The Present Participle in French

This section explains The Present Participle in French. The present participle (le participe présent) is an important verb form in French that can be used in various ways. It is generally formed by adding -ant to the stem of the verb (after removing the -er, -ir, or -re endings from the infinitive). The present participle can be used as a verb, adjective, or noun, and is important in both Foundation and Higher Tier levels for GCSE French.

Formation of the Present Participle

To form the present participle of most French verbs, follow these steps:

1. Start with the infinitive form of the verb.
2. Remove the infinitive ending (-er, -ir, or -re).
3. Add the ending -ant.

Examples:

• Parler (to speak) → parl- + ant → parlant (speaking)
• Finir (to finish) → fin- + ant → finissant (finishing)
• Vendre (to sell) → vend- + ant → vendant (selling)

Using the Present Participle as a Verb

The present participle can be used to form progressive tenses (like the English "I am doing"). In French, the equivalent structure involves using the verb être in the present tense + the present participle. This is a relatively advanced structure and more commonly used in Higher Tier French.

Formula:
[Subject] + [être (present)] + [present participle]

Example:

• Je suis parlant (I am speaking)
• Nous sommes finissant (We are finishing)

However, note that this construction is not as common in everyday French as it is in English. French often uses the present tense directly to express ongoing actions instead.

Using the Present Participle as an Adjective

When used as an adjective, the present participle generally agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It describes a quality or characteristic of the noun.

Examples:

• Un film captivant (A captivating film)
• Des histoires intéressantes (Interesting stories)
• Une situation dérangeante (A disturbing situation)

Notice that the adjective changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes:

• Un film captivant (masculine, singular)
• Une histoire captivante (feminine, singular)
• Des films captivants (masculine, plural)
• Des histoires captivantes (feminine, plural)

Using the Present Participle after "En"

In French, the present participle is often used after the preposition "en" to express an action that is happening at the same time as another action. This structure is equivalent to saying "while" or "by" doing something in English.

Formula:
[En] + [present participle]

Examples:

• En parlant (while speaking)
• En mangeant (while eating)
• En lisant (by reading)

Example Sentences:

• En mangeant, il regarde la télévision.
  • Translation: While eating, he watches television.
• Elle a appris le français en vivant à Paris.
  • Translation: She learned French by living in Paris.

Using the Present Participle as a Noun

In certain contexts, the present participle can be used as a noun (known as the "verbal noun"), and it can have a similar meaning to the English "the act of".

Examples:

• Le dancing (dancing)
• Le jogging (jogging)
• Le reading (reading)

In these cases, the present participle is treated like a regular noun, and articles like le/la/les are used before it.

Foundation Tier Examples

At the Foundation Tier, you are expected to know how to use the present participle in simple sentences, particularly after "en" or as an adjective.

Example 1 (Using "en" + Present Participle):

• En chantant, elle est heureuse.
  • Translation: While singing, she is happy.

Example 2 (Present Participle as an Adjective):

• Une ville fascinante
  • Translation: A fascinating city.

Higher Tier Examples

At the Higher Tier, you will be expected to use the present participle in more complex structures, especially when describing simultaneous actions or using it as a noun.

Example 1 (Using "en" + Present Participle):

• En étudiant régulièrement, il a amélioré ses notes.
  • Translation: By studying regularly, he improved his grades.

Example 2 (Present Participle as an Adjective):

• Les événements choquants se sont produits la nuit dernière.
  • Translation: The shocking events took place last night.

Example 3 (Present Participle as a Noun):

• Le jogging est bon pour la santé.
  • Translation: Jogging is good for health.

Common Present Participles

Here are some common present participles that you will encounter in both Foundation and Higher Tier French:

Summary of Key Points

• The present participle is formed by removing the infinitive ending and adding -ant (e.g., parlant, finissant).
• It can be used as a verb in progressive structures, but this is less common in French than in English.
• The present participle can be used as an adjective (e.g., intéressant, fatiguant) and must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes.
• It can be used after the preposition "en" to express actions happening simultaneously or to indicate the means of doing something (e.g., En chantant, En lisant).
• The present participle can also be used as a noun in some contexts (e.g., le jogging, le dancing).

Practice Questions

• Translate into French:
  "I am eating while watching TV."
  Answer: En mangeant, je regarde la télévision.
• Translate into English:
  En étudiant, il a réussi son examen.
  Answer: By studying, he passed his exam.
• Translate into French:
  "Dancing is fun."
  Answer: Le dancing est amusant.

With practice, you'll be able to confidently use the present participle in both simple and complex sentences at GCSE level.

This videos covers the present tense in French.