
You are  
 
 |-
  |
Ils / Elles '''sont'''
  
  |
They are  
 
|}
-----
*Here are some phrases:
*Je suis avec elle = I'm with her
*Nous sommes à Madrid = We are in Madrid
*Il est sympathique = He is nice
*Sophie et Pierre sont Français = Sophie and Pierre are French
*Elle est heureuse = She is happy.
*Je suis dans la cuisine = I am in the kitchen.

Also the French verb être is used to form what are known as compound tenses. These are a little more complex, and many of them use this verb complementarily to form sentences like "you're walking". We'll see that later.

==Past: verb "être" (to be) conjugation==

Let's see how to form the past using this verb. 
{| class="wikitable" 
!French
!English
|-
  |
J''''étais'''
  
  |
I was  
 
 |-
  |
Tu '''étais'''
  
  |
You were  
 
 |-
  |
Il / Elle '''était'''
  
  |
He / She was  
 
 |-
  |
Nous '''étions'''
  
  |
We were  
 
 |-
  |
Vous '''étiez'''
  
  |
You were  
 
 |-
  |
Ils / Elles '''étaient'''
  
  |
They were  
 
|}



Let's put it into practice seeing a number of example sentences :
*Elle était nerveuse = She was nervous
*Vous étiez drôles = You were funny
*Vous étiez seul = You were alone

==Auxiliary ==

An "auxiliary verb" or "helping verb" is a conjugated verb used in front of another verb in compound tenses to indicate the mood and tense of the verb.

In French, the auxiliary verb can be "avoir" or "être". All verbs are classified according to the auxiliary verb they use, and they take the same auxiliary verb in all compound tenses. 

Most French verbs use "avoir". The following is a list of verbs that needs "être":
-----
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Verb'''
!'''Example'''
!'''Translation'''  
 |-
  |
entrer
  
  |
Je suis entré à  l'heure
  
  |
I came on time  
 
 |-
  |
monter
  
  |
Je suis monté au deuxième étage
  
  |
I climbed to the second floor  
 
 |-
  |
mourir
  
  |
Il est mort dans la nuit
  
  |
He died in the night  
 
 |-
  |
naître
  
  |
Je suis né en 1972
  
  |
I was born in 1972  
 
 |-
  |
partir
  
  |
Nous sommes partis à l'heure
  
  |
We left on time  
 
 |-
  |
passer
  
  |
Je suis passé chez lui
  
  |
I went home  
 
 |-
  |
rester
  
  |
Elle est restée chez elle
  
  |
She stayed home  
 
 |-
  |
retourner
  
  |
Nous sommes retournés à la maison
  
  |
We returned home  
 
 |-
  |
sortir
  
  |
Tu es sorti hier soir
  
  |
You went out last night  
 
 |-
  |
tomber
  
  |
Il est tombé par terre
  
  |
He fell to the ground  
 
 |-
  |
venir
  
  |
Nous somme venus trop tôt
  
  |
We are coming too soon  
 
|}

==VIDEOS==
<youtube> CbxrZMePugU</youtube>

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[[Category:French/Beginner]]

==Related Lessons==
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Hyphens-in-Cardinal-Numbers|Hyphens in Cardinal Numbers]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Place-adverbs|Place adverbs]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Talk-about-Prices|Talk about Prices]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Cardinal-Numbers-—-When-to-use-figures-and-when-to-use-words|Cardinal Numbers — When to use figures and when to use words]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-en-with-numerals-and-quantifiers|Use of en with numerals and quantifiers]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Reciprocal-se-and-cases-of-potential-ambiguity|Reciprocal se and cases of potential ambiguity]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Agreement-of-past-participles-with-direct-objects-placed-before-in-relative-clauses|Agreement of past participles with direct objects placed before in relative clauses]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Reflexive-use-of-me,-te,-se,-nous,-vous|Reflexive use of me, te, se, nous, vous]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Homophones|Homophones]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plurals|Plurals]]