Conjugation facts for kids
Verbs are action words, like "run," "jump," or "eat." When we use verbs, they often change their form to match who is doing the action. These changes are called conjugations. It's like changing the ending of a word to make it fit the sentence perfectly.
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What Are Verb Conjugations?
Verbs tell us what someone or something is doing. For example, in "I eat," "eat" is the verb. The word "I" is the subject, meaning the person doing the eating.
Why Do Verbs Change?
Verbs change their form to agree with the subject. This helps us understand who is performing the action and when it's happening. Usually, most of the verb stays the same, but its ending changes. Most languages have patterns for how verbs conjugate.
Understanding the Infinitive Form
Before a verb is conjugated, it's in its basic form, called the infinitive. Think of it as the "to do something" form. In English, we often use "to" before the verb, like "to walk," "to play," or "to eat."
For example, in French, the infinitive for "to eat" is "manger." You wouldn't say "I like eat" in English; you'd say "I like to eat." Similarly, in French, you'd say "J'aime manger" (I like to eat).
How French Verbs Conjugate
Let's look at how the French verb "manger" (to eat) changes. The main part of the word, "mang," stays the same. Only the ending changes.
| English | French |
|---|---|
| I eat | je mange |
| You (informal) eat | tu manges |
| He/She eats | il/elle mange |
| You (formal) eat | vous mangez |
| We eat | nous mangeons |
| They eat | ils/elles mangent |
The Pattern in French
In this example, the "er" ending is removed from the infinitive "manger." Then, a new ending is added depending on who is doing the eating. For example, for "I," you add "e" (mang + e). For "you (informal)," you add "es" (mang + es).
This pattern works for many French verbs that end in "er." However, it's important to remember that not all verbs follow the exact same pattern. Also, conjugation patterns can be very different in other languages.
