semi-auxiliary.

13 oct. 2017 08:47 - language-swap

Niveau intermédiaire plus

In French some verbs have the function of semi-auxiliary.
They are: aller (to go), venir (to come), savoir (to know), vouloir (to want), faire (to do, to make), devoir (to have to, must) and pouvoir (can).
They are conjugated and are followed by a verb in the infinitive form.
Examples:
Je dois partir à 7h pour arriver à mon travail à 8h.
Je peux quitter les bureaux quand je le souhaite.
Je viens d'éteindre mon ordinateur avant de m'en aller.

They are split into different groups.

Aller and venir modify the time of the sentence. They indicate a near future.
Examples:
Je vais partir
Je viens de partir

Devoir, pouvoir, savoir and vouloir are “modal” verbs and indicates different things.
*Devoir indicates the necessity and probability.
Example:
Je dois travailler
*Pouvoir indicates the possibility.
Example:
Il ne peut pas marcher
*Savoir indicates the ability.
Example:
Il sait compter jusqu'à 1000
*Vouloir indicates the will.
Example:
Il veut partir en vacances.

Faire indicates that the action isn't done by the subject but by someone else.
Example:
Il fait signer ses dossiers par ses secrétaires.

Se faire in the pronominal form indicates that the subject undergo the action.
Example:
Il s'est fait renvoyer du lycée.