Download Glossary of Grammatical Terms

Glossary of Grammatical Terms
ACCORD (m.) (AGREEMENT) There is agreement when a word takes
the gender and the number of another word it modifies. Articles and
adjectives agree with the noun they modify, as do past participles of
verbs conjugated with être.
C’est une femme indépendante.
She is an independent woman.
Elles sont arrivées à temps.
They arrived in time.
ADJECTIF (m.) (ADJECTIVE) A word that describes a noun or a pronoun. It agrees in number and gender with the word it modifies.
Adjectif interrogatif (Interrogative adjective) An adjective used to
form questions.
Quelles affiches cherchez-vous?
What posters are you looking for?
Quel livre?
Which book?
Adjectif qualificatif (Descriptive adjective) An adjective that specifies size, color, or other qualities.
Elles sont intelligentes.
They are smart.
C’est une grande maison.
It’s a big house.
ADVERBE (m.) (ADVERB) A word that describes an adjective, a verb,
or another adverb.
Adverbe interrogatif (Interrogative adverb) An adverb that introduces a question about time, place, manner, or quantity (amount).
ANTÉCÉDENT (m.) (ANTECEDENT) A word, usually a noun, that
is replaced by a pronoun in the same or a subsequent sentence. In the
example, Jeanne is the antecedent of elle, and un gant is the antecedent
of le.
Il écrit très bien. Elle est plus efficace.
He writes very well. She is more efficient.
Combien ça coûte?
How much is it?
Quand est-ce que vous partez?
When are you leaving?
Jeanne a perdu un gant et elle ne le retrouve
plus.
Jeanne lost a glove, and she can’t find it
anymore.
ARTICLE (m.) (ARTICLE) A determiner that sets off a noun.
Article défini (Definite article) An article that indicates a specific
noun.
le pays, la chaise, les femmes
the country, the chair, the women
Article démonstratif (Demonstrative article) An article that points
out a particular noun.
ce garçon, ces livres
this boy, these books
Article indéfini (Indefinite article) An article that indicates an
unspecified noun.
un garçon, une ville, des carottes
a boy, a city, some carrots
Article partitif (Partitive article) In French, an article that denotes
part of a whole. Some is not always expressed in English, but the
partitive is almost always expressed in French.
du chocolat, de la tarte, de l’eau
(some) chocolate, (some) pie, (some) water
Article possessif (Possessive article) An article that indicates
possession or a special relationship.
leur voiture, ma sœur
their car, my sister
COMPARATIF (m.) (COMPARATIVE) The form of adjectives and
adverbs used to compare two nouns or actions.
Léa est moins bavarde que Julien.
Léa is less talkative than Julien.
Elle court plus vite que lui.
She runs faster than he does.
Glossary of Grammatical Terms
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CONDITIONNEL (m.) (CONDITIONAL)
See Mode.
CONJUGAISON ( f.) (CONJUGATION) The different forms of a verb
je parle
tu parles
il/elle/on parle
nous parlons
vous parlez
ils/elles parlent
for a particular tense or mood. A present indicative conjugation:
I speak
you speak
he/she/it/one speaks
we speak
you speak
they speak
CONJONCTION ( f.) (CONJUNCTION) An expression that connects
words, phrases, or clauses.
Christophe et Diane
Christophe and Diane
Il fait froid, mais il fait beau.
It’s cold, but nice.
CONTRACTION ( f.) (CONTRACTION) Two words combine to form
Ils parlent aux étudiants.
He’s talking to the students.
C’est le livre du professeur.
It’s the teacher’s book.
one. In French, this occurs when à and de precede the definite articles le
and les.
ÉLISION ( f.) (ELISION) The replacement of the final vowel of a word
by an apostrophe before the initial vowel or vowel sound of the following
word.
Il arrive à l’université à 8 h.
He arrives at the university at 8:00.
J’ai compris qu’il reviendrait.
I understood that he would come back.
GENRE (m.) (GENDER) In French, there are two genders: feminine
masc.
le DVD
lent, beau
il, celui
IMPARFAIT (m.) (IMPERFECT) In French, a verb tense that expresses
a past action with no specific beginning or end.
Nous nagions souvent.
We used to swim often.
IMPÉRATIF (m.) (IMPERATIVE)
See Mode.
INDICATIF (m.) (INDICATIVE)
See Mode.
INFINITIF (m.) (INFINITIVE)
See Mode.
LIAISON ( f.) (LIAISON) The pronunciation of a normally silent final
C’est un animal.
[s´tœ̃nanimal]
aux États-Unis
[ozetazyni]
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Glossary of Grammatical Terms
(
(
consonant (typically -n, -s, -t, and -x) before a word beginning with a
vowel or vowel sound. Word-final -s and -x are pronounced as [z].
(
articles and nouns
adjectives
pronouns
(
and masculine. This distinction affects the forms of nouns, articles,
adjectives, and pronouns.
fem.
la vidéo
lente, belle
elle, celle
MODE (m.) (MOOD) A set of categories for verbs indicating the attitude
of the speaker toward what he or she is saying.
Mode conditionnel (Conditional mood) A verb form conveying
possibility.
J’irais, si j’avais le temps.
I would go if I had time.
Mode impératif (Imperative mood) A verb form expressing a
command.
Allez-y!
Go ahead!
Mode indicatif (Indicative mood) A verb form denoting actions or
states considered facts.
Je vais à la bibliothèque.
I am going to the library.
Mode infinitif (Infinitive mood) A verb form introduced in English
by to. In French dictionaries, this form appears as the main entry.
jouer, vendre, venir
to play, to sell, to come
Mode subjonctif (Subjunctive mood) A verb form, uncommon in
English, used primarily in subordinate clauses after expressions of
desire, doubt, or emotion. French constructions with the subjunctive
have many possible English equivalents.
Je veux que vous y alliez.
I want you to go there.
J’ai peur qu’elle dise non.
I’m afraid she will say no.
similarly with similar meaning.
état, sérieux, ordre
state, serious, order
NOM (m.) (NOUN) A word that denotes a person, place, thing, or idea.
Proper nouns are capitalized names.
avocat, ville, journal, Louise
lawyer, city, newspaper, Louise
NOMBRE (m.) (NUMBER) Distinction between singular and plural
singular:
plural:
MOT APPARENTÉ (m.) (COGNATE) In two languages, words spelled
that affects the forms of nouns, articles, adjectives, or pronouns.
Le fromage est bon.
Les fromages sont bons.
Nombre cardinal (Cardinal number) A number that expresses an
amount.
deux bureaux, quatre ans
two desks, four years
Nombre ordinal (Ordinal number) A number that indicates
position in a series.
le deuxième bureau, la quatrième année
the second desk, the fourth year
PARTICIPE PASSÉ (m.) (PAST PARTICIPLE) The form of a verb used
in a compound tense (such as the passé composé) with forms of to have
in English, and with avoir and être in French.
mangé, fini, perdu
eaten, finished, lost
PASSÉ COMPOSÉ (m.) In French, a verb tense that expresses a past
action with a definite ending. It consists of the present indicative of the
auxiliary verb (être or avoir) and the past participle of the conjugated
verb. There are several equivalent forms in English.
J’ai mangé
I ate, I did eat, I have eaten
Elle est tombée
She fell, she did fall, she has fallen
PERSONNE ( f.) (PERSON) The form of a pronoun or a verb that indicates the person involved in an action.
PRÉPOSITION ( f.) (PREPOSITION) A word or phrase that specifies
the relationship of a word (usually a noun or a pronoun) to another.
The relationship is usually spatial or temporal.
1st pers.
2nd pers.
3rd pers.
singular
je / I
tu / you
il, elle, on / he,
she, one, it
plural
nous / we
vous / you
ils, elles / they
près de l’aéroport, avec lui, avant 11 h
near the airport, with him, before 11:00
Glossary of Grammatical Terms
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PRONOM (m.) (PRONOUN) A word used in place of one or more
nouns.
Pronom accentué ou disjoint (Stressed or disjunctive pronoun)
In French, a pronoun used for emphasis or as the object of a
preposition.
Toi, tu es incroyable!
You are unbelievable!
Je travaille avec lui.
I work with him.
Pronom démonstratif (Demonstrative pronoun) A pronoun that
singles out a particular person or thing.
Voici deux livres: celui-ci est intéressant, mais
celui-là est ennuyeux.
Here are two books: this one is interesting, but
that one is boring.
Pronom d’objet (Object pronoun) A pronoun that replaces a direct
object noun or an indirect object noun.
direct:
indirect:
Je vois Alain. Je le vois.
I see Alain. I see him.
Je donne le livre à Daniel. Je lui
donne le livre.
I give the book to Daniel. I give him
the book.
Pronom interrogatif (Interrogative pronoun) A pronoun used to
ask a question.
Qui parle? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez?
Who is speaking? What do you want?
Pronom réfléchi (Reflexive pronoun) A pronoun that represents the
same person as the subject of the verb.
Je me regarde dans le miroir.
I am looking at myself in the mirror.
Pronom relatif (Relative pronoun) A pronoun that introduces a
dependent clause and denotes a noun already mentioned (its
antecedent).
On parle à la femme qui habite ici.
We’re talking to the woman who lives here.
C’est le stylo que vous cherchez?
Is it the pen (that) you’re looking for?
Pronom sujet (Subject pronoun) A pronoun representing the
person or thing performing the action of the verb.
Ils travaillent bien ensemble.
They work well together.
PROPOSITION ( f.) (CLAUSE) A construction that contains a subject
and a verb.
Proposition principale (Main clause) A clause that stands on its
own and expresses a complete idea.
Je cherche la femme qui joue au tennis.
I’m looking for the woman who plays tennis.
Proposition subordonnée (Subordinate clause) A clause that
cannot stand on its own because it does not express a complete idea.
Je cherche la femme qui joue au tennis.
I’m looking for the woman who plays tennis.
SUJET (m.) (SUBJECT) The word(s) denoting the person, place, or
thing performing an action or existing in a state.
Mon ordinateur est là-bas.
My computer is over there.
Marc arrive demain.
Marc arrives tomorrow.
SUBJONCTIF (m.) (SUBJUNCTIVE)
See Mode.
SUPERLATIF (m.) (SUPERLATIVE) The form of adjectives or adverbs
Elle a choisi la robe la plus chère.
She chose the most expensive dress.
Béatrice court le plus vite.
Béatrice runs the fastest.
used to describe nouns or actions to distinguish them above all others in
quality, quantity, or intensity. In English, the superlative is expressed by
using most or -est.
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Glossary of Grammatical Terms
TEMPS (m.) (TENSE) The form of a verb indicating time: present, past,
or future.
VERBE (m.) (VERB) A word that reports an action or state.
Elle est arrivée hier.
She arrived yesterday.
Elle était fatiguée.
She was tired.
Verbe auxiliaire (Auxiliary verb) A verb used in conjunction with
an infinitive or a participle to convey distinctions of tense and mood.
In French, the main auxiliaries are avoir and être.
J’ai fait mes devoirs.
I did my homework.
Nous sommes allés au cinéma.
We went to the movies.
Verbe impersonnel (Impersonal verb) A verb that always takes the
impersonal pronoun il as its grammatical subject.
Il fait beau aujourd’hui.
It is nice today.
Il faut travailler dur.
One has to work hard.
Verbe pronominal (Pronominal verb) In French, a verb with a
reflexive pronoun as well as a subject pronoun in its conjugated
form. Its infinitive is preceded by se.
se souvenir, je me souviens
to remember, I remember
Il se coupe quand il se rase.
He cuts himself when he shaves (himself).
Glossary of Grammatical Terms
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