I got this wrong in the test. I don’t understand why we use the je form (projette) and not the nous form (projetons) in the example below. Can someone explain to me why this is wrong? Thanks
Notre client ________ d'aller à la concurrence. Our client plans to go to our rivals.HINT: Conjugate "projeter" (to plan) in Le present
Verbs ending in -ETER, -ELER such as jeter, rejeter, empaqueter, appeler, épeler, ficeler, chanceler etc. are semi-regular -ER verbs in Présent indicatif, which means that, even though they take the regular -ER endings of Présent indicatif, their spelling and subsequently their pronunciation vary.
The majority of -ETER and -ELER verbs follow this rule:
With je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles, you double the T (-eter) or the L (-eler).
ATTENTION:
Verbs in -ETTER, -ELLER and -E(xx)ER (errer, blesser, laisser etc.) are not included in this rule: they follow the regular pattern.
Here are the conjugations for APPELER (to call) :
| j'appelle |
| tu appelles |
| il/elle/on appelle |
| nous appelons |
| vous appelez |
| ils/elles appellent |
Of course, the pronunciation is affected: -ell- is pronounced [L], whereas -el- is [ull].
Here are the conjugations for JETER (to throw) :
| je jette |
| tu jettes |
| il/elle/on jette |
| nous jetons |
| vous jetez |
| ils/elles jettent |
Of course, the pronunciation is affected: -ett- is pronounced [ett], whereas -et- is [utt].
Listen to these extra examples:
Il jette sa ligne, puis nous jetons nos lignes.
He casts his line, then we cast our lines.
Je m'appelle Simon et vous vous appelez Gareth et Aurélie.
My name is Simon and your names are Gareth and Aurélie.
Je vous rappelle mais vous, vous ne me rappelez jamais.
I call you back but you never call me back.
Ils rejettent sa proposition, mais nous ne la rejetons pas.
They reject his proposal, but we don't reject it.
Il projette d'aller en France, alors que nous projetons d'aller en Suisse.
He plans to go to France, whereas we plan to go to Switzerland.
La maîtresse épelle le mot, puis nous l'épelons aussi.
The teacher spells the word, and then we spell it too.
L'ivrogne chancelle mais nous ne chancelons jamais.
The drunk staggers but we never stagger.
Anna renouvelle sa garde-robe tout le temps, mais vous renouvelez rarement la vôtre.
Anna renews her wardrobe all the time, but you rarely renew yours.
Le héros ruisselle de sueur.
The hero is dripping with sweat.
Mon bébé hoquette souvent, mais vous ne hoquetez jamais.
My baby hiccups often, but you never hiccup.
Note the spelling reform of 1990 also accepts the use of the accent è instead of the doubled consonant for these verbs (for example je chancelle / je chancèle) but this DOES NOT APPLY to appeler, jeter and their derivatives!
Though as we mentioned, most of the -ETER and -ELER verbs double their consonants, with every rule come exceptions!
The following -ETER and -ELER verbs behave differently: they always and ONLY take the accent è on the first -e (-eter/-eler):
-ELER: agneler - celer - receler - ciseler - démanteler - écarteler - s'encasteler - geler (and derivatives: dégeler, congeler, surgeler) - marteler - modeler - peler
-ETER: acheter (and derivatives:racheter) - bégueter - corseter - crocheter - fileter - fureter - haleter
To learn and practise them, see the related lesson: Conjugate -eter and -eler verbs in Le Présent - exceptions in 'è'
And to study other -E(-)ER and -É(-)ER verbs, see Conjugate -é(-)er, -e(-)er verbs in Le Présent (except -eter and -eler)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
L'ivrogne chancelle mais nous ne chancelons jamais.
The drunk staggers but we never stagger.
Il jette sa ligne, puis nous jetons nos lignes.
He casts his line, then we cast our lines.
La maîtresse épelle le mot, puis nous l'épelons aussi.
The teacher spells the word, and then we spell it too.
Je m'appelle Simon et vous vous appelez Gareth et Aurélie.
My name is Simon and your names are Gareth and Aurélie.
Mon bébé hoquette souvent, mais vous ne hoquetez jamais.
My baby hiccups often, but you never hiccup.
Il projette d'aller en France, alors que nous projetons d'aller en Suisse.
He plans to go to France, whereas we plan to go to Switzerland.
Le héros ruisselle de sueur.
The hero is dripping with sweat.
Ils rejettent sa proposition, mais nous ne la rejetons pas.
They reject his proposal, but we don't reject it.
Anna renouvelle sa garde-robe tout le temps, mais vous renouvelez rarement la vôtre.
Anna renews her wardrobe all the time, but you rarely renew yours.
Je vous rappelle mais vous, vous ne me rappelez jamais.
I call you back but you never call me back.
Q&A Forum 11 questions, 25 answers
Hi Alex,
If I have understood your question correctly , in the sentence the verb form has to agree with the subject, ‘Notre client’ ( our client ) which is the third person singular replacing ‘il’.
Hope this helps!
Alex asked:View original
Projeter conjugation
I got this wrong in the test. I don’t understand why we use the je form (projette) and not the nous form (projetons) in the example below. Can someone explain to me why this is wrong? Thanks
Notre client ________ d'aller à la concurrence. Our client plans to go to our rivals.HINT: Conjugate "projeter" (to plan) in Le presentDon't have an account yet? Join today
How are you meant to distinguish an 'eler' verb like appeler from an 'eler' verb like 'geler' which follows a different pattern?
Asked 8 months ago
Hi Joe,
If I may recommend a little inexpensive book of French verb conjugation called Bescherelle (Hatier).
I have an old version called 'La conjugaison 12000 verbes' which is a very useful companion when you have a little doubt. It also group together verbs which are conjugated in the same manner which is very useful.
Most French school students have one proving that it is not easy for them either...
Hi Jack,
Kwiziq is correct ...
The rule is -
In general verbs in -eler and -eter double the 'l' or 't' in front of a silent e:
Je jette and J'appelle.
Nous appellerons is correct ....
As far as I know, there is no way except to learn each verb's conjugation when studying the verb.
Or, as a complement, you use this website to check the conjugation of verbs:
http://www.verbix.com/languages/french.html
I did , and it gives a different answer to the test question "'They will call thier son Drongo"' Kwizig answer: "'Nous appellerons...'' Verbix conjugation; Nous appelerons" I see that for appeler you use a double l in the present and there is not the option of e acute and one l . No mention of this also applying in the simple future. Isnt the rule for the simple future infinitive plus avoir endings? ie appeler + ons = appelerons?
"'They will call thier son Drongo"' Kwizig answer: "'Nous appellerons...'' Verbix conjugation; Nous appelerons"
I have French spell check installed on my browser and for what it's worth, appelerons is highlighted red and appellerons isn't. I checked reverso conjugator, which I use and it also said appellerons. When in doubt (if you don't want to buy a guide/dictionary), pop both into google books. When I tried appelerons it asked "Do you mean appellerons?"
French verbs are just highly irregular, sometimes even in a pretty regular tense like the future. You'd think that it should be appeler + ons, but in the future of appeler, all persons take on the double l, including those that don't have it in the present.
Also, why is it conjugated in the nous form when it is "THEY WILL" it would have to be conjugated in the ils/elles form.
Joe asked:View original
How are you meant to distinguish an 'eler' verb like appeler from an 'eler' verb like 'geler' which follows a different pattern?
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Unsure of the subject in this question
This was in the kwiz:
Our client plans to go to our rivals. : Notre client ___ d'aller à la concurrence.
I thought the client was the subject, so the answer would be projette, but the answer given was projetons. Isn't that for nous and on?
Asked 9 months ago
You are right the first time. [ Le ] Client [ projette ] d'aller à la concurrence. It's the client who is planning to defect, Notre is a modifier to that subject. Perhaps Kwiziq decided to have a bit of a relaxation moment. Regardless, for your own uses, know that you did it right.
Nignuoy asked:View original
Unsure of the subject in this question
This was in the kwiz:
Our client plans to go to our rivals. : Notre client ___ d'aller à la concurrence.
I thought the client was the subject, so the answer would be projette, but the answer given was projetons. Isn't that for nous and on?
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In your example of the tu form of appeler, is that correct?
j'appelle
tu appelles Shouldn't this be (t'appelles)? If not, why?
il/elle/on appelle
nous appelons
vous appelez
ils/elles appellent
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Lisa,
Are you confusing "Tu t'appelles" which is the verb 's'appeler' (to be called/named) with the verb 'appeler' in the lesson which simply means 'to call'.
e.g.
"Tu appelles ta mère ce soir sans faute, d'accord?" (You are calling your mother tonight without fail, okay?)
"Tu t'appelles Marie, n'est-ce -pas?" (Your name is Marie, isnt' it ? ")
Hope this helps!
Hi Lisa,
no, "tu appelles" is correct. There is no elision between the letters u and a. Almost all elisions happen between a preceding e and the following vowel. For a more encompassing list of possibilities look here:
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/pronunciation/elision/
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Lisa asked:View original
In your example of the tu form of appeler, is that correct?
j'appelle
tu appelles Shouldn't this be (t'appelles)? If not, why?
il/elle/on appelle
nous appelons
vous appelez
ils/elles appellent
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Bonjour Aurélie, Can you please suggest some good books to learn and practise French grammar?
Asked 1 year ago
CécileKwiziq language super star
Hi Sayali,
My students used to find 'Mille et un points' by Neil Creighton, useful .
It's a compendium of French grammatical rules. You could then practise them in Kwiziq.
Hope this helps!
CécileKwiziq language super star
Hi Sayali,
If you mean a bilingual anglo-French dictionary , I have always relied in book form on the Collins Robert French dictionary. People nowadays use online versions so you should be able to pick up a cheap second-hand one on various sites.
Hope this helps!
Sayali asked:View original
Bonjour Aurélie, Can you please suggest some good books to learn and practise French grammar?
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Bonjour William and Chris !
Chris, you are indeed mistaken here: appeler takes a direct object in French:
Tu appelles quelqu'un.
As for your question William, your confusion comes from the difference between appeler [quelqu'un] (to call [someone]), and the reflexive s'appeler (to be called / literally:"to call oneself").
In the first case, you'll use tu appelles (you call)
-> the subject pronoun tu never contracts into t' in written form (though you might have heard it in speech).
In the second case, you will use tu t'appelles (your name is)
-> t' is the contraction of the reflexive pronoun te
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Bonjour William,
On dit "tu appelles à quelqu'un" -- You are calling somebody. La phrase "je m'appelle Chris." veut dire que mon nom est Chris.
Appeler à quelqu'un. -- To call someone (on the phone).
Tu t'appelles Marie. -- Your name is Marie (literally: you call yourself Marie).
-- Chris.
Thanks, Aurélie!! I guess I drew a completely unwarranted parallel between "dire à quelqu'un" and "appeler". Goes to show that one can't ever take anything for granted when learning French :))
-- Chris.
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I cannot find the word encasteler in my dictionary. Can you please give me the English word for it.
Asked 1 year ago
Bonjour Ron !
This is indeed a very obscure verb, referring to a veterinary condition, as Jean said above.
This is indeed a very obscure verb, referring to a veterinary condition, as Jean said above.
s'encasteler - to be hoof bound
You could find the definition of this verb in our related lesson:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/revision/grammar/conjugate-eter-and-eler-verbs-in-le-present-exceptions-in-e-only
J'espère que cela vous est utile !
À bientôt !
It seems to be related to the noun " encastelure" which is a veterinary term for a disease of horses' hooves caused by the horse standing for too long in water or urine. Sounds horrible. I found this in a French veterinary text online, and of course , it did not give the English equivalent. (It's not foot rot because I looked that up also. That is "le pietin" with an acute accent which my current keyboard will not allow me to add. )
Ron asked:View original
I cannot find the word encasteler in my dictionary. Can you please give me the English word for it.
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Example in wrong section/page
Je me promène dans le parc où vous vous promenez aussi.
I'm taking a walk in the park where you're taking a walk too.
Asked 1 year ago
RonCorrect answer
Bonjour Stevenson,
For this type of question, it is best to use the following link:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/contact-us
Be sure to include the lesson where you think there is a mistake.
bonne chance
For this type of question, it is best to use the following link:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/contact-us
Be sure to include the lesson where you think there is a mistake.
bonne chance
Stevenson asked:View original
Example in wrong section/page
Je me promène dans le parc où vous vous promenez aussi.
I'm taking a walk in the park where you're taking a walk too.
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I like the prononciation form. Much clearer and now much more
difficult for us americans to say correctly.
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq language super star
Merci Donald !
"C'est en forgeant que l'on devient forgeron !"
(Literally: It's by forging that you become a blacksmith.)
-> Practice makes perfect.
:)
Donald asked:View original
I like the prononciation form. Much clearer and now much more
difficult for us americans to say correctly.
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e(xx)er
" verbs in -ETTER, -ELLER and -E(xx)ER " Why do you specifically mention ETTER and ELLER when they are alreafy matched by the general E(xx)ER pattern?
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq language super star
Bonjour Joakim !
Given that we pointed out how -ETER and -ELER have a behaviour of their own, we thought appropriate to specify that when doubled, they behave like any other -E(xx)ER, and we mention them directly to avoid any confusion.
Joakim asked:View original
e(xx)er
" verbs in -ETTER, -ELLER and -E(xx)ER " Why do you specifically mention ETTER and ELLER when they are alreafy matched by the general E(xx)ER pattern?
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Not really a question, just pointing out something.
The -ETER and -ELER labels are before the wrong verbs.
-ETER: agneler - celer - receler - ciseler - démanteler - écarteler - encasteler - geler (and derivatives: dégeler, congeler, surgeler) - marteler - modeler - peler
- ELER: acheter (and derivatives: racheter)- bégueter - corseter - crocheter - fileter - fureter - haleter
Asked 3 years ago
LauraKwiziq language super star
Bonjour Christopher,
Thanks for letting us know, we'll get that fixed right away.
Pas de problème. Hey, I like this new feature! Also I noted the ability to force a lesson into my "rotation".
Bon travail!!
Christopher asked:View original
Not really a question, just pointing out something.
The -ETER and -ELER labels are before the wrong verbs.
-ETER: agneler - celer - receler - ciseler - démanteler - écarteler - encasteler - geler (and derivatives: dégeler, congeler, surgeler) - marteler - modeler - peler
- ELER: acheter (and derivatives: racheter)- bégueter - corseter - crocheter - fileter - fureter - haleter
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