Un 7.4

Irregular -oir Verbs

All irregular verbs in French are categorized into a 3rd group (‘troisième groupe’). Within this group, there are several conjugation patterns to learn, but grouping verbs with similar conjugations can help with the learning process. Here, we’ll look at several impoqrtant irregular verbs that end in ‘-oir’/‘-oire’.

Explication

Exercices

Boire, Croire, Voir

The verbs ‘boire’, ‘croire’ and ‘voir’ (to drink, to believe and to see) all have similar irregular conjugations in the present tense. There are slight changes in the verb stems.

boire – to drink
je	bois	nous	buvons
tu	bois	vous	buvez
il elle on	boit	ils elles	boivent

croire – to believe
je	crois	nous	croyons
tu	crois	vous	croyez
il elle on	croit	ils elles	croient

voir – to see
je	vois	nous	voyons
tu	vois	vous	voyez
il elle on	voit	ils elles	voient

eg.

Je ne bois pas de café, mais nous buvons souvent du thé.	I don’t drink coffee, but we often drink tea.
Vois-tu les bancs dans le parc ?	Do you see the benches in the park?

Devoir

devoir – to owe : to be supposed to
je	dois	nous	devons
tu	dois	vous	devez
il elle on	doit	ils elles	doivent

The verb ‘devoir’ can serve two functions. On its own, it shows that someone owes something to another person. It is quite common to see a COI with this verb.

e.g.

Mon ami, tu me dois cinq dollars.

My friend, you owe me five dollars.

When used with another verb, this verb acts as a modal verb and shows that an action is expected.

e.g.

Tu dois me payer cinq dollars.	You have to pay me five dollars.
Pour ce prix, le dessert doit être délicieux !	For that price, the dessert must be delicious!

Pouvoir

pouvoir – to be able to ; to be possible
je	peux	nous	pouvons
tu	peux	vous	pouvez
il elle on	peut	ils elles	peuvent

The verb ‘pouvoir’ also functions as a modal verb and indicates the physical ability to do an action, the permission to do an action, or the possibility of an action occurring.

e.g.

Les oiseaux peuvent voler.	Birds can fly.
Bienvenus à notre restaurant, vous pouvez chercher une table dans la salle à gauche.	Welcome to our restaurant, you may look for a table in the room on the left.
Ça peut arriver.	That can happen. / That does happen.

Savoir

savoir – to know (how to)
je	sais	nous	savons
tu	sais	vous	savez
il elle on	sait	ils elles	savent

The verb ‘savoir’ can serve two functions. When used on its own, it indicates knowledge about a fact (for knowledge about a thing, i.e. a direct object, another, different verb is used). For this meaning, the verb is often used to introduce a subordinating clause.

e.g.

Je ne sais pas pourquoi les légumes sont fades.	I don’t know why the vegetables are bland.
Mais tout le monde sait que tu m’aimes !	But everyone knows (that) you love me!

When used with another verb, it refers to the knowledge of how to do an action (cf. to ‘pouvoir’, which is focused on the physical ability to do an action).

e.g.

Ici, on sait bien faire la fête.	We really know how celebrate here.
Tes parents savent danser ?	Your parents know how to dance?

Vouloir

vouloir – to want (to)
je	veux	nous	voulons
tu	veux	vous	voulez
il elle on	veut	ils elles	veulent

The verb ‘vouloir’, when used on its own, refers to the desire for something or to have something.

e.g.

Bonsoir, voulez-vous du vin ?

Good evening, do you want some wine?

In this sense, this verb is commonly used when ordering or requesting something. However, the present tense forms are typically considered rude, and the verb’s present conditional forms are considered more polite. Until we cover the present conditional in detail, we’ll just consider the present conditional form ‘je voudrais’ here. Similarly, the adverb ‘bien’ can be used to soften responses using the verb ‘vouloir’.

e.g.

Bonjour, je veux des tomates, des poivrons et une carotte, s’il vous plaît.

Hello, I want some tomatoes, some peppers and a carrot, please.

Bonjour, je voudrais trois tartes aux pommes, s’il vous plaît.

Hello, I would like three apple pies, please.

-Tu veux un chocolat chaud ?

-Oui, je veux bien.

-You want a hot chocolate?

-Yes, I would.

The verb ‘vouloir’ is also frequently used with other verbs to indicate the desire to do an action. The second verb is used put into the infinitive form. Other types of sentences with this structure, such as negation and questions, follow rules similar to what occurs for the Futur Proche.

e.g.

Je veux aller au cinéma.	I want to go to the movies.
Les piétons ne veulent pas me parler.	The pedestrians don’t want to talk to me.

Falloir

falloir – to be necessary
je	–	nous	–
tu	–	vous	–
il elle on	faut	ils elles	–

The verb ‘falloir’ is categorised as an impersonal verb, meaning it does not per se refer to a specific subject. This can also be seen in the fact that, in the present tense, there is only one possible conjugation form, used only with the subject pronoun ‘il’. The meaning of this verb is related to necessity. Depending on context, it may refer to all people as a general concept, or to one individual. Also with context, this necessity may act as a fact, as a suggestion, or as an implied request. This verb can be followed by a noun, to show what is necessary, or by a verb, to show what action is necessary.

e.e.

Il faut du travail.	People need to work. / You have to work. / One must have work.
Il faut réviser pour l’examen.	You must study for the exam. / It’d be a really good idea to study for this exam.

If it’s not clear, or is important, to show who is in need, it is common to use this verb with an indirect object pronoun.

e.g.

Il lui faut travailler beaucoup.	He/She must work hard.
Il nous faut trois stylos.	We need three pens.

Exercices