Je prends le livre rouge.

I take the red book.

Breakdown of Je prends le livre rouge.

• je: I
• rouge: red
• le livre: the book
• prendre: to take

Questions & Answers about Je prends le livre rouge.

Why is the verb ‘prendre’ conjugated as ‘prends’ here?

‘Prends’ is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb ‘prendre,’ which is irregular in French. In the present tense, it becomes ‘je prends’, ‘tu prends’, ‘il/elle prend’, etc.

Why do we use the definite article ‘le’ instead of something else like ‘un’?

The definite article ‘le’ indicates that we are talking about a specific book. If we used ‘un livre rouge’, it would mean ‘a red book, not a particular one’. Since the sentence says ‘le livre rouge’, it refers to a specific red book that both the speaker and the listener presumably know about.

Why does the adjective ‘rouge’ come after ‘livre’ and not before?

In French, most adjectives follow the noun they modify. There are exceptions (for example, adjectives like ‘beau’, ‘grand’, or ‘petit’ often come before), but ‘rouge’ usually follows the noun. So we say ‘le livre rouge’ rather than ‘le rouge livre’.

Can ‘Je prends le livre rouge’ also mean ‘I will take the red book’?

Yes. In French, the present tense can be used to talk about actions happening right now (‘I am taking’) or in the near future (‘I will take’). The context usually clarifies the exact meaning.

What’s the difference between ‘Je prends’ and ‘Je vais prendre’?

‘Je prends’ is the present tense form and can mean ‘I am taking’ or ‘I take’ (or ‘I will take’ in a near-future context). ‘Je vais prendre’ is a construction used to express the near future more explicitly: ‘I am going to take.’