Finding the right Section (Verbs)
The treatment of verbs has always been clear and user-friendly in the Collins-Robert,
and the fifth edition is even better than before in this respect.
Conjugations
First of all, every verb entry begins by giving a conjugation number (conjug
58). This number refers you to the verb tables at the end of the dictionary,
where sample conjugations are given, and you can easily see what form your
verb has in the various tenses.
 Look up the verb
requérir. The first piece of information after the
pronunciation is: conjug 21. Go to the back of the dictionary to
the Appendix called The French Verb - Le Verbe français.
Find the conjugation numbered 21. It's for the verb acquérir.
In the different columns you will find the present, imperfect, past historic
(passé simple), future, conditional, etc. To see what the future
of requérir will be, first find the future of acquérir,
which is acquerrai, and substitute the first letters of requérir
to obtain requerrai. If you can't remember the endings of
the other persons (je requerrai, tu requerras,
il requerra...), check the endings for conjugation 1, a few
pages before, which is complete.
(DS6-1) Look up the following verbs in the Collins-Robert, and check
their conjugations in the Appendix. Make a five column table and write
in the infinitive, the first meaning given, the third person singular of
the future and the conditional, and the past participle of each. This exercise
will be useful also in helping you to recognize and distinguish future
and conditional forms.
|
Infinitive
|
English
|
Future
|
Conditional |
Past Participle
|
| refuser |
to refuse |
refusera |
refuserait |
refusé |
| être |
|
|
|
|
| prendre |
|
|
|
|
| atterrir |
|
|
|
|
| prévenir |
|
|
|
|
| prétendre |
|
|
|
|
| attraper |
|
|
|
|
| couvrir |
|
|
|
|
Sections in Verb entries: Different Ways of Using Verbs
If entries for most words are divided into sections corresponding to parts
of speech, verb entries are divided into sections according to the way
the verb is used. The main possibilities are VT (transitive), VI (intransitive)
V IMPERS (impersonal) and VPR (pronominal). Verbs often have different
meanings when used in these different ways, so it's important to find the
right section
 Here are three different
sentences which use the verb couler.
Le ruisseau coulait lentement.
On a coulé le béton ce matin.
Il se la coule douce.
When you look up couler in the dictionary, the entry is divided
into three sections: 1. VI, 2. VT, 3. VPR. The first sentence above uses
couler intransitively (no object), so you'd choose section
1 and find the meaning to flow. The second sentence uses
couler transitively (le béton is an
object), so you'd choose section 2 and find the meaning to pour.
The third sentence uses couler pronominally (Il se
... coule), so you'd choose section 3 and find that
se la couler douce means to take it easy.
To understand these different uses, and before you do the Notebook work,
you should now check out three grammar pages, on Transitive
and Intransitive Verbs, on Pronominal
Verbs, and on Impersonal
Verbs.
DS6 -2 Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the verbs in the following
table. Fill in the last two columns.
|
Text
|
VT or VI or VPR or V IMPERS
|
English
|
| Il est parti sans laisser d'adresse. |
VI
|
He left without leaving an address. |
| Il ne s'agit pas de plaisanter. |
|
|
| Ils ne tiendront pas dans cet espace. |
|
|
| Lorsqu'il était jeune, il courait le cerf. |
|
|
| Il se fait tard. |
|
|
| Le ciment n'a pas encore pris. |
|
|
| Il ne sait pas s'y prendre. |
|
|
| Aïe! J'ai envie de rendre. |
|
|
| Elle se rend à son travail à pied. |
|
|
DS6-3 Use your dictionary to determine how many sections the entries for
the following verbs are divided into, and what the divisions are. If you
don't use the Collins-Robert 5th. edition, write down the name and edition
of the dictionary you are using.
| Verb |
Sections (VT, VI, etc.) Include types we've not dealt with here such
as VT INDIR. |
| rentrer |
VI, VT |
| battre |
|
| craindre |
|
| mettre |
|
| prendre |
|
| faire |
|
| monter |
|
| rester |
|
| trouver |
|
| demander |
|
|
