conjugaisons

Conjugaisons, or verb conjugations, are the inflected forms a verb can take to express grammatical information about the subject and the action. They encode person (who performs the action), number (singular or plural), tense (when the action occurs), aspect, mood, voice, and sometimes gender. Together, the various forms constitute the verb’s paradigm or conjugation pattern.

In French, conjugaison is a central part of grammar. Most verbs are grouped into four conjugation families by their infinitive endings: -er, -ir, -re, and a set of irregulars. Regular -er verbs like parler follow predictable endings in the present tense: je parle, tu parles, il parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils parlent. Other tenses use corresponding endings, or auxiliary verbs for compound forms: j’ai parlé, elle est allée. Irregular verbs, such as être and avoir, do not follow standard patterns and must be memorized.

Beyond French, many languages feature rich verb conjugations, including Romance and Slavic languages, which attach endings to mark person, number, tense, aspect, and mood. In contrast, analytic languages such as Mandarin or English rely more on auxiliary words and word order than on inflection. English has relatively limited conjugation, with distinct forms mainly for third-person singular present, past tense, and participles, plus modal auxiliaries. Some languages also distinguish gender in verb forms, though this is less common in modern conjugation systems.

Conjugation paradigms are often presented in tables that list all forms for each tense and mood. Learners typically memorize regular patterns first and then study irregular forms. Conjugaisons are essential for syntax, agreement, and meaning, influencing pronoun use and sentence structure.