What are the most important verbs for beginners?

At the Pre-A1 level, some verbs are super important. They help you make basic sentences and talk about many things. These verbs are like the foundation of English.

We will look at five key verb types:

• The verb to be (am, is, are)
• The verb have got (have got, has got)
• The modal verb can
• The expressions there is et there are
• Les simple present for other verbs

How do I use the verb to be?

We use the verb to be to talk about:

• Identity: I am a student.
• Description: She is happy.
• Emplacement: They are at home.

The forms of to be change with the subject:

• I am
• You are
• He/She/It is
• We are
• They are

For negative sentences, we add not. Often, we use contractions:

• I am not
• You aren’t (or You are not)
• He/She/It isn’t (or He/She/It is not)
• We aren’t (or We are not)
• They aren’t (or They are not)

When do I use have got?

We use have got to talk about possession. This means something belongs to someone. It is very common in spoken English.

The forms of have got change with the subject:

• I have got
• You have got
• He/She/It has got
• We have got
• They have got

For negative sentences, we add not between have/has et got. We often use contractions:

• I haven’t got (or I have not got)
• You haven’t got (or You have not got)
• He/She/It hasn’t got (or He/She/It has not got)
• We haven’t got (or We have not got)
• They haven’t got (or They have not got)

How do I talk about ability with can?

We use can to talk about ability. This means what someone is able to do. After can, we always use the base form of another verb.

Can is special because it does not change for different subjects:

• I can swim.
• You can speak English.
• He/She/It can fly.
• We can play football.
• They can sing.

For negative sentences, we add not after can. The contraction is can’t:

• I can’t swim. (or I cannot swim.)
• You can’t speak French.
• He/She/It can’t fly.

How do I say something exists with there is / there are?

We use there is et there are to say that something exists in a place. We use there is for one thing (singular) and there are for many things (plural).

• Singular: There is a book on the table.
• Plural: There are two chairs in the room.

For negative sentences, we add not after is or are. We often use contractions:

• Singular negative: There isn’t a pen here. (or There is not a pen here.)
• Plural negative: There aren’t any students in the class. (or There are not any students in the class.)

What is the simple present for other verbs?

We use the simple present for habits, routines, and things that are generally true. It also expresses likes and dislikes.

For most subjects (I, You, We, They), the verb form is the base form:

• I like pizza.
• You play tennis.
• We live in Madrid.

For He, She, It, we add -s or -es to the verb:

• He likes coffee.
• She plays football.
• It rains a lot in winter.

For negative sentences, we use don’t (for I, You, We, They) or doesn’t (for He, She, It) before the base form of the verb:

• I don’t like tea.
• She doesn’t work on Sundays.

Exemples

• I am a student.
• She is happy.
• They are at home.
• It isn’t cold today.
• I have got a new book.
• He has got a blue car.
• We haven’t got much time.
• I can speak a little English.
• Birds can fly.
• You can’t park here.
• There is a cat on the chair.
• There are two apples in the basket.
• There isn’t a supermarket near here.
• I like pizza.
• She likes coffee.
• We don’t watch TV often.
• He doesn’t play football.

Entraînement

Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers sometimes make these common mistakes:

• Using to have for age or feelings: In Spanish, you say ‘Tengo 20 años’ (I have 20 years). In English, we use to be: I am 20 years old. (NOT I have 20 years old.) Similarly, for hunger or thirst, it’s I am hungry, not I have hungry.
• Forgetting the -s for he/she/it in the simple present: Remember, for he, she, it, the verb usually ends in -s. For example, She likes (NOT She like).
• Using not directly with other verbs: For most verbs in the simple present, you need don’t or doesn’t for negatives. For example, I don’t speak Spanish (NOT I not speak Spanish).

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the difference between is and are?

Is is for singular subjects (one person or thing), like He is or The book is. Are is for plural subjects (two or more people or things), like They are or The students are.

Can I use have instead of have got for possession?

Yes, you can use have for possession, especially in American English or more formal contexts. However, for beginners, have got is very common and natural in British English. Both I have a car et I have got a car are correct.

How do I make questions with these verbs?

For to be et can, you swap the subject and the verb: Are you happy? or Can you swim? For have got, you swap have/has with the subject: Have you got a pet? For the simple present (other verbs), you use Do or Does at the beginning: Do you like coffee? or Does she speak English?

Why is the -s important in the simple present?

Les -s at the end of the verb for he, she, it (third person singular) is a grammatical rule in English. It helps show who is doing the action. Forgetting it is a common mistake for learners, but it’s important for correct English.