Conjugation deep-dives, grammar guides, and learning strategies, written for English speakers learning French.
There is no '7 days' trick. But there's an order of operations that gets most learners from zero to passable conversational French verbs in 3–6 months, instead of the 2+ years most apps deliver.
Read more →All the French verb endings you'll actually use, -er, -ir, -re for present, imparfait, futur simple, conditionnel, subjonctif and passé composé. Printable cheat sheet format.
Read more →Most French verb practice doesn't stick because it relies on recognition (multiple choice), not production (typing). Here's what works, and how to structure your practice so it compounds.
Read more →En and y are the two pronouns English speakers skip, and the two that instantly mark you as fluent when you start using them. Here's exactly what each one replaces, with the placement rule that never changes.
Read more →The subjunctive isn't a mood. It's a reflex triggered by specific words. Here's the only list of triggers you need, plus the conjugation rule, with examples that English speakers will actually remember.
Read more →They look almost identical. They mean completely different things. Here's how to keep futur simple and conditionnel apart, with the trigger words and the only ending you need to memorize.
Read more →Three expressions, three jobs. Il y a, il est, and c'est all translate as 'it is' or 'there is' in English, but French uses them in totally different situations. Here's the rule that decides for you.
Read more →Ranked by how often they actually show up in spoken French. Memorize these 30 verbs and you'll understand most everyday conversations, with links to full conjugation tables for each.
Read more →The passé simple is the tense French schoolchildren dread and adult learners can mostly ignore. Here's when you actually need it, when you don't, and how to recognize it when you read it.
Read more →Past participle agreement (l'accord du participe passé) is the rule French speakers themselves get wrong. Here are the 3 cases that cover 95% of situations, with the COD-placé-avant trick demystified.
Read more →Pronominal verbs, the ones with se in front, confuse every English speaker learning French. Here are the three types, the agreement rule, and the verbs that change meaning when you add se.
Read more →The single trickiest decision in French past tense. A clear, English-speaker-friendly guide with the 4 rules that cover 95% of cases, plus the keywords that should trigger each tense.
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