Double consonant verbs
Some verbs ending in -eler and -eter, like appeler (to call) and jeter (to throw), have a spelling change in the present tense. To keep a consistent pronunciation, they double their final consonant (l becomes ll, and t becomes tt).
Just like other stem-changing verbs, this doubling happens for all pronouns except nous and vous.
Here is the conjugation for appeler:
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| je | j'appelle |
| tu | tu appelles |
| il / elle / on | il appelle |
| nous | nous appelons |
| vous | vous appelez |
| ils / elles | ils appellent |
Let's look at how this spelling change works in practice:
| I am calling my friend immediately. | J'appelle mon ami immédiatement. |
| We are calling a doctor immediately. | Nous appelons un médecin immédiatement. |
The verb jeter follows the exact same pattern, doubling the t to tt everywhere except for nous and vous:
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| je | je jette |
| tu | tu jettes |
| il / elle / on | il jette |
| nous | nous jetons |
| vous | vous jetez |
| ils / elles | ils jettent |
Here are some examples of jeter in action:
| I throw the paper in the trash can. | Je jette le papier dans la poubelle. |
| We do not throw away the plastic here. | Nous ne jetons pas le plastique ici. |
| You throw the big cardboard box in the trash can. | Vous jetez le grand carton à la poubelle. |
| They throw away this old cardboard box. | Ils jettent ce vieux carton. |
Related verbs
Verbs built on appeler and jeter follow the same rules. For example, rappeler (to call back) doubles the l, and rejeter (to reject) doubles the t.
| Are you calling back this number tonight? | Tu rappelles ce numéro ce soir ? |
| Why do you reject my idea? | Pourquoi est-ce que vous rejetez mon idée ? |
Another common verb that doubles its consonant is épeler (to spell):
| How do you spell your first name? | Comment est-ce que tu épelles ton prénom ? |
| And how do you spell your last name, sir? | Et comment est-ce que vous épelez votre nom, Monsieur ? |
