Which French tenses should I prioritise as a beginner
As a beginner in French, the tenses to prioritize are:
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Present Tense (le présent de l’indicatif) - This is the foundational tense used to describe current actions, habits, and general truths. It is essential for everyday communication and works like the English present simple or present progressive. Learning regular verb conjugations and some common irregular verbs in this tense is key. 1, 2
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Passé Composé - This compound past tense is widely used for completed actions in the past and is important for expressing past events in conversation. It combines an auxiliary verb (être or avoir in present tense) and the past participle of the main verb. 1
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Imparfait - This imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past or to provide background information. Together with passé composé, it forms the basis of expressing the past in French. 3, 1
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Futur Proche - The near future tense, useful for talking about actions that are going to happen soon. It is simpler to form and common in spoken French. 4
Other tenses like the simple future, conditionnel, and subjunctive come later once these basics are mastered. 3, 4
Summary for Beginners
| Tense | Use |
|---|---|
| Present (Présent) | Current actions, habits, general truths |
| Passé Composé | Completed past actions |
| Imparfait | Ongoing/habitual past actions, background |
| Futur Proche | Near future actions |
Focusing on these tenses first provides a strong foundation for communication in French.