Environmental Issues: Grammar (AQA GCSE French): Revision Note
Exam code: 8652
Written by: Amy Bates
Updated on
When talking about the environment, it is useful to say what you and others can, want to, or must do. We use modal verbs for this - let's look at them in more detail.
Modal verbs
Modal verbs express ideas like ‘can’, ‘must’ and ‘should’
Use them with another verb in its infinitive form
There are three key modal verbs you need to know in French:
devoir - to have to, must | pouvoir - to be able to, can | vouloir - to want (to) | |||
French | English | French | English | French | English |
je dois | I must | je peux | I can | je veux | I want |
tu dois | you must | tu peux | you can | tu veux | you want |
il / elle / on doit | he / she / we must | il / elle / on peut | he / she / we can | il / elle / on veut | he / she want, we want |
nous devons | we must | nous pouvons | we can | nous voulons | we want |
vous devez | you must | vous pouvez | you can | vous voulez | you want |
ils / elles doivent | they must | ils / elles peuvent | they can | ils / elles veulent | they want |
Je dois recycler les déchets. | I must / have to recycle the rubbish. | On peut protéger la planète. | You can protect the planet. | Elles veulent réduire la pollution. | They want to reduce pollution. |
Add ne ... pas around the modal verb to make sentences negative:
je ne veux pas utiliser la voiture
I don't want to use the car
on ne doit pas jeter les déchets dans la rue
you must not throw rubbish in the street
Higher tier only
For Higher tier, you also need to use modal verbs in the perfect tense:
infinitive | past participle | Examples | |
devoir | dû | Nous avons dû nettoyer la rivière. | We had to clean the river. |
pouvoir | pu | J’ai pu recycler du verre. | I was able to recycle some glass. |
vouloir | voulu | Il a voulu utiliser les transports publics. | He wanted to use public transport. |
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