The verb “Venir” in the present tense

In this lesson, we will focus on understanding the present tense conjugation and usage of the verb "venir" in French. "Venir" means "to come" and is commonly used to describe actions of coming or arriving.

1. Conjugation of "Venir" in the Present Tense:

The verb "Venir" is irregular in the present tense, and its conjugation does not follow the regular patterns of -er, -ir, or -re verbs.

Examples:

2. Usage of "Venir" in the Present Tense:

The present tense form of "venir" is used to indicate actions of coming or arriving that are happening now or regularly occur. It can also be used to describe future actions when combined with specific expressions such as "venir de" (to have just).

1- Expressing Actions of Coming:

 Use "venir" in the present tense to describe actions of coming or arriving that are happening now or regularly occur.

2- Indicating Recent Past Events:

"Venir" can also indicate recent past events when used with "de" followed by an infinitive verb.

For example: "Il vient de finir son travail" (He has just finished his work).

3- Combining with Prepositions:

 "Venir" is often used with prepositions like "à" (to) or "de" (from) to indicate the destination or origin of the action.

4- Contextual Usage:

 Consider the context of the sentence to determine whether "venir" should be translated as "to come" or "to have just" in English, especially when indicating recent past events.

5- Common Phrases:

Venir" is a versatile verb in French, commonly used to express coming or arriving. Here are some common expressions and idiomatic uses of "venir" along with examples:

1. Venir de + infinitive:
   Used to express recent past actions.
   Example: "Je viens de manger" (I have just eaten).
2. Venir à + place:
   To indicate movement towards a place.
   Example: "Elle vient à la maison" (She is coming to the house).
3. Venir chercher:
   Means to come and get, to pick up.
   Example: "Je viendrai te chercher à sept heures" (I will come pick you up at seven o'clock).
4. Venir voir:
   Means to come and see.
   Example: "Il vient voir le nouveau bébé" (He's coming to see the new baby).
5. Venir de loin:
   Means to come from far away.
   Example: "Il vient de loin pour assister à la réunion" (He's come from far away to attend the meeting).
6. Venir à l'esprit:
   Means to come to mind.
   Example: "Une idée m'est venue à l'esprit" (An idea came to my mind).
7. Venir de quelqu'un:
   Means to take after someone.
   Example: "Il vient de sa mère pour son sens de l'humour" (He takes after his mother for his sense of humor).
8. Venir de se passer:
   Means to have just happened.
   Example: "Qu'est-ce qui vient de se passer ici?" (What just happened here?).
9. Venir à bout de:
   Means to manage to finish something, to overcome.
   Example: "Il a finalement réussi à venir à bout de son projet" (He finally managed to finish his project).
10. Venir en aide à:
    Means to come to someone's aid.
    Example: "Ils sont venus en aide aux victimes de l'incendie" (They came to the aid of the fire victims).

These expressions and idiomatic uses of "venir" can greatly enhance your language skills and fluency in French.

Practice Sentences:

Here are some practice sentences using the verb "venir" in the present tense:

1. Elle  ________  à la bibliothèque chaque semaine. (She comes to the library every week.)

2. Nous  ________  d'arriver à la gare. (We have just arrived at the train station.)

3. Tu  ________  au restaurant avec nous ce soir? (Are you coming to the restaurant with us tonight?)

4. Les enfants  ________  de jouer dans le parc. (The children have just played in the park.)

5. Je  ________  de parler à mon professeur. (I have just spoken to my teacher.)

6. Vous  ________  souvent visiter cette ville? (Do you often come to visit this city?)

7. Mon frère  ________  me rendre visite demain. (My brother is coming to visit me tomorrow.)

8. Ils  ________  de déménager dans une nouvelle maison. (They have just moved into a new house.)

9. Nous  ________  de voir un film intéressant au cinéma. (We have just seen an interesting movie at the cinema.)

10. Est-ce que Pierre  ________  au travail en voiture? (Does Pierre come to work by car?)

Here are the corrections for the practice sentences:

1. Elle vient à la bibliothèque chaque semaine. (She comes to the library every week.)

2. Nous venons d'arriver à la gare. (We have just arrived at the train station.)

3. Tu viens au restaurant avec nous ce soir? (Are you coming to the restaurant with us tonight?)

4. Les enfants viennent de jouer dans le parc. (The children have just played in the park.)

5. Je viens de parler à mon professeur. (I have just spoken to my teacher.)

6. Vous venez souvent visiter cette ville? (Do you often come to visit this city?)

7. Mon frère vient me rendre visite demain. (My brother is coming to visit me tomorrow.)

8. Ils viennent de déménager dans une nouvelle maison. (They have just moved into a new house.)

9. Nous venons de voir un film intéressant au cinéma. (We have just seen an interesting movie at the cinema.)

10. Est-ce que Pierre vient au travail en voiture? (Does Pierre come to work by car?)

Understanding the present tense conjugation and usage of the verb "venir" is essential for expressing actions of coming or arriving in French. By mastering its conjugation and usage, you will be able to accurately describe coming actions and communicate effectively in various situations.