French Grammar #2: Word Order and Sentence Structure
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French Grammar #21: Agreement of Nouns and Verbs
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In French, verbs change their form (conjugate) depending on the subject. The rule of agreement between subject and verb is fundamental for constructing correct French sentences.
In this lesson, I will explain how noun–verb agreement works and the rules you need to follow.
Contents
1. Agreement Between Nouns and Verbs
1-1. Basic Rule
In French, verbs must be conjugated according to the person (first, second, third) and the number (singular/plural) of the subject.
This rule applies not only when the subject is a pronoun but also when it is a noun, such as a person’s name or an object.
- Le garçon parle. (The boy speaks)
→ le garçon = third person singular → parler becomes parle (3rd person singular). - Les enfants jouent. (The children play)
→ les enfants = third person plural → jouer becomes jouent (3rd person plural).
1-2. Basic Conjugation
| Subject | Conjugated Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| je (I) | mange | Je mange une pomme. (I eat an apple) |
| tu (you, singular informal) | manges | Tu manges du pain. (You eat bread) |
| il / elle / on (he / she / one) | mange | Il mange une banane. (He eats a banana) |
| nous (we) | mangeons | Nous mangeons ensemble. (We eat together) |
| vous (you, singular formal / plural) | mangez | Vous mangez à midi. (You eat at noon) |
| ils / elles (they, masculine/feminine) | mangent | Ils mangent beaucoup. (They eat a lot) |
Always determine the verb form by looking at the person and number of the subject.
2. Paying Attention to Person and Number in Noun Subjects
Verb conjugation follows the same principle whether the subject is a pronoun or a noun.
- Singular nouns (a person’s name, an object)
→ third person singular - Plural nouns (multiple people, groups)
→ third person plural
Examples:
- Marie parle espagnol.
(Marie speaks Spanish)
→ Marie = elle (3rd person singular) → parle - Marie et Sophie parlent espagnol.
(Marie and Sophie speak Spanish)
→ Marie et Sophie = elles (3rd person plural) → parlent
3. Expressions Referring to Multiple People
When the subject refers to more than one person, or includes both the speaker and others (“we,” “you all”), it is treated as nous or vous.
- Marie et moi = nous (we)
- Paul et toi = vous (you all)
By replacing the subject with the corresponding pronoun, it becomes easier to choose the correct verb form.
4. Cases Where Appearance and Grammatical Number Differ
There are some nouns where the apparent form of the word does not match its grammatical number.
4-1. gens (people) = plural
- Les gens sont sympas. (People are friendly)
“Gens” always takes the plural form; therefore, être is conjugated as sont (3rd person plural).
4-2. famille (family) = singular
- La famille part demain. (The family leaves tomorrow)
Although it refers to multiple members, famille is grammatically singular; therefore, part (3rd person singular) is used.
5. Summary
- In French, verbs must agree with the subject in person and number, whether the subject is a pronoun or a noun.
- Singular subjects take singular verb forms; plural subjects take plural verb forms.
- For compound subjects (e.g., “X and I,” “X and you”), replace them with nous or vous to determine the correct conjugation.
- Focus on the grammatical person and number, not just the appearance of the noun, to ensure correct agreement.
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