Learn Hardcore French: Paul regarde Marie maintenant.

Paul is the subject of the sentence—the one performing the action of looking at or watching. In French, the subject comes before the verb, just like in English.

How is the verb regarder conjugated in this sentence, and why is it written as regarde?

The verb regarder is conjugated in the third-person singular form as regarde because its subject, Paul, is singular. This agreement between subject and verb is a fundamental rule in French conjugation.

Why does Marie appear immediately after the verb without any preposition?

Marie is the direct object of the sentence—the person being looked at by Paul. In French, when the verb is transitive (taking a direct object) like regarder, the object typically follows the verb without a preposition.

What function does the word maintenant serve in this sentence?

Maintenant is an adverb meaning "now". It indicates the time when the action is taking place, adding the temporal context to the sentence.

Can the position of maintenant be changed without altering the meaning of the sentence?

Yes, maintenant can be repositioned for emphasis. For instance, you could say "Maintenant, Paul regarde Marie" without changing the overall meaning; however, the original order places the time modifier at the end, which is also a common pattern in French.

Do proper names like Paul and Marie ever require articles or extra words in French sentences?

No, proper names in French do not require articles or extra prepositions when used as the subject or object in a sentence. They are inserted directly, just as they are in English.