Wednesday 20 April 2016

French Verb of Day.17 of Blogging #AtoZChallenge - Quitter!

Salut mes beaux amis!

The verb of the day is Quitter. 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


"Quitter" means "leave or quit." One may use this verb in the context of leaving or taking off from a place, too. 

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 quitte




(Subject) leave(s) or is/are/am leaving
Tu quittes
Il quitte
Nous quittons
Vous quittez
Ils quittent
    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 quitté (Subject) left(once), I have left
Tu as quitté
Il a quitté
Nous avons quitté
Vous avez quitté
Ils ont quitté
    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 quittais (Subject) was leaving/ used to leave
Tu quittais
Il quittait
Nous quittions
Vous quittiez
Ils quittaient
    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 quitté (Subject) had left
Tu avais quitté
Il avait quitté
Nous avions quitté
Vous aviez quitté
Ils avaient quitté
    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 quittai (Subject) left
Tu quittas
Il quitta
Nous quittâmes
Vous quittâtes
Ils quittèrent
    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 quitté (Subject) had left
Tu eus quitté
Il eut quitté
Nous eûmes quitté
Vous eûtes quitté
Ils eurent quitté
    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 quitterai (Subject) will leave
Tu quitteras
Il quittera
Nous quitterons
Vous quitterez
Ils quitteront
    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 quitté (Subject) will have left/ will had left
Tu auras quitté
Il aura quitté
Nous aurons quitté
Vous aurez quitté
Ils auront quitté
    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 quitter (Subject) is/are/am leaving/about to leave
Tu vas quitter
Il va quitter
Nous allons quitter
Vous allez quitter
Ils vont quitter


    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 quitterais(Subject) would leave
      Tu quitterais
      Il quitterait
      Nous quitterions
      Vous quitteriez
      Ils quitteraient
        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 quitté(Subject) would had left/ would have left
      Tu aurais pris
      Il aurait quitté
      Nous aurions quitté
      Vous auriez quitté
      Ils auraient quitté
        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 quitté(Subject) would had left/ would have left
      Tu eusses quitté
      Il eût quitté
      Nous eussions quitté
      Vous eussiez quitté
      Ils eussent quitté


    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 quitte that (Subject) leave(s) or is/are/am leaving
      que tu quittes
      qu’il quitte
      que nous quittions
      que vous quittiez
      qu’ils quittent
        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 quittasse that (Subject) leave(s) or that (Subject) was/were leaving
      que tu quittasses
      qu’il quittât
      que nous quittassions
      que vous quittassiez
      qu’ils quittassent
        1. Plus-que-parfait – Again, this form is also used in literary documents.
      que j’ eusse quitté (Subject) would leave/ leave
      que tu eusses quitté
      qu’il eût quitté
      que nous eussions quitté
      que vous eussiez quitté
      qu’ils eussent quitté
        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 quitté that (Subject) leave(s) or that (Subject) was leaving
      que tu aies quitté
      qu’il ait quitté
      que nous ayons quitté
      que vous ayez quitté
      qu’ils aient quitté



    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!


QuitteLeave!
QuittonsLet's leave!
QuittezLeave!

Commonly used phrases with this verb

Two of the useful phrases are:


  1. quitter l'uniforme  -- leave the service
  2. ne pas quitter -- stick by

Proverb using this verb


Have you heard the saying, "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know"? You can say the same proverb in french as "On sait ce que l'on quitte, on ne sait pas ce que l'on prend."

Appearance of this verb in any song or famous textbook 

Ne me quitte pas by Jacques Brel


Ne me quitte pas
Il faut oublier
Tout peut s'oublier
Qui s'enfuit déjà
Oublier le temps
Des malentendus
Et le temps perdu
A savoir comment
Oublier ces heures
Qui tuaient parfois
A coups de pourquoi
Le cœur du bonheur
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas

Moi je t'offrirai
Des perles de pluie
Venues de pays
Où il ne pleut pas
Je creuserai la terre
Jusqu'après ma mort
Pour couvrir ton corps
D'or et de lumière
Je ferai un domaine
Où l'amour sera roi
Où l'amour sera loi
Où tu seras reine
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas

Ne me quitte pas
Je t'inventerai
Des mots insensés
Que tu comprendras
Je te parlerai
De ces amants-là
Qui ont vu deux fois
Leurs cœurs s'embraser
Je te raconterai
L'histoire de ce roi
Mort de n'avoir pas
Pu te rencontrer
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas

On a vu souvent
Rejaillir le feu
D'un ancien volcan
Qu'on croyait trop vieux
Il est paraît-il
Des terres brûlées
Donnant plus de blé
Qu'un meilleur avril
Et quand vient le soir
Pour qu'un ciel flamboie
Le rouge et le noir
Ne s'épousent-ils pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas

Ne me quitte pas
Je ne vais plus pleurer
Je ne vais plus parler
Je me cacherai là
A te regarder
Danser et sourire
Et à t'écouter
Chanter et puis rire
Laisse-moi devenir
L'ombre de ton ombre
L'ombre de ta main
L'ombre de ton chien
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas
Ne me quitte pas

Ne me quitte pas.

Click here to know the English translatin of this song:
http://www.zafiris.net/articles/Ne_me_quitte_pas.htm

4 comments:

  1. What a unique way to do the Challenge! The only other language
    I know is music :)The true universal one!
    Stephanie Finnell
    @randallbychance from
    Katy Trail Creations
    Stephanies Stuff

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Stéphanie! Your mention of music makes me want yo share something personal. I always wanted to play a musical instrument, but never did. I could blame it on the lack of time, but the reason is my lack of patience. If you have any tips on learning any aspect of music, please share it with me.

      Delete
  2. Very interesting! I have always tried to finish what I start so I'm not a quitter. I wrote about a few "Q" words for the challenge. http://themarthareview.com/q-is-for-quite-a-few/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great! Sadly, I have been a quitter for a few times.

      Delete