Higher Tier - Recent and ongoing actions in French

• To talk about recent and ongoing actions, the phrases être en train de (to be in the process of) and venir de (to have just) are used.

• Both phrases are used with infinitive verbs.

• The verbs used in these expressions, être (to be) and venir (to come), are both irregular.

There are two phrases in French that can be used to talk about recent and ongoing actions, with an infinitive verb.

• être en train de + infinitive, which means to be in the process of + verb.

For example:

Je suis en train de manger. – I’m in the process of eating.

Il est en train de regarder le match. – He’s in the process of watching the match.

• venir de + infinitive, which means to have just (eg done something).

For example:

Je viens de manger. – I’ve just eaten.

Elle vient d’aller en ville. – She’s just gone to town.

It is important to remember that the verbs used in these expressions, être (to be) and venir (to come) are both irregular. This is how they are conjugated in the present tense:

être – to be

venir – to come

For example:

Nous sommes en train de faire nos devoirs. – We’re in the process of doing our homework.

Ils viennent de jouer un match de foot. – They’ve just played a football match.

Practise what you've learned about recent and ongoing actions in French with this Higher Tier quiz.

Now you’ve learned about recent and ongoing actions in French, why not explore the simple future?