Saturday 16 April 2016

French Verb of Day.14 of Blogging #AtoZChallenge - Nager!

Salut mes beaux amis!

The verb of the day is Nager. I am writing this post in the same format as the first post of this challenge. Again, if you find any correction, please do not hesitate to point out. I am a French language learner, not a teacher. I'd appreciate the courteous and constructive feedback. I have divided the post into these main sections:
  • Pronunciation Link
  • Meaning of this Verb
  • Conjugation of the verb in different tenses and moods
  • Commonly used phrases with this verb
  • Proverb with this verb
  • Appearance of this verb in any song or textbook
So, let's have some fun while learning the usage of the verb of the day.





Pronunciation Link





Meaning of the Verb


The verb "Nager" means "swim." I do not know swimming, but I would love to learn it soon. I thought, probably, writing about it would inspire me.

Conjugation of this verb in various tenses and moods



1. Indicatif – Generally, Indicatif is used to state facts.
    1. Présent – It is similar to Present tense of English. We use this form to express facts, conditions, habits, and routine.
The sample sentences, as per my knowledge, could be:

I write whenever I can.

You don't like drama.

We love reading books.

They have money, but they do not have a heart.

Je nage







(Subject) swim(s) or is/are/am swimming
Tu nages
Il nage
Nous nageons
Vous nagez
Ils nagent
    1. Passé Composé – It resonates with Present Perfect and Past forms of English language. This form is utilized to a talk about the actions that were completed in the past, and we wish to draw the attention towards its results.
I went to get a manicure in the morning.

He did not go to the office today.

I did not have the courage at that moment.

J’ai nagé (Subject) swam(once), I have swum
Tu as nagé
Il a nagé
Nous avons nagé
Vous avez nagé
Ils ont nagé
    1. Imparfait – Imparfait form is used to write about description, habit, and actions that occurred simultaneously in the past.
It was a beautiful day.

He was having a rough day.

I used to ride a bicycle in the rain.

Je nageais (Subject) was swimming/ used to swim
Tu nageais
Il nageait
Nous nagions
Vous nagiez
Ils nageaient
    1. Plus-que-parfait – This is the French version of “Past perfect” of English language. If you are narrating an incident that occurred in the past, and I you wish to include a detail that happened even before the time of that incident, you use plus-que-parfait form.
I had studied a lot before I could get a job.

He had practiced his speech in front of the mirror before he went in front of a huge audience.

J’avais nagé (Subject) had swum
Tu avais nagé
Il avait nagé
Nous avions nagé
Vous aviez nagé
Ils avaient nagé
    1. Passé simple – Similar to Passé Composé, Passé simple is used to describe completed actions in the past and the actions that were interrupted in the past. Being same as Passé Composé, its examples are similar to Passé Composé.
Last year, I went to Bali.

While I was in Bali, I admired nature for hours.

Je nageai (Subject) swam
Tu nageas
Il nagea
Nous nageâmes
Vous nageâtes
Ils nagèrent
    1. Passé antérieur – This is same as Past Perfect of English language. This form is mostly used in literature.
As soon as I was in the library, I decided to issue the book “Pride and Prejudice.”

After my grandfather had worked for sixty years, he started gardening.

J’eus nagé (Subject) had swum
Tu eus nagé
Il eut nagé
Nous eûmes nagé
Vous eûtes nagé
Ils eurent nagé
    1. Futur – Futur is same as Future tense of English language. This form comes into picture when we are either expressing an intended action in the future or making an assumption in both present and future. Also, it may be used to make a polite request.
Tomorrow, I will write a song.

You will never write a song.

Would Irine help me with the song?

If you ask her, you will know.

Je nagerai (Subject) will swim
Tu nageras
Il nagera
Nous nagerons
Vous nagerez
Ils nageront
    1. Futur antérieur – Remember future perfect tense? Futur antérieur is its brother :) When you are imagining or considering something to happen in the future or something that might have happened in the past, you use this form.
He'll probably have had three boxes of cereal or he had drank three cartons of milk. (I know it's a stupid sentence, but I couldn't think of something else.)

By the time we'll reach, they will have hidden the evidence. (Crime investigation drama kicking in!)

J’aurai nagé (Subject) will have swum/ will had swum
Tu auras nagé
Il aura nagé
Nous aurons nagé
Vous aurez nagé
Ils auront nagé
    1. Future proche – Future Proche form is used to describe an event or action that is either definite to occur in a short while or planned to happen in the future.
I am going to get a laptop in two minutes. (I'm not :( )

My sister is getting ready in a minute.

Je vais nager (Subject) is/are/am swimming/about to swim
Tu vas nager
Il va nager
Nous allons nager
Vous allez nager
Ils vont nager



    1. Conditionnel – This mood is used to express statements of possibility and condition.
          1. Présent – If we wish to express a possibility about present or future from a past point of view, then this would be my choice of sentence form.
      I would like to be an author, someday.

      Drashti thought that she might go on a vacation to Paris.

      If she went to Paris, she could become a model.

      Arun, could you stop teasing me?

      Je nagerais (Subject) would swim
      Tu nagerais
      Il nagerait
      Nous nagerions
      Vous nageriez
      Ils nageraient
        1. Passé – Imagine that you are telling about an incident that happened in the past, where you expressed a possibility, then this is the form you need to be using. Of course, it is confusing, but don't worry. Hopefully, sample sentences will help in making it understandable.
      If I had gone with you, I would have scolded him.
      My grandfather would have sorted our problems if we had asked him.
      *Tip – Use Conditionnel Passé in that part of the sentence that indicates a result of the action.
      J’aurais nagé (Subject) would had swum/ would have swum
      Tu aurais nagé
      Il aurait nagé
      Nous aurions nagé
      Vous auriez nagé
      Ils auraient nagé
        1. Passé - forme alternative – This form is used in literary formats of writing. Not my cup of tea! The same thought can be expressed by using above form.
      J’eusse nagé (Subject) would had swum/ would have swum
      Tu eusses nagé
      Il eût nagé
      Nous eussions nagé
      Vous eussiez nagé
      Ils eussent nagé


    1. Subjonctif – This mood of expressions focuses on various emotions, such as doubt, a fear, subjectivity, hope.
          1. Présent – If the main part of the sentence is in present form, then the part after que, expressing emotions, will be in subjonctif présent form. Confused? Well, hopefully, sample sentences will clear the air.
      It is important to me that my family eats dinner together.
      I am happy that my readers like my blog.

      que je nage that (Subject) swim(s) or is/are/am swimming
      que tu nages
      qu’il nage
      que nous nagions
      que vous nagiez
      qu’ils nagent
        1. Imparfait –If the main part of the sentence is in past form, then the part after que, expressing emotions, will be in subjonctif imparfait form. However, this form is used in literary docs. For ordinary usage, subjonctif passé is our guy.
      que je nageasse that (Subject) swim(s) or that (Subject) was/were swimming
      que tu nageasses
      qu’il nageât
      que nous nageassions
      que vous nageassiez
      qu’ils nageassent
        1. Plus-que-parfait – Again, this form is also used in literary documents.
      que j’ eusse nagé (Subject) would swim/ swim
      que tu eusses nagé
      qu’il eût nagé
      que nous eussions nagé
      que vous eussiez nagé
      qu’ils eussent nagé
        1. Passé – If main part of the sentence is in past form, then the part after que, expressing emotions, will be in subjonctif passé form. Other than this, if we are expressing emotions about somebody's past, then too, we use this form.
      I had wished that he would succeed in his hunt for a decent job.

      He is afraid that he received love from everybody only for his money.

      que j’aie nagé that (Subject) swim(s) or that (Subject) was swimming
      que tu aies nagé
      qu’il ait nagé
      que nous ayons nagé
      que vous ayez nagé
      qu’ils aient nagé


    1. Impératif – This mood is utilized to give orders.
      1. Présent – There is nothing to explain here. This form is utilized in giving orders.
Take me to the mall!

Drive me to the airport!

Sit with me!

Don't talk to me!


NageSwim!
NageonsLet's swim!
NagezSwim!


Commonly used phrases with this verb


Two of my favorite phrases are:



  1. nager avec un tuba  -- snorkel
  2. nager entre deux eaux -- hesitate between two things


Proverbs using this verb

"Apprendre aux poissons à nager." Teaching an expert their area of expertise does not make sense, and this is the significance of this proverb.


Appearance of this verb in any song or famous textbook 


À la salade nusery rhyme has the the verb "Nager" in it. Let's sing along:


À la salade 
Je suis malade 
Au céleri 
Je suis guéri 
À la pomme de terre 
Je suis par terre 
Au haricot 
Je suis dans l'eau.
-Savez vous nager, 

Mademoiselle/Monsieur?

Click on the link below to see the translation of its lyrics:


http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=150

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