Has the conjugation of essayer in the present tense changed over the years? I learned "j'essaye" ( a long time ago ).
To conjugate verbs ending in "-ayer/-oyer/-uyer" in Le Présent tense, you follow the normal conjugation of "-ER" verbs, but the "y" becomes an "i" for "je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles"
ESSAYER (to try)
| j'essaie | I try |
| tu essaies | You try (one person you know well) |
| il/elle/on essaie | He/She/We/one/people try |
| nous essayons | We try |
| vous essayez | You try (more than 1 person or formal) |
| ils/elles essaient | They try |
ATTENTION: For verbs in -AYER, in spoken French (included written dialogue in a play for example) an alternative version where the "y" is kept for all forms is frequently used (and also pronounced differently):
Note however that the nous and vous forms always take "y".
Common -AYER / -OYER / -UYER verbs
essayer (to try)
payer (to pay)
employer (to use/employ)
envoyer (to send)
nettoyer (to clean)
essuyer (to wipe)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Q&A Forum 4 questions, 13 answers
Hi Mary,
No, nothing has changed. French has always supported different spellings in the conjugated forms of essayer. In fact at school I was taught "j'essaie" and was confused when I first came across the alternative form. Payer is similar.
j'essaie/essaye
tu essaies/essayes
il essaie/essaye
nous essayons
vous essayez
ils essaient/essayent
etc.
Tom
CeceliaKwiziq community member
I see that essayer in the well used 501 french verbs uses the conjugaison with a y in all forms. It does not explain any other alternative. This is quite confusing
Mary asked:View original
Present tense of essayer
Has the conjugation of essayer in the present tense changed over the years? I learned "j'essaye" ( a long time ago ).
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MarnieKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Nettoie vs nettoye
Nettoye the lesson gives Nettoye as the alternate spelling of nettoie but the quiz doesn't follow your lesson...I tried it just to see if it would be accepted...surely it should be marked "correct"
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Marnie,
As Chris says only 'nettoie' ( je / il/elle/on ) is correct.
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
The alternative spelling -aie/-aye is available only for verbs ending in -ayer. Nettoyer dos not fall under this category.
-- Chris.
Marnie asked:View original
Nettoie vs nettoye
Nettoye the lesson gives Nettoye as the alternate spelling of nettoie but the quiz doesn't follow your lesson...I tried it just to see if it would be accepted...surely it should be marked "correct"
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Bonjour Robin !
I think you mean "We tried to call the bank.", which in French would be:
"Nous avons essayé d'appeler la banque."
OR
"Nous avons essayé de téléphoner à la banque."
-> appeler [quelqu'un] = to call [someone]
-> téléphoner à [quelqu'un] = to phone [someone]
-> téléphoner à [quelqu'un] = to phone [someone]
I hope that's helpful! À bientôt !
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonsoir Robin,
Alors que nous étions à la banque, nous avons essayé de téléphoner.
This is one way to phrase the statement in French. I am quite sure that there are others.
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Aurélie,
I took the phrase to be that they tried calling someone while they, the caller, were at the bank. Perhaps due to the fact of how the phrase was stated. I also considered that they tried to call the bank.
Perhaps, the writer of the question can clarify the question somewhat. If not, ce n'est pas grave,.
Obviously this is a type of contextual question.
Merci,
Bonne journée
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MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
"les verres" - "wipes glasses" ou "wipes the glasses"?
Un des réponses correctes était "elle essuie les verres." La traduction était "She wipes glasses." Est-ce-que ca ne doigt pas "She wipes THE glasses."?
Asked 2 years ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Michael,
Je pense que vous ayez raison.
In her job, she wipes glasses ---> Dans son petit boulot , elle essuie verres
From day to day, she wipes some glasses ---> Au jour le jour, elle essuie quelques verres
In her job as dishwasher, she wipes the glasses ---> Dans son travail comme lave-vaisselle, elle essuie les verres
En regardant ces exemples-ci, nous pouvons voir les changements des articles.
Bonne chance
DonaldKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Ron: Je crois que vous avez fait une petite erreur. . J'aurais dit: . Je pense que on n'utilize que le subjonctif avec un négatif. Est-ce que j'ai raison? Et vous pensiez que personne ne lit vos réponses. Don
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Donald,
Bien sûr, de temps en temps je pense qu'il n'y ait personne ce qui lit mes réponses. En ce qui concerne votre question, «J'aurais dit: . Je pense que on n'utilize que le subjonctif avec un négatif. Est-ce que j'ai raison?» Ma réponse est oui et non. Voici l'explication:
De la leçon par Aurélie --
With sans que, the use of the ne explétif is quite tricky, so look at these guidelines:
- If the main verb is NOT used with negations, then you CANNOT use the ne explétif.
- If the main verb is used with a negation, you can use the ne explétif, but it is considered optional:
Alors, il y a plusieurs cas lequel il faut utiliser le ne explétif, i.e. You usually find the ne explétif in subjunctive subordinate clauses following verbs with negative connotation (e.g. to fear, to avoid, to doubt). Here, the ne explétif is used to emphasize the negative aspect of what came before it.
À moins que + ne explétif + Le Subjonctif = Unless you do
Plutôt que + ne explétif + Le Subjonctif = Rather than you do
Avant que + ne explétif + Le Subjonctif = Before I do
C'est possible que j'ai fait une petite erreur; lequelle de mes réponses faites-vous allusion ?
Merci.
Michael asked:View original
"les verres" - "wipes glasses" ou "wipes the glasses"?
Un des réponses correctes était "elle essuie les verres." La traduction était "She wipes glasses." Est-ce-que ca ne doigt pas "She wipes THE glasses."?
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