Lesson 6.02: Les Verbes Irréguliers

As you learned in the introduction, the Palace of Versailles began as a hunting lodge and evolved into a palace. Most homes in France are not palaces, however.

Housing in France, as in other countries, is dictated by such factors as geography, available materials, economic activities, weather, neighboring influences, etc.

In this segment of the lesson, we will look at a few of the traditional homes that are found in various regions of France. As you view these homes and learn about their construction, ask yourself, "What does this residence suggest about the people who built it?" Consider the aforementioned factors, as well as any others that might apply in your answer.

Note: The homes are listed by region to assist you as you reflect on this question.

Normandy

The chaumière is a farmhouse made of local materials like clay, stone, or wood. The defining feature of the style is the thatched roof, made from dried reeds or stalks of grain. Rooms are laid side by side - each having its own small window. The interiors generally feature wooden half-timbered beams, small connecting doors joining one room to the next, and whitewashed walls.

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Alsace

The ground floor of the Tudor or half-timbered house is constructed from stone - a fire safety measure - while the remaining floors are made of half-timbered or latticed wood.

Houses are generally built side by side with most using corbels or arches to create a support so that the upper floors can be built wider than the lower ones. This style of architecture is German in origin but can be found all over France and England as well.

Storye book. "Royal Museum and Free Library in Canterbury, Kent, England." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. 2010. Web 13 March 2015.

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Brittany

The longère is a long, single-story, rectangular house that stretches out somewhat like a Native American longhouse. Constructed of stone, brick, or granite, the longère typically features a thatched or slate roof.

Possessing no courtyard, it has a number of large windows that look out onto the lawn.

Moreau, Henri. "Sait-Rivoal: bourg, longère rénovée." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. 2010. Web 13 March 2015.

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Auvergne

The pisé or rammed-earth house is constructed by packing soil into hollow, wooden forms which are later removed. The clay walls are then pierced with a series of holes that allow the house to "breathe." Tile roofs - also made of clay - are traditional.

Today, few houses are made entirely of pisé since farmers, as they became more prosperous, added to or replaced these structures with stone.

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Limousin

The manor house or maison de maître is a stone or granite houses that was originally owned by the nobility.

Possessing a great hall, several bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, at least two kitchens, and - for the lucky few - a pigeonnier or dovecote, they were built to convey the status and wealth of the owner.

Outlying houses called dépendances were occupied by tenants who farmed the land, paying the local seigneur with a percentage of their yield.

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Rhône Alps

The chalet is built to withstand harsh, winter weather and to provide stunning views of the snow-covered mountains where they are typically built.

Constructed of local wood and/or stone, a chalet resembles nothing so much as an elegant barn with an incongruousout of place balcony.

Defining features include wooden-shuttered windows, open, high-ceiling interiors with lots of exposed beams and local wood, and an imposingly large fireplace.

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Verbes Irréguliers

In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about the chores that you do around the house.

Some of these new expressions use irregular verbs that you have not studied before. These verbs are conjugated in this lesson. As you complete written activities involving these verbs, you may wish to revisit this lesson to refresh your memory, or you may choose to save this link to your favorites.

tondre la pelouse	je	tonds	nous	tondons
to mow the lawn	tu	tonds	vous	tondez
	il / elle	tond	ils / elles	tondent
Il tond la pelouse	on	tond		past participle - tondu

 

faire le ménage	je	fais	nous	faisons
to do housework	tu	fais	vous	faites
	il / elle	fait	ils / elles	font
Nous faisons le ménage.	on	fait		past participle - fait

 

sortir la poubelle	je	sors	nous	sortons
to take out the trash	tu	sors	vous	sortez
	il / elle	sort	ils / elles	sortent
Tu sors la poubelle.	on	sort		past participle - sorti

 

balayer	je	balaie	nous	balayons
to sweep	tu	balaies	vous	balayez
	il / elle	balaie	ils / elles	balaient
Vous balayez la pièce.	on	balaie		past participle - balayé

 

nettoyer	je	nettoie	nous	nettoyons
to clean	tu	nettoies	vous	nettoyez
	il / elle	nettoie	ils / elles	nettoient
Elle nettoie la maison.	on	nettoie		past participle - nettoyé

 

mettre la table	je	mets	nous	mettons
to set the table	tu	mets	vous	mettez
	il / elle	met	ils / elles	mettent
Ils mettent la table	on	met		past participle - mix

 

éteindre	je	éteins	nous	éteignons
to turn off	tu	éteins	vous	éteignez
	il / elle	éteint	ils / elles	éteignent
J'éteins la lumière.	on	éteint		past participle - éteint

 

essuyer	je	essuie	nous	essuyons
to dust; to wipe	tu	essuies	vous	essuyez
	il / elle	essuie	ils / elles	essuient
Elles essuient les meubles.	on	essuie		past participle - essuyé

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Bike Share

In an effort to combat traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, improve public health, and provide a viable 'gap' mode of transportation to busy urbanites, countries like France, Spain, Italy , and China have made major investments in public bike-sharing systems.

For a small fee, city-dwelling individuals can borrow a bike from one location, go shopping, get to an appointment, or run an errand, then return the bike to another location.

Begun in Europe in 1965, bike-sharing has taken off in recent years and has now spread to five continents. In 2013, New York successfully launched its Citi Bike program, and plans are underway to double the size of the fleet by 2017.

In Paris, Vélib (vélo libre) stations can be found throughout the city using a smartphone app. Other bike-sharing programs can be found in smaller urban areas across the country. Learn more about the VTC (vélo tous chemin) and VTT (vélo tous terrain) systems.

Evan. "Paris Vélib Service." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. 2007. Web 17 March 2015.

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