Active Voice in French (la voix active) | French Grammar Basics

How to form the active voice in French?

In French, the active voice is used to describe the subject performing the action expressed by the verb. Here’s how to use the active voice in French:

1. To form a sentence in the active voice, start with the subject of the sentence, then add the verb, and finally, add the direct object if there is one.

Example: “Le chat mange le poisson.” (The cat eats the fish.)

2. Make sure the verb agrees with the subject in number and person. In French, verbs are conjugated to match the subject in person (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and number (singular, plural).

3. Keep in mind that French has two different past tenses, the imparfait and the passé composé, which are used to describe past actions. The passé composé is used to describe a completed action in the past, while the imparfait is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Example: “J’ai parlé à mon ami hier.” (I spoke to my friend yesterday.)

It’s important to practice forming sentences in the active voice in context to get a feel for how it’s used in French.

With practice, you’ll be able to express actions and ideas in French using the active voice naturally.

©Frenchlanguagebasics.com

Leave a Comment