INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.

DEFINITION. Indefinite pronouns replace nouns understood or simply implied, and used in a vague and indefinite way.

List of the chief Indefinite Pronouns and Expressions. 1. ANY ONE (meaning it does not

VOCABULARY.-In connection with the Building of Houses.

Progressive Reading and Translation 24.
(The English is at page 206.)

Je vends n'importe laquelle de ces pierres.-Vous avez des tuyaux, moi, je n'en ai aucun.—Il donne à autrui ce qu'il doit à ses parents.-Il me donne 50 francs pour mes ardoises, mais il me doit autre chose.—Ces briques-ci sont à lui, les autres sont à moi. Ce ciment est mauvais; en voilà d'autre.-Ces hommes s'aiment les uns les autres.-Ces deux parquets sont en chêne, je les aime tous les deux. Ces glaces sont d'une qualité différente, mais toutes deux sont belles.-L'un ou l'autre parlera de vous.-Je donne du plâtre à chacun de ces deux maçons.-Tout le monde aime la toiture gothique de ce château. Nul ne donne volontiers aux imposteurs.-Personne ne parle de lui.-On finit la rampe de l'escalier, et la grille de la cour d'entrée.-Les uns vendent leurs marchandises, les autres portent des ballots, tout le monde parle. -Plusieurs doivent de grosses sommes à leurs correspondants.Je parlerai de vous à quelqu'un.-Quelques-uns des ouvriers sont sur le toit de la maison.-Il parle à qui que ce soit avec aménité. Quiconque parle le premier a un avantage.—Je n'ai rien dans ma bourse. Il aime tout ce qui est là, et tout ce que vous avez.-Tel qui donne aux pauvres, donne à Dieu.

Progressive Exercise 24.

I will have any one of these books.

(No. 1 of the list)

livre

the beginning of wisdom. - I have spoken to you of

le commencement de la sagesse

Rule 55

| something else | .-You like this iron, I like the other.-You

4

5

speak of these two railings; I like them both.-Every one speaks

Rule 53 11

15

14

| according to his own fashion | .-Everybody likes him.-Some

à sa manière

Rule 53

20

carry the bricks, others carry the mortar.-They finish everything

5

19

29

I. The verb is a word which expresses EXISTENCE or ACTION.

EXAMPLES.

I am, je suis (expresses existence). | I carry, je porte (expresses action). II. The SUBJECT or NOMINATIVE CASE before the verb is the word which is in the condition, or performs the action, expressed by the verb. (In French, SUJET.)

III.-The OBJECT or ACCUSATIVE CASE after the verb is the word upon which the action expressed by the verb falls directly; that is, completing the meaning of the verb without the help of a preposition. (In French, RÉGIME DIRECT, or COMPLÉMENT DIRECT.)

EXAMPLE.

I carry a letter, . .The action of carrying falls directly on
je porte une LETTRE. the word LETTRE; the letter is carried.

IV. The INDIRECT OBJECT is the word which completes the meaning of the verb by means of one of the prepositions, de“ of,” à "to," par "by," pour "for," avec "with," &c., being prefixed to it. (In French, COMPLÉMENT INDIRECT or RÉGIME INDIRECT.)

V.-There are five sorts of verbs, namely:

1stly, TRANSITIVE (or active). [3dly, PASSIVE.

2dly, INTRANSITIVE (or neuter). 4thly, REFLECTIVE (or pronominal). 5thly, IMPERSONAL.

VI.-Verbs are TRANSITIVE or active, when they have a direct object (accusative case).

EXAMPLE.

I carry the letter, PORTER having a direct object, LA LETTRE,
je PORTE la lettre. S

is transitive.

VII. Verbs are INTRANSITIVE or neuter, when they cannot have a direct object. Such are—

TOMBER, to fall. DORMIR, to sleep, &c. &c.

VIII.—PASSIVE verbs are another form of the transitive verbs, in which the action expressed by the verb reverts to the SUBJECT.

TRANSITIVE.

I carry, je porte.

EXAMPLES.

PASSIVE.

I am carried, je suis porté.

IX.—REFLECTIVE or pronominal verbs are those in which the action reverts to the SUBJECT without the form of the verb being passive; these verbs are conjugated with two pronouns, one subject, the other object-direct or indirect.

I speak to myself,

je me parle.

EXAMPLES.

I sit down,
je m'assieds.

I give myself a book, je me donne un livre.

X.-IMPERSONAL verbs are those which are conjugated in the third person singular only; their subject being il, "it," representing an indefinite personification.

XI.-Verbs are divided into MOODS and TENSES.

The moods,

from the Latin word modus, "manner," refer to the manner in which the action is presented to our mind. There are five moods:

The INFINITIVE MOOD.
The INDICATIVE MOOD.

The CONDITIONAL MOOD.

The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

The IMPERATIVE MOOD.

XII. The PARTICIPLES, present and past, are usually placed in connection with the infinitive mood; they are parts of the verb which partake of the nature of both the verb and the adjective, being sometimes used as verbs and sometimes as adjectives.

XIII. TENSES are subdivisions of the moods, referring to the time at which the action takes place in the various moods.

XIV. SIMPLE TENSES are those which are represented by their peculiar endings.

XV.-COMPOUND TENSES are those which are formed by the combination of either auxiliary verb, avoir "to have" or être "to be,” and the past participle of verbs.

XVI. There are four regular conjugations in the French language:

The first conjugation includes all verbs ending in ER.

The second

The third

The fourth

do.

do.

do.

Conjugation of the Auxiliary Verb AVOIR, to have.