Monday 4 April 2016

French Verb of Day.3 of Blogging A to Z Challenge - Chanter!

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
With that, let's start our musical journey by learning various aspects of this beautiful verb.





Pronunciation Link




To know the correct pronunciation of this verb, click here.



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.
    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 chante

(Subject) sing or is/are/am singing
Tu chantes
Il chante
Nous chantons
Vous chantez
Ils chantent
    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 chanté(Subject) sang (once), I have sung
Tu as chanté
Il a chanté
Nous avons chanté
Vous avez chanté
Ils ont chanté
    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 chantais(Subject) was singing/ used to sing
Tu chantais
Il chantait
Nous chantions
Vous chantiez
Ils chantaient
    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 chanté(Subject) had sung
Tu avais chanté
Il avait chanté
Nous avions chanté
Vous aviez chanté
Ils avaient chanté
    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 chantai(Subject) sang
Tu chantas
Il chanta
Nous chantâmes
Vous chantâtes
Ils chantèrent
    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 chanté(Subject) had sung
Tu eus chanté
Il eut chanté
Nous eûmes chanté
Vous eûtes chanté
Ils eurent chanté
    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 chanterai(Subject) will sing
Tu chanteras
Il chantera
Nous chanterons
Vous chanterez
Ils chanteront
    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 chanté(Subject) will have sung/ will had sung
Tu auras chanté
Il aura chanté
Nous aurons chanté
Vous aurez chanté
Ils auront chanté
    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 chanter(Subject) is/are/am singing/about to sing
Tu vas chanter
Il va chanter
Nous allons chanter
Vous allez chanter
Ils vont chanter
    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 chanterais(Subject) would sing
Tu chanterais
Il chanterait
Nous chanterions
Vous chanteriez
Ils chanteraient
    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 chanté(Subject) would have sung
Tu aurais chanté
Il aurait chanté
Nous aurions chanté
Vous auriez chanté
Ils auraient chanté
    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 chanté(Subject) would have sung
Tu eusses chanté
Il eût chanté
Nous eussions chanté
Vous eussiez chanté
Ils eussent chanté
    1. Subjonctif – This mood of expressions focuses on various emotions, such as doubt, a fear, subjectivity, hope.
      1. 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.
It is important to me that my family eats dinner together.

I am happy that my readers like my blog.


que je chantethat (Subject) sing(s) or is/are/am singing
que tu chantes
qu’il chante
que nous chantions
que vous chantiez
qu’ils chantent
    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 chantassethat (Subject) sang or that (Subject) was/were singing
que tu chantasses
qu’il chantât
que nous chantassions
que vous chantassiez
qu’ils chantassent
    1. 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
    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 chantéthat (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
    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!


ChanteSing!
ChantonsLet's sing!
ChantezSing!
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.

J’avais chanté devant ma sœur avant de rejoindre l’université.


Futur

Someday, I will sing like a nightingale. 

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.




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:



  1. faire chanter -- blackmail
  2. 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

13 comments:

  1. Wow! What a lot of hard work you have put in with this Ankita! I am reading all this everyday and happy to see the cobwebs brushing away. Thanks much and cheers for the fab work you are doing :)
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot, dear! Your zeal is a catalyst that would push me to keep working hard :)

      Delete
  2. C'est une post genial. Merci @Daisy from
    Daisyinthe willows

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Merci beaucoup, Madame. Je suis très contente que vous aimiez cette poste.

      Delete
  3. Nice to have learnt a new word. Thank you for teaching. Visitor from A-Z here. Do drop into www.malavikka.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Every time I receive a comment that a reader learnt something from me, I feel touched. Thanks a lot, Malavikka. You do not know it, but you have made my day a little brighter.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Super learning avec vous! I don't know what super learning would be in French though!
    Tina from Twinkling Tina Cooks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You may write: L'apprentissage est super avec vous. ;)

      BTW, your Comments make my day:)

      Delete
  6. Well researched! Glad that I came across this post! Keep them coming! Happy AtoZ!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Awe! I felt like going through my English classes. :D

    ReplyDelete