Present participle in French
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for free Course informationsWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Loris D.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Didier C.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Paula L.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
Present participle (French participe présent) is a verbal form ending with -ant which is structurally equivalent of the -ing form in English. The present participle is used as an adjective, to build the participle sentences and to build the Gerund.
Lesson outline
Hide- 1.When to use the present participle in French?
- 2.How to form present participle in French?
- 3.Agreement of the Present participle in French
- 4.List of different adjectives and present participle
- 5.Exercises
- 5.1.Adjective vs Participle present exercise in French
- 5.2.Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French
- 5.3.Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French II
When to use the present participle in French?
The 3 main uses of present participle in French are:
1) as an adjective
Examples:
- La femme charmante (The charming woman)
- Un enfant intéressant (An interesting child)
2) in the participle sentences
Examples:
- La femme captivant l'attention de tous les hommes (The woman catching attention of all the men)
- J'ai vu ma soeur lisant le journal (I saw my sister reading the newspaper)
3) to build the Gerund
Example:
- En recevant la lettre,il pensait à ses enfants (Sending the letter he was thinking about his children)
- Il pensait à son enfance en mangeant la glace (He was thinking about his childhood while eating the ice-cream)
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Darya M. 
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Marie L. 
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Alexandra B.
22.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Laetitia H.
27.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Danea H. 
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ileana M. 
29.99 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Elisabeth V. 
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Dounia S. 
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Célia S.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Marie K.
18.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
How to form present participle in French?
The present participle is formed by replacing the ending “ons” with the ending “ant” of stem of the 1st person plural of the present tense (the form of “nous”),
| Infinitive | 1st person of the plural | Present participle |
|---|---|---|
| prendre (to take) | nous prenons (we take) | prenant (taking) |
| danser (to dance) | nous dansons (we dance) | dansant (dancing) |
| donner (to give) | nous donnons (we give) | donnant (giving) |
All the verbs are formed by the same rule except 3 verbs:
- Avoir - ayant (having)
- Être - étant (being)
- Savoir- sachant (knowing)
Examples:
- Sachant la vérité il a decidé de ne plus parler avec cet homme.
- Etant fatigué il est allé dormir.
- Ayant des problèmes du transport elle n’as pas pu venir.
- Prenant sa veste elle a quitté la maison.
- Ils se sentaient mieux en donnant des conseils.
Agreement of the Present participle in French
If the Present participle is used as an adjective, it should be agreed with the subject:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | - | - e |
| Plural | - s | - es |
Examples:
- la femme charmante - les femmes charmantes
- un homme parlant - des hommes parlants
- l'enfant jouant - les enfants jouants
If the Present Participle is used in the participle sentences, it shouldn't be agreed!
List of different adjectives and present participle
Some verbs have their participle present similar to adjective but some others may be different.
| Adjectives | Present participle |
|---|---|
| adhérent | adhérant |
| différent | différant |
| excellent | excellant |
| influente | influant |
| précédent | précédant |
| convaicant | convainquant |
| provocant | provoquant |
Adjectives agrees in gender and number if they are similar to participles
Stay positive and motivated! Don't hesitate to check out our free exercises!
Exercises
- Adjective vs Participle present exercise in French
- Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French
- Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French II
Adjective vs Participle present exercise in French
Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French
Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French II
Exercises
- Adjective vs Participle present exercise in French
- Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French
- Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French II
Adjective vs Participle present exercise in French
Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French
Fill in the blank exercise for the present participle in French II
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
english teacher
G. P.
Hadjer is a teacher in a middle school. Before that, she was working in a high school. In addition to school-based classes, she has taught English on many online platforms. Her teaching method is efficient and innovative, and the teaching materials she uses belong to the school. In her, you will find a well-prepared, expert, and friendly teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Dear future student,
My name is Mélanie, I am 40 years old, I am Belgian and I live near Brussels in Belgium.
I have 7 years of experience in teaching French as a foreign language. I have a degree in Modern Languages and Literature. I have an agrégation in higher secondary education. French is my mother tongue. Additionally I have a C2 level in Spanish.
I have taught adults (beginner - advanced) in various training institutions (CLL, CVO Semper, ...). I have taught both large and small groups. I can therefore adapt my teaching methods according to the number of people.
As far as my teaching methods are concerned, I create communicative exercises.
I always try to get the student to express themselves as much as possible. In case of groups, I create individual exercises, in groups of two or four.
I give homework in which the students have to write a short text related to a grammatical concept they have seen. I also give additional grammatical exercises.
I also test my students' knowledge. For example, during the course, I listen to my students and comment on their oral productions. I also do small listening comprehensions and reading comprehensions.
I can also explain certain grammatical points or translate certain words into the student's language if it is needed, but generally I always try to teach in the target language.
If my student is looking for a job, I can also help him/her to write his/her CV and cover letter and also prepare his/her interview.
If my student works in a company, I can also prepare exercises specific to the company's field. I have given courses to warehouse workers for Delhaize, to plumbers, to students in Tourism.
I also taught asylum seekers.
As far as teaching material is concerned, I use a lot of material from Zexperts fle https://leszexpertsfle.com/toutes-les-ressources-fle/ which I adapt to the objectives of the lesson. I also look for exercises in FLE manuals such as Totem, Edito, Alter Ego, Expression orale... Naturally, I adapt the exercises according to the needs of the student. I also look for songs in YouTube.
S. .
I have had about 10 lessons in French from Mélanie. We treated a lot of different subjects such as grammar, talking and listening exercises. Mélanie is a very good and patient teacher and I learned a lot in these lessons on how to communicate in French.
MELANIE B.
Do you want to learn Spanish with a kind and patient teacher? Someone to help you gain confidence and practice the language with topics according to your level and needs? In addition to that ... Do you want to get a study material and corrections? Well, I'm the right teacher for you . My name is Andrea and I'm from South America - Ecuador. I am a full-time Spanish teacher and I have a variety of resources to help you learn Spanish online.
I am currently studying French and I know how beneficial and fun it is to learn with a friendly and patient teacher who teaches you and helps you speak the language with confidence.
If you want to know a little more about me, I invite you to watch this video about reserving a hotel room.
https://youtu.be/d7F7mxOfKmA
G. P.
Andrea is a delightful and brilliant teacher. She has been teaching Spanish since 2018 and her study method is based on the student's level and the goals they want to achieve. In her you will find a prepared, experienced and friendly person. She relies on several books for teaching Spanish and her lessons are creative, very innovative and super interactive. With her you will never be bored.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Andrea H.
I am French living in Lisbon in Portugal. I have lived in different countries such as England, the United States and India. It gave me some experience of learning a foreign language and teaching it.
I am passionate about different cultures and try to share my love for French culture with you in a lively way.
I adapt to the needs of the students, whether to improve their oral, written, prepare for an exam or a job interview. I prioritize the conversation to allow the student to "unblock" and have fun speaking the language. I write down the vocabulary and grammar that the student lacks to express himself.
Learning a foreign language is, in my view, above all through cultural curiosity. We want to learn a language because we want to live in the country, travel there or get to know it better. We feel attracted. It is its Culture that motivates us in our learning: music, film, text, literature, way of being and cultural differences forming "another world". This means that learning is not just about learning a list of words and grammar lessons, as is taught too often in school. Practice again and again through conversation, books, music, movies and above all the pleasure of speaking and listening.
I adapt the student's personal work according to their available time and their objective (conversation, deadline for an exam, scheduled trip, etc.).
I am at your disposal for any further information.
See you soon,
A. P.
Florence is such a joy to work with! A true expert and professional at teaching French, regardless of your level. Florence takes tremendous care in planning your personalized lesson, incredibly thoughtful and patient with her students. She also has such a warm, supportive and encouraging manner with a great sense of humor. She will have you speaking, reading and writing in perfect French much sooner than you think with her approach and highly efficient techniques; methods only a highly experienced instructor can provide. I am lucky to have found her to help me sit for academic French exams and you will feel the same way when working with her. Thank you Florence!!!
Florence F.
Hi
I am Kelly, i teach frenhc in Switzerland and online. I've experience since many years.
I can help you for DELF/ DALF, pass an exam, or for professional goals.
J. .
Kelly is always on time, patient and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She is a good teacher and I recommend her. Kelly is always on time, is patient, and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She's a great teacher and I recommend her.
Kelly P.
Thanks Jo. I am also very happy to have you as a student.
Italian second language teacher
G. P.
Alessandra is a teacher of Italian, history and geography. She teaches in Milan as a substitute teacher. She participated in the Dante Alighieri teaching course in Milan and has Ditals level 1 certification. Her teaching method is based on the level of the student. Her motto is: teaching in a creative way. She uses the Dieci Alma edition to teach.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Alessandra B.
Hello everyone, and welcome to my classroom. I hope you are all doing well. My name is Kimberley, and I live in South Africa. I have an honors degree in Environmental health. My hobbies include hiking, cooking, singing, participating in outdoor activities as well as 0reading books. I enjoy engaging in conversations with people whether old or young and have excellent interpersonal skills. In my classroom, I can help you with pronunciation of words, grammar and reading comprehension. My classes are never dull as I make it as interesting and practical as it can be. Lastly the motto of this classroom is practice makes perfect. I hope to see you in my lessons very soon.
G. P.
Kimberley is a friendly and professional teacher with excellent English books and an impeccable teaching method. She is perfect for those just starting out in the English language and highly recommended for school and college students.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Kimberley C.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
L. .
She is kind, she listen to me and try to help me to understand, she use pictures, english words and try to show me the meaning of words . I recommand her. She offers books for free.
Hella K.
1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
E. W.
Francois is very patient with my learning, especially as I am an absolute beginner. The lessons contain of a check of the homework, a review of the last lessons, and lastly new vocabulary. Francois tries to stay in French as much as possible and helps me out when I cannot find the meaning of a word or sentence on my own. This helps me learn quicker. In my opinion the homework helps a lot aswell. It helps me focus on what I have learned in the lessons so far, and also to memorize more rapidly.
Francois D.
Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
Great teacher who makes learning language fun. Also good at making you comfortable to speak the language already in the very beginning.
Katia H.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
M. K.
Hella is a very easy-going and open-minded person. She asked me to introduce myself and was in the process of determining my level of French, which was fine. Then she introduced herself and described her teaching model, which I found to be very sensible. We have also expressed the objectives. I believe I can reach them with Hella's help. Looking forward to our next lessons!
Hella K.
Mabuhay! Magandang Araw! Kumusta ka? I am Rey Corañes. I am a licensed professional teacher and I have 4 years of teaching experience in teaching Filipino/Tagalog language. I have a degree in education and my specialization is teaching Filipino. Let me help you set your goals and have amazing results. Do you want to speak the common Filipino phrases? Do you want to learn how to converse with the people in the community? Do you want to master the grammar and have conversational practices? No worries, I am here to help you learn it all. So what are you waiting for? Book a lesson with me.
G. P.
Ray has been a teacher for four years. He taught Filipino in a private school for two years, while now he is working in a public school. Specialized in teaching for many years, in Rey you will find an experienced but at the same time young and creative teacher. His teaching methods will be based on the level of the student. He also delivers the lessons in an interactive and stimulating way, such as games.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Rey C.
Thank you so much for this review! I'm so overwhelmed.
I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
A. .
I can’t recommend Nancy highly enough. She’s a great teacher. Very patient, flexible and personable.
Nancy C.
thanks for this Anne-Sophie. It is great to have you as a student.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
F. D.
Tiska is a very good teacher: her lessons are well structured and she follows your French level perfectly. The method she uses is modern and leaves room for conversation. Homework is a real party with the videos, listening to music videos and grammar which is well explained in the book. I can highly recommend Tiska for your French lesson.
Tiska G.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
R. T.
Very helpfull teacher with excellent tips on how to improve your french. The informal style has a lot of merit and can help you aquire the language in a natural, unstructured and unforced fashion. Recommended for anyone who prefers a learn by doing approach.
Hella K.