Orthographical peculiarities of -cer and -ger verbs

There are a number of verbs of the first conjugation, the so-called -cer and -ger verbs, in which a regular change of spelling is made to retain the soft c or g sound of the stem. This takes place, when in the course of the conjugation of the verb, the stem c or g is followed by the vowels a, o (and in some irregular verbs, by u) of the tense endings. In these cases, the c becomes ç (c cedilla) and the g becomes ge ; otherwise these verbs are regular. The following table will indicate the common tenses where these changes occur : 1

1 If necessary, the student may work out the changes that occur in the past definite and subjunctive imperfect tenses by making use of the Table of Regular Verbs contained in the Appendix.

Tracer, to trace

Changer, to change

Present

Imperfect

Imperative

Present

Imperfect Imperative

Indicative

Indicative

trace

traçais

change

changeais

traces

traçais

trace

changes

changeais change

trace

traçait

change

changeait

traçons

tracions

traçons

changeons

changions changeons

tracez

traciez

tracez

changez

changiez changez

tracent

traçaient

changent

changeaient

The following verbs are common examples of these two classes : annoncer, to announce engager, to engage, hire

avancer, to advance manger, to eat

commencer, to begin, commence ranger, to put in order, arrange placer, to place, put voyager, to travel

EXERCISE

(a) 1. I ate the dry fruit this noon. 2. Wasn't the new maid placing the napkins on that long table ? 3 . The former merchant was putting his affairs in order. 4. The three ladies were happy because they were traveling. 5. The army was advancing toward the city. 6. Was I changing the money for your father? 7. He used to trace his name on the sand.