Vouvoyer is a french first group verb. So it follow the regular conjugation pattern of the first group like:
aimer.
Follow this link to see all the endings of the conjugation of the first group verbs :
conjugation rules and endings for the first group verbs.
However, although the terminations are perfectly regular, stem can be irregular and have numerous variations.
Vouvoyer is conjugated the same way that verbs that end in :
-yer.
Verbs ending in
-yer may transform the stem letter
« y » in
« i » before a silent endings.
It is the case for verbs ending in
-oyer and
-uyer (other than envoyer and renvoyer). They replace the
« y » with an
« i » before an unpronounced
« e », turning the preceding syllable in a diphthong. The prototypical verbs are broyer, noyer, ennuyer.
Vouvoyer is conjugated in interro-negative form. The interro-negative form being obtained by inversion of the subject, the placement of the negative adverb follow the same rules as in negative form, giving the following rules:
- in interro-negative form, the adverb
« ne » is always placed first if the subject is a pronoun.
- in simple tenses, the adverbs (
« ne ...pas »,
« ne...plus »,
« ne...jamais », etc...) surround the verb
vouvoyer and the inverted subject pronoun.
- in compound tenses or in passive voice, the negative adverbs surround the auxiliary and the inverted subject pronoun.
For sound reasons, like in interrogative form, an euphonious
« t » is added to the pronoun of the third person:
« il »,
« elle »,
« on »,
« ils »,
« elles » except when the verb ends with
« t » or
« d »:
« ne vouvoie-t-il pas ? »,
« ne vouvoya-t-il pas ? »,
« ne vouvoiera-t-il pas ? »,
« n'a-t-il pas vouvoyé ? »,
« n'aura-t-il pas vouvoyé ? ».
Always in interro-negative form, and always for sound reasons, an accent appears in first person present indicative tense when the verb ends with
« e ». An euphonious
« e » is replaced by
« é »:
« ne vouvoyé-je pas ? ». Note that with the
« é » at the first person of present indicative, the transformation of
« y » in
« i » is no longer necessary.
Finally, the interrogative form does not exist in subjunctive and imperative.
