Lesson 8: Present Perfect: I have done

PRESENT PERFECT: I HAVE DONE

Who are you talking to?

The imperative form in French changes depending on who you are addressing (singular “you” – tu, plural “you” – vous, or even “we” – nous in some cases).

• tu (singular “you”) – used for familiar situations, talking to a friend, child, family member, or someone younger than you.
• vous (plural “you”) – used for formal situations, talking to someone older than you, someone you don’t know well, or when you want to show respect.

Conjugation:

The imperative form is generally based on the present tense conjugation of the verb, but with some simplifications:

• tu (singular “you”): In most cases, you simply drop the “s” from the present tense “je” (I) form.
  • Example: parler (to speak) -> je parle (I speak) -> tu parle (speak!)
• vous (plural “you”): The imperative form for “vous” is usually the same as the present tense conjugation of the verb for “ils/elles” (they).
  • Example: manger (to eat) -> ils/elles mangent (they eat) -> mangez (eat!)

Reflexive verbs:

For reflexive verbs (verbs where the action reflects back on the subject), the pronoun is placed before the verb in the imperative form.

• Example: se lever (to get up) -> lève-toi (get up!) (singular “you”)
• Example: se laver (to wash oneself) -> lavez-vous (wash yourselves!) (plural “you”)

Negative imperative:

To form the negative imperative, use “ne” + verb + “pas”.

• tu (singular “you”): Ne mange pas! (Don’t eat!)
• vous (plural “you”): Ne mangez pas! (Don’t eat!)

Here are some additional points to remember:

• Some verbs have irregular imperative forms that you may need to memorize.
• In some cases, French uses specific expressions for giving orders or advice instead of the imperative form.
  • Example: “Veux-tu…?” (Would you like to…?) is a more polite way to ask someone to do something.

Here’s a table summarizing the imperative form:

I have broken my watch. You have lost your keys.

Construction:
Have/has + Past Participle: Subject + « to have » + Past Participle
I have done, We have done,
You have done, You have done,
He, She, it has done, They have done.

USE:

Present Perfect Tense:

The present perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb “have/has” + past participle of the main verb. It describes an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past but has a connection to the present.

Adverbs for Recent Past:

• Already: Indicates that something has happened before now, and the speaker is aware of it.

• Just: Emphasizes that something happened very recently, just before now.

• Yet: Used in negative sentences and questions to suggest that something hasn’t happened up to the present moment, but it might happen in the future.

Examples:

• We have already eaten dinner. (The action of eating happened in the recent past, and they are finished now.)
• I have just seen your message. (The speaker saw the message very recently.)
• She hasn’t arrived yet. (She is expected to arrive, but not yet.)
• Have you finished your homework yet? (This question suggests the expectation of the homework being completed soon.)

Key Points:

• The present perfect with these adverbs focuses on the result or consequence of the action in the present moment.
• The specific time when the action happened is not important.
• This construction is commonly used in conversation to talk about recent events or experiences.

Here’s a table summarizing the usage:

There’s a connection with the present, with now (when I’m speaking),
I’ve lost my keys. (There are still lost, so we can’t enter in the flat!)
Where is Peter? Peter has gone out. (He’s still outside now!)
I’ve broken my watch. (I don’t know what time it is).
She’s taken my copy. (I don’t have one).

Keywords: we often use « already », « just » or « yet » (in negatives and questions only).
already: something happened sooner than expected.
Do you pay your incomes taxes? Yes, it’s done, I’ve already paid it.
What time are they coming? They’ve already arrived!
We’ve already talked about that.

just: a moment ago, a few minutes ago, a short time ago….
Sorry, I’m late, do you wait me a long time? No, I’ve just arrived.
Peter isn’t here? No, he’s just left.
I’ve just done it.

yet: until this moment, now. We use « yet » only in negatives and questions sentences:
Do you offer the ring to Kathy? I’ve bought it, but I haven’t offered it yet.
Does he stop smoking? No, he‘s not stopped yet.
Has she arrived? No, she hasn’t arrived yet.
Do they know? No, they don’t know yet.

2/ We can also used it to look back on the MORE DISTANT PAST.
I’ve been to New York a lot over the last few years.
You’ve done this type of exercices many times before.
They’ve often talked about it in the past.

Keyword: we often use « ever » (in questions) and « never ».
Have you ever been to Paris? I’ve never been to Paris.
Have you ever talked to him? I’ve never talked to him.
Note: We refer to British English rules. But in American English, we can use the past simple with these examples.

REMEMBER:
I lost my ring yesterday. (it’s the past: yesterday)
I’ve lost my ring. (it’s maybe 5 minutes ago …)