247. NOTE. English passive verbs used in a general sense, to express that something is, has been, or will be done, may in most instances be rendered in French by the active voice, with on as the nominative (see Pronoms indéfinis in the Syntax). Thus the sentence, a letter has been received, may be rendered by on a reçu une lettre. I speak (parler). Let us walk (se promener). Write (écrire). Do not interrupt (interrompre). Will he stay (rester)? Do not run (courir). Have they complained (se plaindre)? We have not finished (finir). Are they not ringing (sonner)? Do you not borrow (emprunter)? Does the master reward (récompenser)? Have they not doubted (douter)? Did (245.) not your sister (103.) guess (deviner)? Did those men refuse (refuser)? Did they call (appeler)? We do not give (donner). Shall I consult (consulter)? We should walk (marcher). Would they eat (manger)? Would not the judges condemn (condamner)? Is the servant coming up (monter)? Will he carry it (porter)? Will he think ( penser)? Would they not forgive (pardonner)? We were dining then (diner, alors). At what time does he breakfast (à quelle heure, déjeuner)? We do not sup (souper). Would he not plead (plaider)? The workmen demolish (ouvrier, démolir). Are you not considering (réfléchir)? Did they not show it to you (montrer)? I will not offend (offenser). Did not my father warn you (avertir)? They shuddered (frémir). Would you applaud (applaudir)? Would not your friends suffer (souffrir)? Do not the rays of the sun dazzle (éblouir)? Can you define this (pouvoir, définir)? Shall you not return (revenir)? Will those merchants buy (acheter)? I owe (devoir). Have you conceived that idea (concevoir, idée)? Have they not deceived my dearest hopes (décevoir, espérance)? Have they levied (percevoir) unjust taxes? Have they perceived (apercevoir) their error? Does she sell (vendre) gloves? Have you not spilt (répandre) the ink? Will they laugh (rire)? Let us begin (commencer). Let that child sleep (laisser dormir). Do you understand me (comprendre)? He would (246.) not stop (s'arrêter). Would you not hurt yourself (se blesser)? Do you think that they would not consent (croire, consentir (237.))? Would not those children come down when you called them (vouloir, descendre, appeler)? Would he not get weak (s'affaiblir)? Did (245.) she not blush (rougir)? Would you not have chosen that colour (choisir)? You ought not to resist (devoir, résister). Will he not clean (nettoyer) the library? They have obtained it (obtenir). Would you teach (enseigner)? Does it not rain (pleuvoir)? Do not promise (promettre). Have you not heard it (entendre)? Will they not repent (se repentir)? Rise (se lever). Go out (sortir). Let us obey (obéir). Would you not suffer (souffrir)? Let us rejoice (se réjouir). Let us not fear (craindre). Will he not cure (guérir)? Have they not answered (répondre)? Mend this pen (tailler, plume). We were succeeding (réussir). Do not disobey (désobéir). They would perish (périr). Let us hope (espérer). Let us rest (se reposer). Have you found it (trouver)? Would those pupils devote themselves to that science (élève, s'appliquer)? Will you take it (prendre)? Have they fled (fuir)? We will know it (savoir). You will know him (connaître). They will correspond (correspondre). Answer (répondre). Do not mistake (se tromper). He boasts (se vanter). Make haste (se dépêcher). Behave well (se comporter bien). Do we not rejoice (se réjouir)? How do you do (se porter)? How is your (103.) father (se porter)? Sit down (s'asseoir). We open (ouvrir) the door. Does this grammar belong to you (appartenir)? Do you not see (voir)? Does that boy displease you (déplaire à)? Be silent (se taire). We paint (peindre). She feigns (feindre). They were extinguishing it (éteindre). Will they not disappear (disparaître)? Do you recognise him (reconnaître)? Was not your sister learning (apprendre) that language? He does not undertake it (entreprendre). You surprise me (surprendre). Was she describing it (décrire)? Do you think I have never travelled (croire, voyager)? We have done (faire) an exercise. Have you not avoided (éviter) that danger? We are interested in (s'intéresser à) that affair. He was dying (se mourir). She is fainting (s'évanouir). Hold it (tenir). Will you not subscribe (s'abonner)? Will not your friend read (lire) your brother's letter? Has he not returned it (rendre)? Keep your word (garder, parole). Would they not come (venir) and spend the evening (passer la soirée)? Does your sister apply to work (s'appliquer au travail)? Will you not receive company (recevoir du monde)? Have you taken tea (prendre le thé)? Do not refuse him that service (refuser ce service). Would not the secretary warn us (prévenir)? Smell this flower (sentir). Let us serve him (servir). Have you broken (casser) this glass? Do you like reading (aimer à lire)? Let us not stop on the road (s'arrêter en route). She L was endeavouring to please you (chercher à plaire). Come near (s'approcher). Do you believe it (croire)? You were drinking (boire) water. Are you going (aller) to London? He contradicts a false report (démentir un faux rapport). Does he employ his time well (employer bien le temps)? Is he not becoming rich (devenir riche)? I am dull (s'ennuyer). Are they dancing a quadrille or a country-dance (danser une contre-danse, une anglaise)? Was not your (103.) mother uneasy (s'inquiéter)? Are you hungry (avoir faim)? You should learn music (devoir, apprendre). I am going to translate (aller, traduire). Will they elect him (élire)? They are going away (s'en aller). Will they be admitted (admettre)? Wait (attendre). He was deceiving you (tromper). Where shall I drive you (vouloir que, conduire)? Will he follow you (suivre)? Do you remember it (se souvenir de)? Let us gather (cueillir) some of these flowers. Will not your servant deliver (remettre) this letter to him? You should abstain from meat (devoir s'abstenir). Will the teacher explain that rule (précepteur, expliquer, règle)? The members of the committee assembled (s'assembler). Have you made use of that (se servir de)? We were dressing ourselves (s'habiller). This book is worth (valoir) ten francs. Do not laugh at him (se moquer de). He dresses in the French style (se mettre à la française). Has the surgeon dressed their wounds (chirurgien, panser, blessure)? Were they consenting (consentir)? I shall soon go to sleep (s'endormir). Why does he beat that child (battre)? See what they have written (voir, écrire). Will (246.) you advance (vouloir avancer) fifty francs? Dye this cloth (teindre, drap). Ought they to resist (devoir, résister)? Were they not all running to his assistance (accourir, secours)? Can your brother drive (savoir, conduire)? Will you not embark at Dover (s'embarquer)? He smiled (sourire). Tell him to frank this letter (dire de, payer le port de or affranchir). You dare not (oser). Have they caught him (attraper)? These colours are Should we not send it back (renvoyer)? well matched (être assorti). He goes to bed at eleven o'clock (se coucher à onze heures). Is your brother angry (fâché)? Let us not debate (discuter). Have those pupils thanked you (remercier)? When these exercises are* corrected we shall learn them by heart (thème, corriger, apprendre par cœur). I have just had (see Idiomatic tenses, page 85 et seq.) the * seront. letter. We have just seen your brother. I had just spoken to your friend. We are going to have a holiday. We are to have one tomorrow. We were going to have one today. Were you not to have had an answer this morning? You ought to ask. You ought to have asked. He has just been rewarded (247.). They had just been punished. They are to be sent away (renvoyer). They were to be sent away this morning. We have just written to the chairman (président). He ought to have come this afternoon. We had just risen (se lever) when the news came. You ought to have taken (porter) that letter to the post-office last night. PARTICIPLES. 248. The Participle is a word which partakes, or par ticipates, of the properties of a verb and an adjective. It has the signification and government of a verb, as des enfants aimant Dieu, children loving God; des enfants aimés de Dieu, children loved by God; ce général ayant vaincu l'ennemi, that general having conquered the enemy; and, like an adjective, it expresses also the quality or state of persons or things; as, un voyageur fatigué, a weary traveller; une maison bien bátie, a house well built. There are two sorts of participles: the participle present, ending in ant, as chantant, unissant; and the participle past, which has various terminations, as chanté, uni, aperçu, mis, écrit, etc. (See the Syntax.) UNDECLINED PARTS OF SPEECH*. 249. The Adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb; it is placed near and generally after the verb, to express where, when, and how the action is done; as, For the etymology of the French invariable or undeclined parts of speech, and of the words of most frequent occurrence, such as articles, pronouns, etc., see the Manuel étymologique. The following take an é before the final ment: aveuglément, commodément, conformément, énormement, uniformément. Ment is added to the masculine of the adjective, if the adjective ends with a vowel; or to its feminine, if not; as, Utile, useful; Utilement, usefully. Except gentil, which makes gentiment; and commune, confuse, diffuse, expresse, importune, obscure, précise, profonde, which change the e mute into é; as communément, confusément, etc. The adjectives beau, nouveau, fou, and mou form their adverbs from their feminine, belle, nouvelle, folle, molle, thus, bellement, nouvellement, etc. Impuni is also an exception, and makes impunément. Adjectives in ent or ant change nt into m to form adverbs in ment; as, Patient, patient; Savant, learned; Patiemment, patiently. Lent, slow, makes lentement; présent makes présentement. NOTE. French adverbs in ment are generally derived from a Latin adjective with the noun mens, mind, (meaning intention,) in the ablative; as HONESTA MENTE, honnêtement, honestly. [For the placing of adverbs, see 241.] List of Adverbs and Adverbial expressions most in use. À dessein, on purpose. Ainsi, thus. Alentour, around, in the circumference. À l'envi, vying with one an other. À l'improviste, unexpectedly. |