Thanks to French verb conjugation, we know who’s doing what and can situate their actions in time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Broadly speaking, French verbs fall into regular and irregular conjugation patterns. However, there are also stem-changing verbs<\/strong>, which is what this article will cover.<\/p>\n [fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conjugation takes place through the process of isolating the stem<\/strong>, also known as a radical<\/strong>. What’s a stem? For example, the stem of the verb parler\u00a0<\/em>(to speak) is parle<\/em>-.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Stem-changing verbs are the group of -er<\/em> verbs<\/a> that have two different stems:<\/p>\n 1. One stem for the first\u00a0person singular (me)<\/strong>, second\u00a0person singular (informal <\/em>you)<\/strong>, third\u00a0person singular\u00a0(he, she, formal\u00a0<\/em>you)<\/strong> and third\u00a0person plural (they)\u00a0<\/strong>conjugations.<\/p>\n 2. One stem for the first person plural (we)<\/strong> and second\u00a0person plural (you all)<\/strong> conjugations.<\/p>\n Stem changes aren’t only limited to the present tense. They\u00a0also occur in the imperative<\/strong><\/a> and the subjunctive<\/strong><\/a>, <\/b>as well as\u00a0<\/i>in the future<\/strong><\/a> and the conditional<\/strong><\/a>. The rules for these stem changes in different tenses are slightly different\u2014and beyond the scope of this post\u2014but it’s important to know that they do occur.<\/p>\n One\u00a0key thing to know is that\u00a0if a verb has a stem change in the present tense, then it will have one in the subjunctive as well.<\/p>\n Whew. That may sound complicated but it’s not so bad as long as you stay on your toes (and practice<\/a>!).<\/p>\n There are six types of stem-changing verbs, which are categorized according to the final four letters of the verb.<\/p>\n Verbs that end in -ayer<\/em> can undergo an optional stem change in which the y<\/em> changes to i,<\/em>\u00a0except in the nous<\/em> (we) and vous<\/em> (you, plural) forms.<\/p>\n Let’s take the verb essayer\u00a0<\/em>(to try)<\/strong> as an example. It can either be conjugated as any ole -er<\/em> verb, like so:<\/p>\n\n If we apply a stem change, it can be conjugated as follows:<\/p>\n\n The stem-changing spelling variation is generally more common than the non-stem-changing spelling variation, although both are considered correct.<\/p>\n Balayer<\/strong><\/em> (to sweep), effrayer<\/strong><\/em> (to frighten), enrayer <\/strong><\/em>(to stop, to halt) and payer<\/em><\/strong> (to pay)\u00a0are some common –ayer<\/em> verbs that you’re bound to come across.<\/p>\n Unlike -ayer<\/em> verbs, the stem change is non-negotiable in the case of -eler<\/em> verbs.\u00a0The stem change that verbs that end in -eler<\/em> undergo in the present tense entails the adding of an\u00a0l<\/em> in all forms except for nous\u00a0<\/em>(we) and\u00a0vous\u00a0<\/em>(you all).<\/p>\n The verb \u00e9peler\u00a0<\/em>(to spell)<\/strong> is one such verb that follows this pattern:<\/p>\n\n Other common verbs that follow this pattern are appeler<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to call), rappeler<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to call back) and renouveler<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to renew).<\/p>\n Exceptions:<\/strong> There are some –eler<\/em> verbs, such as celer\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(to conceal, to hide), ciseler<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to chisel), d\u00e9manteler<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to dismantle), geler<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to freeze) and harceler<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to harass)\u00a0that don’t undergo the above stem change. Rather, they follow the pattern of –e_er<\/em> verbs (we’ll go over those below in the fourth section).<\/p>\n For many -er<\/em> verbs that end in -eter<\/em>, the stem change undergone is the doubling of the t.<\/em><\/p>\n The verb projeter<\/em>\u00a0(to project)<\/strong> follows this pattern:<\/p>\n\n Other verbs that follow this pattern are feuilleter<\/strong><\/em> (to leaf through), hoqueter\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(to hiccup), jeter<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to throw) and rejeter<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to reject).<\/p>\n Exceptions:<\/strong> Some -eter<\/em> verbs that don’t follow the pattern of doubling the t<\/em> are acheter<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to buy), fileter<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>(to thread) and haleter\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(to pant).<\/p>\n The little “_” indicates one or more consonants. The stem change that takes place entails changing the e<\/em>\u00a0before the consonant to \u00e8<\/em>\u00a0for all forms except for nous\u00a0<\/em>(we) and\u00a0vous\u00a0<\/em>(you all).<\/p>\n Let’s take a look at a few examples, shall we?<\/p>\n Acheter <\/em>(to buy)<\/strong><\/p>\n\nWhat Are French Stem-changing Verbs?<\/h2>\n
Types of French Stem-changing Verbs<\/h2>\n
1. -ayer<\/em> verbs<\/h3>\n
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\n\t French<\/strong><\/th> English<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t J'essaye <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> I try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Tu essayes <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Il\/Elle essaye <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> He\/She tries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Nous essayons <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> We try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Vous essayez <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You all try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Ils\/elles essayent <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> They try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n \n\n
\n\t French<\/strong><\/th> English<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t J'essai<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> I try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Tu essai<\/span>es <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Il\/Elle essai<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> He\/She tries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Nous essayons <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> We try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Vous essayez <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You all try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Ils\/Elles essai<\/span>ent <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> They try<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n 2. -eler<\/em> verbs<\/h3>\n
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\n\t French<\/strong><\/th> English<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t J'\u00e9pell<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> I spell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Tu \u00e9pell<\/span>es <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You spell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Il\/Elle \u00e9pell<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> He\/She spells<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Nous \u00e9pelons <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> We spell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Vous \u00e9pelez <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You all spell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Ils\/Elles \u00e9p\u00e9ll<\/span>ent <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> They spell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n 3. –eter<\/em> verbs<\/h3>\n
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\n\t French<\/strong><\/th> English<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t Je projett<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> I project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Tu projett<\/span>es <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Il\/Elle projett<\/span>e <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> He\/She projects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Nous projetons <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> We project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Vous projetez <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You all project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Ils\/Elles projett<\/span>ent <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> They project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n 4. -e_er<\/em> verbs<\/h3>\n
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\n\t French<\/strong><\/th> English<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t J'ach\u00e8<\/span>te <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> I buy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Tu ach\u00e8<\/span>tes <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> You buy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Il\/Elle ach\u00e8<\/span>te <\/a>\n <\/em><\/td> He\/She buys<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t