Thursday 21 April 2016

French Verb of Day.18 of Blogging #AtoZChallenge - Regarder!

Salut mes beaux amis!

The verb of the day is Regarder. 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
  • 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 meaning of this verb is "look." Like, if I want to say,"Look at your book," I would say,"Regardez votre livre!" I think, you get the picture.

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 regarde































(Subject) look(s) or is/are/am looking
Tu regardes
Il regarde
Nous regardons
Vous regardez
Ils regardent
    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 regardé (Subject) looked(once), I have looked
Tu as regardé
Il a regardé
Nous avons regardé
Vous avez regardé
Ils ont regardé
    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 regardais (Subject) was looking/ used to look
Tu regardais
Il regardait
Nous regardions
Vous regardiez
Ils regardaient
    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 regardé (Subject) had looked
Tu avais regardé
Il avait regardé
Nous avions regardé
Vous aviez regardé
Ils avaient regardé
    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 regardai (Subject) looked
Tu regardas
Il regarda
Nous regardâmes
Vous regardâtes
Ils regardèrent
    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 regardé (Subject) had looked
Tu eus regardé
Il eut regardé
Nous eûmes regardé
Vous eûtes regardé
Ils eurent regardé
    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 regarderai (Subject) will look
Tu regarderas
Il regardera
Nous regarderons
Vous regarderez
Ils regarderont
    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 regardé (Subject) will have looked/ will had looked
Tu auras regardé
Il aura regardé
Nous aurons regardé
Vous aurez regardé
Ils auront regardé
    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 regarder (Subject) is/are/am looking/about to look
Tu vas regarder
Il va regarder
Nous allons regarder
Vous allez regarder
Ils vont regarder


    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 regarderais (Subject) would watch
          Tu regarderais
          Il regarderait
          Nous regarderions
          Vous regarderiez
          Ils regarderaient
        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 regardé (Subject) would had watched/ would have watched
          Tu aurais regardé
          Il aurait regardé
          Nous aurions regardé
          Vous auriez regardé
          Ils auraient regardé
            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 regardé (Subject) would had watched/ would have watched
      Tu eusses regardé
      Il eût regardé
      Nous eussions regardé
      Vous eussiez regardé
      Ils eussent regardé


    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 regarde that (Subject) look(s) or is/are/am looking
      que tu regardes
      qu’il regarde
      que nous regardions
      que vous regardiez
      qu’ils regardent
        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 regardasse that (Subject) look(s) or that (Subject) was/were looking
      que tu regardasses
      qu’il regardât
      que nous regardassions
      que vous regardassiez
      qu’ils regardassent
        1. Plus-que-parfait – Again, this form is also used in literary documents.
      que j’ eusse regardé (Subject) would look/ look
      que tu eusses regardé
      qu’il eût regardé
      que nous eussions regardé
      que vous eussiez regardé
      qu’ils eussent regardé
        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 regardé that (Subject) look(s) or that (Subject) was looking
      que tu aies regardé
      qu’il ait regardé
      que nous ayons regardé
      que vous ayez regardé
      qu’ils aient regardé


    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!


RegardeLook!
RegardonsLet's look!
RegardezLook!

Commonly used phrases with this verb

Two of the useful phrases are:


  1. regarder fixement -- stare
  2. regarder furtivement -- peek

Proverb using this verb


An excellent example of this verb's usage is in this proverb:
À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents. This means, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Appearance of this verb in any song or famous textbook 
Read this poem that uses reagrder verb in it:

A m’asseoir sur un banc cinq minutes avec toi
Et regarder les gens tant qu’y en a
Te parler du bon temps qu’est mort ou qui r’viendra
En serrant dans ma main tes p’tits doigts
Puis donner à bouffer à des pigeons idiots
Leur filer des coups d’ pieds pour de faux
Et entendre ton rire qui lézarde les murs
Qui sait surtout guérir mes blessures

Te raconter un peu comment j’étais mino
Les bonbecs fabuleux qu’on piquait chez l’marchand
Car-en-sac et Minto, caramel à un franc
Et les mistrals gagnants

A r’marcher sous la pluie cinq minutes avec toi
Et regarder la vie tant qu’y en a
Te raconter la Terre en te bouffant des yeux
Te parler de ta mère un p’tit peu

Et sauter dans les flaques pour la faire râler
Bousiller nos godasses et s’marrer
Et entendre ton rire comme on entend la mer
S’arrêter, r’partir en arrière

Te raconter surtout les carambars d’antan et les cocos bohères
Et les vrais roudoudous qui nous coupaient les lèvres
Et nous niquaient les dents
Et les mistrals gagnants

A m’asseoir sur un banc cinq minutes avec toi
Et regarder le soleil qui s’en va
Te parler du bon temps qu’est mort et je m’en fou
Te dire que les méchants c’est pas nous

Que si moi je suis barge, ce n’est que de tes yeux
Car ils ont l’avantage d’être deux
Et entendre ton rire s’envoler aussi haut
Que s’envolent les cris des oiseaux

Te raconter enfin qu’il faut aimer la vie
Et l’aimer même si 
le temps est assassin
Et emporte avec lui les rires des enfants

Et les mistrals gagnants

Et les mistrals gagnants

Source: http://www.english-for-techies.net/mainstream%20vocabulary/proverbs.htm, http://apoemforeveryday.com/tag/french-song/

2 comments:

  1. Good luck with your French studies. My husband studied French in school and loved it as a language. I've been thinking of learning a language to engage my mind (I'm in my 60's) but not sure yet which language I would choose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I applaud your learning spirit. I wish I remain this enthusiastic about learning in my 60's. Whichever language you decide would be honoured to have you as its learner <3

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