The verb appeler (to call; to name)

Verbs like appeler (to call; to name) and jeter (to throw [away])

Present tense forms of verbs with infinitives ending with -eler or -eter double the consonant (l or t) when the conjugated verb ending contains a mute e. This change does not occur in the present tense nous and vous forms of appeler and jeter.

Present Tense of appeler and jeter

appeler (to call; to name) jeter (to throw [away])

j’appelle                                je jette

tu appelles                            tu jettes

il/elle/on appelle                  il/elle/on jette

nous appelons                      nous jetons

vous appelez                        vous jetez

ils/elles appellent                 ils/elles jettent

Other verbs like appeler and jeter include:

s’appeler to be named, be called                        épeler to spell

projeter to plan; to project             rappeler to recall; to call again; to remind

se rappeler to remember              rejeter to reject; to throw back

renouveler to renew; to renovate

Je vous rappelle que nous I am reminding you that we’re

sommes en retard.                           late.

Vous jetez déjà les journaux?        Are you throwing out the newspapers already?

On projette le film lundi prochain.  They are showing the film next Monday.

Elles appellent leurs amis le soir.  They phone their friends in the evenings.

Verbs like envoyer (to send) and essayer (to try)

Verbs with infinitives ending in -yer change -y- into -i- before a mute e in a conjugated verb ending. This spelling change does not occur in the nous and vous forms.

Present Tense of envoyer and essayer

envoyer (to send)            essayer (to try)

j’envoie                                  j’essaie

tu envoies                              tu essaies

il/elle/on envoie                    il/elle/on essaie

nous envoyons                     nous essayons

vous envoyez                        vous essayez

ils/elles envoient                  ils/elles essaient

Some writers in French do not make the spelling change for verbs ending in -ayer (essayer and payer), retaining the -y- before a mute e (j’essaye, elles essayent). Pronunciation remains the same: [jeh-say, ehl-zeh-say]. Other verbs like envoyer and essayer include:

aboyer to bark (dog)           appuyer (sur) to lean on; to support; to press on

employer to use                  ennuyer to bore; to annoy

essuyer to wipe; to undergo, suffer

nettoyer to clean                 s’ennuyer to be/get bored

payer to pay, to pay for

Elles envoient des cartes au Nouvel An.  

They send cards at New Year’s.

Le samedi nous nettoyons la salle de bains.

 We clean the bathroom on Saturday.

Je t’assure. Ce chien aboie toute la nuit.

Believe me. That dog barks all night.

Vous payez les factures à la fin du mois?

Do you pay the bills at the end of the month?

The French verb payer (to pay for) is followed immediately by a direct object; there is no equivalent of the English for:  Je paie mon repas en espèces. (I pay for my meal in cash.)

 Acknowledgements

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