Other important verbs (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Other important verbs
Introduction
Many frequently used French verbs follow irregular patterns, which means their conjugations don't follow the standard rules for regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs. These verbs are essential for everyday communication, so learning their conjugations is crucial for your GCSE French exam.
Critical for GCSE Success
These irregular verbs appear frequently in GCSE French exams. Unlike regular verbs that follow predictable patterns, each irregular verb must be memorised individually. Focus extra attention on these six verbs as they form the foundation of French communication.
Aller (to go)
Aller is one of the most important irregular verbs in French. It's used to express movement and forms part of the near future tense.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais | I go |
| tu | vas | you go |
| il/elle/on | va | he/she/one goes |
| nous | allons | we go |
| vous | allez | you go |
| ils/elles | vont | they go |
Example Usage:
Nous allons à la piscine. (We are going to the swimming pool.)
Pattern Recognition Tip
Notice the pattern in the ils/elles forms - many irregular verbs follow this pattern where the ending changes significantly from the infinitive form. The vont ending is completely different from aller.
Faire (to do/to make)
Faire is extremely versatile and appears in many common expressions, particularly when discussing weather and activities.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | fais | I do/make |
| tu | fais | you do/make |
| il/elle/on | fait | he/she/one does/makes |
| nous | faisons | we do/make |
| vous | faites | you do/make |
| ils/elles | font | they do/make |
Using faire
Faire is incredibly useful in French and appears in two main contexts that you'll encounter frequently in your GCSE exam.
Weather Expressions with Faire
Faire appears in numerous weather expressions:
- Il fait beau. (It is fine/nice.)
- Il fait du vent. (It is windy.)
- Il fait du soleil. (It is sunny.)
Remember: In weather expressions, always use il fait + weather condition.
Activities with Faire
Faire is also used when talking about activities and sports:
- Je fais de la natation/de la danse/du vélo. (I do swimming/dancing/cycling.)
Pattern: faire de la/du + activity name
Pouvoir (to be able to)
Pouvoir is a modal verb that expresses ability or possibility.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | peux | I can |
| tu | peux | you can |
| il/elle/on | peut | he/she/one can |
| nous | pouvons | we can |
| vous | pouvez | you can |
| ils/elles | peuvent | they can |
Example Usage:
Je peux aller au cinéma. (I can go to the cinema.)
Vouloir (to want to)
Vouloir is another modal verb used to express desires or wishes.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | veux | I want |
| tu | veux | you want |
| il/elle/on | veut | he/she/one wants |
| nous | voulons | we want |
| vous | voulez | you want |
| ils/elles | veulent | they want |
Example Usage:
Je veux manger au restaurant. (I want to eat at the restaurant.)
Devoir (to have to)
Devoir expresses obligation or necessity.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | dois | I must/have to |
| tu | dois | you must/have to |
| il/elle/on | doit | he/she/one must/has to |
| nous | devons | we must/have to |
| vous | devez | you must/have to |
| ils/elles | doivent | they must/have to |
Example Usage:
Je dois faire mes devoirs. (I must do my homework.)
Savoir (to know how to)
Savoir is used when expressing knowledge of how to do something.
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | sais | I know (how to) |
| tu | sais | you know (how to) |
| il/elle/on | sait | he/she/one knows (how to) |
| nous | savons | we know (how to) |
| vous | savez | you know (how to) |
| ils/elles | savent | they know (how to) |
Example Usage:
Je sais conduire. (I know how to drive.)
Practice exercises
Test your understanding of these irregular verbs with these exercises. Remember to pay attention to the subject pronoun to choose the correct conjugation.
Practice Exercise: Verb Conjugation
Complete these sentences with the correct parts of the verb and then translate the sentences into English:
- Je (aller) au collège en car.
- Nous (faire) du vélo en été.
- On (pouvoir) aller au cinéma en ville.
- Ils (vouloir) aller en France.
- Tu (devoir) faire tes devoirs.
- Elle (savoir) faire de la natation.
Answers:
- vais - I go to school by coach.
- faisons - We cycle in summer.
- peut - One can go to the cinema in town.
- veulent - They want to go to France.
- dois - You must do your homework.
- sait - She knows how to swim.
Key Points to Remember:
- Irregular verbs don't follow standard conjugation patterns and must be memorised individually
- Faire is used for weather expressions (Il fait beau) and activities (Je fais du sport)
- Modal verbs (pouvoir, vouloir, devoir, savoir) are followed by infinitive verbs
- The ils/elles forms often change significantly in irregular verbs (vont, font, peuvent, etc.)
- These six verbs are amongst the most frequently used in French, so practising them regularly is essential for exam success