Separate forum category?

[brad]

how would you say "Learn French" in French? .. lol

[HibyPrime]

Originally Posted by brad

how would you say "Learn French" in French? .. lol

apprendre français?

I think that actually means "to learn french," I just have no idea how to conjugate it since there is no personal pronoun..

[aFrenchie]

Originally Posted by HibyPrime

apprendre français?

"Apprendre le français". (French uses articles much more than English)
And Brad has to specify which tense. If it's infinitive, then the above. If it's imperative, then "Apprends le français".

[HibyPrime]

Originally Posted by aFrenchie

"Apprendre le français". (French uses articles much more than English)
And Brad has to specify which tense. If it's infinitive, then the above. If it's imperative, then "Apprends le français".

damn that little article, it will elude me for all eternity

[lobowolf14]

Sorry if this is a really retarded question, but it's the one thing I never picked up from Spanish class and none of my other classes went over it, even my native english classes, but I have no idea when to use imperative, infinitive, and the likes or what they even represent.
So if you could please explain. Thanks.

[garçoncanadien]

NO questions are retarded Never be ashamed to ask.

I would like to go over that with you all in a future lesson, but since you ask you shall receive

Imperatif = you are commanding somebody to do something
Infinitif = you can only have 1 conjugated verb in 1 sentence (in most French). All other verbs must be infinitive, except when you are using a compound conjugation (past tense, for example)
Passé Composé = past tense
Imparfait = something that happened in the past over a long time, and could be still happening now (or just 1st criteria)
Conditionnel = "would" + verb
Futur simple = stuff in the future
Futur antérieur = will have _____
Conditionnel passé = would have ______
Subjonctif = to say something is wished, possible, or doubtful.

These are the most important tenses for beginners. Other tenses are used in formal or literary work.

[lobowolf14]

thanks!

[aFrenchie]

Originally Posted by lobowolf14

I have no idea when to use imperative, infinitive, and the likes or what they even represent.
So if you could please explain. Thanks.

I imagine how strange that can be for you indeed, since English conjugation is sooo very easy compared to other languages. You don't have to wonder about all those tenses just because most of the time they always conjugate the same way. In French (and most languages), you'll find lots of different changes. See here for a (almost!) complete example:
http://moi-alizee.us/forums/showthre...?p=12704#12704

What garçoncanadien said about infinitive and imperative.

Originally Posted by garçoncanadien

I would like to go over that with you all in a future lesson, but since you ask you shall receive

garçoncanadien, you forgot a tense that is very important, in written mode at least. It's Passé Simple, that is past but only for something happening in a very short time. For example, "I took immediately that thing", as opposed to Imparfait (your definition was good), sort of: "I used to take that thing everyday"...

[garçoncanadien]

are you sure you want to ask beginners in French to learn Passé Simple? That is already a big list, and Passé Simple is like you said important mostly in formal writing.

[aFrenchie]

Originally Posted by garçoncanadien

are you sure you want to ask beginners in French to learn Passé Simple? That is already a big list, and Passé Simple is like you said important mostly in formal writing.

Ok, talk about it later. Its conjugation by itself is quite difficult already