Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb guillemeter

Introduction to the verb guillemeter

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The English translation of the French verb guillemeter is “to enclose in guillemets” or “to use quotation marks”. It is pronounced as “gee-yuh-muh-tay”.

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Guillemeter comes from the French word “guillemet”, which refers to the angle quotation marks (« ») commonly used in French writing. It is most often used in everyday French for punctuating direct speech, indicating titles of books or movies, and enclosing quotes or citations.

Three simple examples of guillemeter usage are:

“Je suis français” (I am French) → He said, «Je suis français».
“Les Misérables” (The Miserable Ones) → The title of the book is «Les Misérables».
“Il a dit: “Je t’aime” (He said, “I love you”) → She quoted him, «Il a dit: “Je t’aime”».

Guillemeter – About the French Present Tense

The French present tense, also known as “le présent,” is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or for actions that are habitual, general truths, or that will occur in the near future. It’s the most basic and common tense in French.

To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns For Le Present

1. Describing Actions in the Present: The present tense is used to describe actions happening right now or at the moment of speaking. For example: “Je parle avec mon ami” (I am talking to my friend).

2. Expressing Habits and Routines: The present tense is used to talk about habitual actions or routines. For example: “Je travaille tous les jours” (I work every day).

3. Stating General Truths: The present tense is used to express general truths or facts. For example: “La Terre tourne autour du soleil” (The Earth orbits around the sun).

4. Talking about Near Future: The present tense can be used to express future actions that are very imminent or part of a planned schedule. For example: “Je pars demain matin” (I am leaving tomorrow morning).

Interactions with Other Tenses

– Present vs. Future Tense: In some cases, the French present tense can be used to express the future when the context makes it clear that the action is imminent. However, for actions further in the future or less certain, the future tense is typically used.

– Present vs. Past Tenses: To describe actions that occurred in the past, you would use the past tenses like the passé composé (compound past) or the imparfait (imperfect). The choice between these past tenses depends on the specific aspect and circumstances of the past action.

– Present vs. Conditional Tense: The conditional tense is used to express actions that are dependent on a condition. If a condition is met, the action may happen. The present tense is used for actions in the present, while the conditional is used for hypothetical or future actions based on conditions.

– Present vs. Imperative: The imperative mood is used to give commands or make requests. The present tense is used for general statements, and the imperative is used for direct orders or requests.

Understanding the French present tense and its interactions with other tenses is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, you cannot become proficient!

Table of the Present Tense Conjugation of guillemeter

Pronoun	Conjugation	Short Example	English Translation
je	guillemète	J’écris un texte et je guillemète certaines phrases.	I’m writing a text and I’m putting quotation marks around certain phrases.
tu	guillemètes	Tu guillemètes toujours tes citations.	You always put quotation marks around your citations.
il	guillemète	Il guillemète les citations dans son discours.	He puts quotation marks around the citations in his speech.
elle	guillemète	Elle guillemète les titres de ses articles.	She puts quotation marks around the titles of her articles.
on	guillemète	On guillemète les dialogues dans les scènes de théâtre.	We put quotation marks around the dialogues in theater scenes.
nous	guillemetons	Nous guillemetons les phrases à traduire.	We put quotation marks around the sentences to translate.
vous	guillemetez	Vous guillemetez les citations dans vos travaux.	You put quotation marks around the citations in your work.
ils	guillemètent	Ils guillemètent les répliques dans les scènes de cinéma.	They put quotation marks around the lines in movie scenes.
elles	guillemètent	Elles guillemètent les expressions dans leurs textes.	They put quotations marks around the expressions in their texts.