Salut mes bons amis,
The verb of the day is Chanter. 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
- Let's write a little French with this verb
- Commonly used phrases with this verb
- Proverb with this verb
- Appearance of this verb in any song or textbook
Pronunciation Link
Meaning of the Verb
The meaning of the verb "chanter" is "to sing." A male singer is "un chanteur," whereas a female singer is "une chanteuse." Let's learn various conjugation of this musical verb in the next section.
Conjugation of this verb in various tenses and moods
1. Indicatif – Generally, Indicatif is used to state facts.
- Présent – It is similar to Present tense of English. We use this form to express facts, conditions, habits, and routine.
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 chante
(Subject) sing or is/are/am singingTu chantes Il chante Nous chantons Vous chantez Ils chantent
- 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.
He did not go to the office today.
I did not have the courage at that moment.
J’ai chanté (Subject) sang (once), I have sung Tu as chanté Il a chanté Nous avons chanté Vous avez chanté Ils ont chanté
- Imparfait – Imparfait form is used to write about description, habit, and actions that occurred simultaneously in the past.
He was having a rough day.
I used to ride a bicycle in the rain.
Je chantais (Subject) was singing/ used to sing Tu chantais Il chantait Nous chantions Vous chantiez Ils chantaient
- 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.
He had practiced his speech in front of the mirror before he went in front of a huge audience.
J’avais chanté (Subject) had sung Tu avais chanté Il avait chanté Nous avions chanté Vous aviez chanté Ils avaient chanté
- 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.
While I was in Bali, I admired nature for hours.
Je chantai (Subject) sang Tu chantas Il chanta Nous chantâmes Vous chantâtes Ils chantèrent
- Passé antérieur – This is same as Past Perfect of English language. This form is mostly used in literature.
After my grandfather had worked for sixty years, he started gardening.
J’eus chanté (Subject) had sung Tu eus chanté Il eut chanté Nous eûmes chanté Vous eûtes chanté Ils eurent chanté
- 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.
You will never write a song.
Would Irine help me with the song?
If you ask her, you will know.
Je chanterai (Subject) will sing Tu chanteras Il chantera Nous chanterons Vous chanterez Ils chanteront
- 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.
By the time we'll reach, they will have hidden the evidence. (Crime investigation drama kicking in!)
J’aurai chanté (Subject) will have sung/ will had sung Tu auras chanté Il aura chanté Nous aurons chanté Vous aurez chanté Ils auront chanté
- 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.
My sister is getting ready in a minute.
Je vais chanter (Subject) is/are/am singing/about to sing Tu vas chanter Il va chanter Nous allons chanter Vous allez chanter Ils vont chanter
- Conditionnel – This mood is used to express statements of possibility and condition.
- 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.
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 chanterais (Subject) would sing Tu chanterais Il chanterait Nous chanterions Vous chanteriez Ils chanteraient
- 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.
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 chanté (Subject) would have sung Tu aurais chanté Il aurait chanté Nous aurions chanté Vous auriez chanté Ils auraient chanté
- 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 chanté (Subject) would have sung Tu eusses chanté Il eût chanté Nous eussions chanté Vous eussiez chanté Ils eussent chanté
- Subjonctif – This mood of expressions focuses on various emotions, such as doubt, a fear, subjectivity, hope.
- Présent the – If 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.
I am happy that my readers like my blog.
que je chante that (Subject) sing(s) or is/are/am singing que tu chantes qu’il chante que nous chantions que vous chantiez qu’ils chantent
- 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 chantasse that (Subject) sang or that (Subject) was/were singing que tu chantasses qu’il chantât que nous chantassions que vous chantassiez qu’ils chantassent
- Plus-que-parfait – Again, this form is also used in literary documents.
que j’ eusse chanté (Subject) would sing/ sang que tu eusses chanté qu’il eût chanté que nous eussions chanté que vous eussiez chanté qu’ils eussent chanté
- 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.
He is afraid that he received love from everybody only for his money.
que j’aie chanté that (Subject) sang or that (Subject) was singing que tu aies chanté qu’il ait chanté que nous ayons chanté que vous ayez chanté qu’ils aient chanté
- Impératif – This mood is utilized to give orders.
- Présent – There is nothing to explain here. This form is utilized in giving orders.
Drive me to the airport!
Sit with me!
Don't talk to me!
Chante Sing! Chantons Let's sing! Chantez Sing!
Let's Write a little French with this Verb
Indicatif
Présent
I sing very bad, but that does not stop me from singing. My sister is an awesome singer. She sings in front of everybody without hesitation.Je chante très mal, mais cela ne me empêche pas de chanter. Ma sœur est une chanteuse géniale. Elle chante devant tout le monde sans hésitation.
Passé Composé
I never sang in front of anybody.
Je n’ai chanté jamais devant personne.
Imparfait
I used to sing in my dreams, but now even that stopped.
Je chantais dans mes rêves, mais maintenant même cela arrêté.
Plus-que-parfait
I had stopped singing before I joined college.
Futur
Un jour, je chanterai comme un rossignol.
Future proche
I am going to sing in the bathroom after an hour because nobody can hear me sing there. (funny, I know!)
Je vais chanter dans la salle de bain après une heure parce que personne ne peut m’entendre chanter là-bas. (Drôle, je sais!)
Conditionnel
Présent
If I could go back a few years, I would sing from my heart in the music class.
Si je pouvais revenir en arrière quelques années, je chanterais de mon cœur dans la musique classe.
Let's sing today to make this wish come true!
Si je pouvais revenir en arrière quelques années, je chanterais de mon cœur dans la musique classe.
Subjonctif
Présent
I wish that I sing better than everybody in a few years.
Je souhaite que je chante mieux que tout le monde dans quelques années.
Impératif
Présent
Let's sing today to make this wish come true!
Chantons aujourd'hui pour faire de ce souhait se réalise.
Commonly used phrases with this verb
Two of my favorite phrases are:
- faire chanter -- blackmail
- chanter les louanges de -- glorify
Proverbs using this verb
C'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l'œuf -- This proverb is used to confront a culrpit :D Just kidding! But yes, the context is in its close proximity. Are you familiar with the saying that the guilty dog barks the loudest? This proverb delivers this exact message.
Appearance of this verb in any song or famous textbook
I am quoting a passage from my favorite book Alice aux pays des merveilles, where the author has used a form of this verb:
Pendant tout le temps que la Duchesse chanta la seconde strophe de la chanson, elle n’arrêta pas de secouer violemment le bébé de haut en bas, et le pauvre petit n’arrêta pas de hurler si fort qu’Alice put à peine distinguer les paroles:
– Tiens, tu peux le bercer un peu, si tu veux !<< dit la Duchesse à Alice en lui jetant l’enfant comme un paquet. >>Il faut que j’aille n’apprêter pour la partie de croquet de la Reine !“
This is an excerpt from the book "Alice aux pays des merveilles."
Sources: http://ouicestca.com/, http://french.about.com/, https://francais.lingolia.com
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Thanks a lot, dear! Your zeal is a catalyst that would push me to keep working hard :)
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ReplyDeleteTina from Twinkling Tina Cooks
You may write: L'apprentissage est super avec vous. ;)
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ReplyDeleteThanks a ton, Shalini :)
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