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Present Tense & Basic Verbs

Verb + infinitive constructions

Beginner

Several very common French verbs are followed directly by an infinitive, with no preposition linking thema pattern that doesn't map cleanly onto English. Aller + infinitive expresses the near future (je vais partir, I'm going to leave), vouloir + infinitive expresses a wish (elle veut voyager, she wants to travel), and devoir + infinitive expresses obligation (nous devons partir, we must leave).

Because the second verb stays in the infinitive, it never changes for the subjectonly the first (conjugated) verb agrees with who's speaking. Ils vont manger (they're going to eat) keeps manger unconjugated no matter what the subject is.