Conjugation of the verbs

[Yan Fang]

I know that the verb 'ouvrir' means "to open".

 However why is it that in these cases:

1. "La cantine ouvre de quelle heure à quelle heure?"

2. "Les magasins ouvrent de quelle heure à quelle heure?"

3. "Les magasins ouvrent de 11 heures à 21 heures?"

the verb 'ouvrir' is conjugated? Why can't we leave the verb as it is and have "La cantine ouvre de quelle heure  à quelle heure?" etc.

I thought that you only need to conjugate the verb when you use [je, tu, il/s, elle/s, nous, vous]?

 

Also, why is it that it is "Les vacances sont du 18 au 24 septembre" instead of "Les vacances commencent du 18 au 24 septembre"?

and that it is "Les magasins sont ouverts de 10h du matin  à 10h du soir" instead of "Les magasins ouvrent de 10h du matin  à 10h du soir"?

[Neil Coffey]

No, when the subject is a noun phrase, then the third person form of the verb is used (so the "il/elle" form if it's singular, the "ils/elles" form if it's plural).

 

This is just as in, say, English:

 

  He goes to town.

  The man goes to town.

 

[Andreea Kietzmann]

"Les vacances sont du 18 au 24 septembre" instead of "Les vacances commencent du 18 au 24 septembre"? They are both correct.

I thought that you only need to conjugate the verb when you use [je, tu, il/s, elle/s, nous, vous]? - yes you are correct - you forgot "ils" tho' A verm can only be conjugated with them...but i think you confuse it here with verb -subject agreement (different issue all together)

[Erwan]

"Les vacances sont du 18 au 24 septembre" instead of "Les vacances commencent du 18 au 24 septembre"?

The first gives the beginning and the end of the vacation. The second has a logical issue. The beginning is a day, not several days.

 

"Les magasins sont ouverts de 10h du matin  à 10h du soir" instead of "Les magasins ouvrent de 10h du matin  à 10h du soir"?

This is the same thing. But you can see sometimes the second construction.

In English : Shops are opened from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The