MORE TYPE 2 VERBS…

> The verb ‘Répondez’ is a type 2 verb adding the consonant ‘d’ for the plural

Je réponds : I answer / I am answering
Tu réponds : You answer
Il, elle répond : He, she answers

Nous répondons : We answer
Vous répondez : You answer
Ils, elles répondent : They answer

You have probably noticed that the ‘-t’ ending is not there for the personal pronouns Il and elle.

This is due to a spelling rule: a ‘d’ cannot be followed by a ‘t’ therefore the ‘t’ is omitted if the stem of the verb ends with a ‘d’. It also seems that the verb has only one stem: répond. But if this is true in writing, orally we have two stems; one, for the singular where the ‘–d’ is silent, one for the plural when it is heard.

> Here are verbs following the same pattern as ‘répondez’

Attendez! Attends! : Wait!
Descendez! Descends! : Go downstairs! Get off (a car, a train…)
Entendez! Entends! : Hear!
Vendez! Vends! : Sell!
Perdez! Perds! : Lose!

> Translate orally in French :

• You don’t hear well. Vous n’entendez pas bien.
• Get off now! Descendez maintenant!
• Don’t lose! (fam) Ne perds pas!
• I don’t sell a lot! Je ne vends pas beaucoup!
• Wait here! Attendez ici!
• They sell everything! Ils vendent tout!
• I hear everything! J’entends tout!
• Answer now! (fam) Réponds maintenant!
• Don’t go downstairs!(fam) Ne descends pas!
• I’m losing everything! Je perds tout!

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