Monday 25 April 2016

French Verb of Day.21 of Blogging #AtoZChallenge - Utiliser!

Salut mes beaux amis!

The verb of the day is Utiliser. 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
  • 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

Meaning of this verb is very easy to guess, and I bet you thought to use. Well, good for you. This is the right answer :) Bravo!

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 utilise





(Subject) utilize(s) or is/are/am utilizing
Tu utilises
Il utilise
Nous utilisons
Vous utilisez
Ils utilisent
    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 utilisé (Subject) utilized(once), I have utilized
Tu as utilisé
Il a utilisé
Nous avons utilisé
Vous avez utilisé
Ils ont utilisé
    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 utilisais (Subject) was utilizing/ used to utilize
Tu utilisais
Il utilisait
Nous utilisions
Vous utilisiez
Ils utilisaient
    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 utilisé (Subject) had utilized
Tu avais utilisé
Il avait utilisé
Nous avions utilisé
Vous aviez utilisé
Ils avaient utilisé
    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 utilisai (Subject) utilized
Tu utilisas
Il utilisa
Nous utilisâmes
Vous utilisâtes
Ils utilisèrent
    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 utilisé (Subject) had utilized
Tu eus utilisé
Il eut utilisé
Nous eûmes utilisé
Vous eûtes utilisé
Ils eurent utilisé
    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 utiliserai (Subject) will utilize
Tu utiliseras
Il utilisera
Nous utiliserons
Vous utiliserez
Ils utiliseront
    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 utilisé (Subject) will have utilized/ will had utilized
Tu auras utilisé
Il aura utilisé
Nous aurons utilisé
Vous aurez utilisé
Ils auront utilisé
    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 utiliser (Subject) is/are/am utilizing/about to utilize
Tu vas utiliser
Il va utiliser
Nous allons utiliser
Vous allez utiliser
Ils vont utiliser


    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 utilizerais (Subject) would utilize
          Tu utilizerais
          Il utilizerait
          Nous utilizerions
          Vous utilizeriez
          Ils utilizeraient
        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 utilizé (Subject) would had utilized/ would have utilized
          Tu aurais utilizé
          Il aurait utilizé
          Nous aurions utilizé
          Vous auriez utilizé
          Ils auraient utilizé
            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 utilizé (Subject) would had utilized/ would have utilized
      Tu eusses utilizé
      Il eût utilizé
      Nous eussions utilizé
      Vous eussiez utilizé
      Ils eussent utilizé


    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 utilise that (Subject) utilize(s) or is/are/am utilizing
      que tu utilises
      qu’il utilise
      que nous utilisions
      que vous utilisiez
      qu’ils utilisent
        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 utilisasse that (Subject) utilize(s) or that (Subject) was/were utilizing
      que tu utilisasses
      qu’il utilisât
      que nous utilisassions
      que vous utilisassiez
      qu’ils utilisassent
        1. Plus-que-parfait – Again, this form is also used in literary documents.
      que j’ eusse utilisé (Subject) would utilize/ utilize
      que tu eusses utilisé
      qu’il eût utilisé
      que nous eussions utilisé
      que vous eussiez utilisé
      qu’ils eussent utilisé
        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 utilisé that (Subject) utilize(s) or that (Subject) was utilizing
      que tu aies utilisé
      qu’il ait utilisé
      que nous ayons utilisé
      que vous ayez utilisé
      qu’ils aient utilisé


    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!


UtilseUtilize!
UtilisonsLet's utilize!
UtilisezUtilize!

Commonly used phrases with this verb

A few useful phrases are:
  1. utiliser quelque chose contre quelqu'un -- use something against someone
  2. utiliser trop de -- overdo
  3. facile à utiliser -- user-friendly

Appearance of this verb in any song or famous textbook 

I think I should change the heading to "Appearance of the verb in Alice in Wonderland" because this book is the answer to all my quests. So, here is a passage of this amazing book that uses the verb utiliser.

L'infortuné petit Pierre avait cessé d'écrire sur son ardoise avec un doigt, après s'être aperçu que cela ne laissait aucune trace; mais il se remit vivement à la besogne en utilisant l'encre qui dégoulinait le long de son visage jusqu'à ce qu'elle fût sèche.

9 comments:

  1. Wow... this was way more detailed than I expected it to be.. lots more nuances than I anticipated.

    My entry for the #AtoZChallenge -
    Underrated TV Shows that deserve more love

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wanted to learn as much as I can by writing these posts; hence, the detailed posts :)

      Delete
  2. The use of the cartoons to break up the educational content was nice. You've devoted so much time to this A to Z - students of French will love this resource.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I created these cartoons to give readers a refreshing break from educational content of these posts. I am glad that these are delivering what I wanted.

      Delete
  3. I love your detailed posts ....I'm sure your French is getting really good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes! Writing really helps in learning.

      Delete
  4. Wow! Very informational and detailed. I love your toons :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Parul! I am glad that I came across bitstrips.com, which allows creating comic strips for free.

      Delete
  5. Interesting theme for the challenge. :-)

    ReplyDelete