Today, I tackled three common yet irregular verbs: sortir (to go out), partir (to leave), and dormir (to sleep). Learning these helped me talk about going out, traveling, and getting some well-deserved rest—all essential parts of daily life!
Focus of the Day: Conjugating “Sortir,” “Partir,” and “Dormir”
1. Sortir (to go out)
Sortir is used when leaving a place temporarily or going out socially. Here’s how it’s conjugated in the present tense:
- Je sors – I go out
- Tu sors – You go out
- Il/elle sort – He/she goes out
- Nous sortons – We go out
- Vous sortez – You go out (formal/plural)
- Ils/elles sortent – They go out
More Examples:
- “Je sors avec mes amis ce soir.” – I’m going out with my friends tonight.
- “Tu sors toujours aussi tard?” – Do you always go out this late?
- “Nous sortons pour dîner en ville.” – We’re going out for dinner in the city.
- “Ils sortent chaque vendredi soir.” – They go out every Friday night.
- “Elle sort souvent seule pour se promener.” – She often goes out alone for a walk.
2. Partir (to leave)
Partir is commonly used when leaving for a specific place, often for a longer duration than sortir.
- Je pars – I leave
- Tu pars – You leave
- Il/elle part – He/she leaves
- Nous partons – We leave
- Vous partez – You leave (formal/plural)
- Ils/elles partent – They leave
More Examples:
- “Je pars pour le travail à 8 heures.” – I leave for work at 8 o’clock.
- “Quand pars-tu en vacances?” – When are you leaving on vacation?
- “Nous partons pour Paris demain matin.” – We are leaving for Paris tomorrow morning.
- “Ils partent en voyage chaque été.” – They go on a trip every summer.
- “Elle part toujours en avance pour éviter la circulation.” – She always leaves early to avoid traffic.
3. Dormir (to sleep)
Dormir is essential for talking about sleep. It’s highly irregular, but once mastered, you’ll be able to chat about your sleeping habits easily.
- Je dors – I sleep
- Tu dors – You sleep
- Il/elle dort – He/she sleeps
- Nous dormons – We sleep
- Vous dormez – You sleep (formal/plural)
- Ils/elles dorment – They sleep
More Examples:
- “Je dors huit heures par nuit.” – I sleep eight hours a night.
- “Dors-tu bien?” – Do you sleep well?
- “Elle dort toujours avec la lumière éteinte.” – She always sleeps with the light off.
- “Nous dormons rarement plus de six heures.” – We rarely sleep more than six hours.
- “Ils dorment profondément après une longue journée.” – They sleep deeply after a long day.
Grammar Insight: Recognizing Patterns in Irregular Conjugations
Each of these verbs has similar conjugations in the present tense for je, tu, il/elle, and ils/elles. The nous and vous forms shift slightly, following a pattern that’s common among some irregular verbs. Recognizing these shifts can make it easier to remember each conjugation.
Tomorrow, I’ll keep digging into irregular verbs and focus on more verbs that don’t follow the standard patterns. Every new verb brings a new tool to express myself more naturally in French!
