Aller, être, avoir, and faire: the “Big 4” French irregular verbs. Aller opens students to the future, être and avoir open the past, and faire…well, that’s just wildly popular and used all over the place!
The trouble for language learners is that these verbs are irregular. There is seemingly no rhyme or reason to their forms, and être can be particularly tough because its imperatives (command forms) are also irregular! Ugh.
One option is to teach these verbs to music. The tunes get absolutely stuck in the students’ heads, and I’ll catch them singing the songs out of the blue.
Now, I know, I know… We all teach differently. How does this fit into a CI approach, for example? I am not a proponent of any one way to teach the structure of a language, but I do know that using music jives with what we know about how the brain works and how language and music are related. I also know that it’s possible to break down the verbs (with songs) right from the start or break them down after a couple years. The songs can come in at any time; they don’t need to be right from the get-go.
Whatever your approach, and whenever you use these verbs in class, here are some songs to help:
ALLER: the “Go Chant”
vais, vas, va, allons, allez, vont, GO!
vais, vas, va, allons, allez, vont, GO!
vais, vas, va, allons, allez, vont, GO!
(The first line is chanted at a whisper, the second line at a normal volume, and the third line ends with yelling. Fist in the air on the word “GO!”)
ÊTRE: sur l’air de “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes
vous êtes, ils sont
je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes
vous êtes, ils sont
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
AVOIR: sur l’air de “Hot Cross Buns”
j’ai, tu as
il elle a
nous avons, vous avez
ils elles ont
Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny, two a penny
Hot cross buns
FAIRE: sur l’air de “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
Je fais, tu fais, il fait, nous faisons, vous faites
Je fais, tu fais, il fait, nous faisons, vous faites
Fais, faisons, faites, fais, faisons, faites, fais, faisons, faites, fais, faisons, faites
Je fais, tu fais, il fait, nous faisons, vous faites
ILS FONT!
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy, and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy, and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy, and you know it, clap your hands
Ham it Up, Make it Fun
Once students get the last three songs down, you can add on and make it more complex…and decidedly much more goofy! For example, you can divide the class in half and sing the songs as a round. Or you can get really “fancy” and one class sings their part of the round in French while the other half sings in English. My students always get a good laugh out of the English version because it sounds so weird: I am, you are, he is, we are, you all are, they aaaaaare! I am, you are, he is, we are, you all are, theeeeeeeey aaaaaare!
One of the best things about the last three songs is that they are simple; even a novice guitar player can rock them out in class! Bring in your guitar, channel your inner van Halen, and ham it up! I know someone personally who has ended verb songs by sliding onto the floor, rock star-style, on her knees, and finishing with a hard core strumming outro. (If you’re wondering if it was me… I plead the fifth on that one.) If you’re feeling generous with your instrument, pass it off to a guitar player in class, and make him/her play on “stage” (a desk or table) while the rest of the class sings.
The point is this: These songs are not the end-all be-all of French language instruction. But I firmly believe in their use as tools in our tool box. Add on to them. Make them goofy. Sing the songs opera style, country style, heavy metal style, or any style you can think of. Rock on with your conjugating self!