# conjugation / conjugaison



## Staarkali

Hello all,

talking about French grammar (or any other western languages), I used to say 动词变化 but in my book (Reflets) they talk about 动词变位. Which one is the best? do you have any feedback?

Thanks in advance!


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## w84u

I know little about French, but with English grammar, I would pick 动词变化，which is always the way we say it.  动词变位 means literally position change of verb in a sentence.


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## Staarkali

well, it helps a lot but now I don't understand why we talk about 动词变位 when the position of the verb remains the same (in English, the verb comes in second position). I guess 动词变化 would make more sense, wouldn't it


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## yuechu

I was just looking up "to conjugate" in the dictionary (for the same context: French verb conjugations) and noticed that the translation was " 列举动词的词形变化 ". I guess it doesn't have to be this long, right? " 动词变化 " is also ok?

Thanks! Merci !


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## Miss_华文

well, I'm learning Spanish and in our class the word "conjugación" means "动词变位"，for example: ir -> voy, vas, va; fui, fuiste, fue...
and... I remember that "动词变化规则" in English include: work -> works, working, worked; be -> am, are, is...
Maybe they're the same thing?


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## SimonTsai

> It was *the **conjugation of verbs* that he found the most difficult. (Lexico.com)


*動詞變化*是他覺得最困難的。


> I'm trying to learn how to *conjugate verbs* in Japanese. (Lexico.com)


我正在學日文裏的*動詞變化*。


> In a month, they were writing the alphabet, *conjugating verbs*, and making small sentences. (Lexico.com)


他們在一個月內學會怎麼寫每一個字母、*動詞*如何*變化*，並且已經會造簡短的句子。


> And don't worry: even French four students occasionally forget how to *conjugate verbs*. (Lexico.com)


還有，別擔心：就算是法語四級的學生，有時候也還是會忘記*動詞*如何*變化*。


> This is frequently the case in language where, for example, *the* correct *conjugation of a verb* or gender of a pronoun at the end of a sentence can depend on a subject that occurs at the start of the sentence, or even several sentences back. (Merriam Webster)


舉例而言，句末的*動詞*或代詞如何*變化*，該用陰性還是陽性，視句首的主詞而定；有時主詞在好幾句以前。很多語言都有這個現象。


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## ovaltine888

Conjugation is a linguistic term. I believe the official Chinese version is "变位”, while change of nouns, pronouns, articles and adjectives is called “变格” (declension)

动词变位 (conjugation) 是指动词根据人称、数、性、时态、体、式的不同而产生的词形变化. vais/vas/va/allons/allez
变格（declension）在语言学上是指名词、代词、冠词、形容词在句子中为了实现特定的语法功能而产生的词形变化. un/une, le château/les châteaux

Anyways, 动词变位是动词的词形的*一种变化*，如果你只是想表述这样的现象，不需要太专业太学术的感觉，用“变化”也没问题。


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## SimonTsai

How does the conjugation of verbs relate to '位'?


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## Flaminius

SimonTsai said:


> I'm trying to learn how to *conjugate verbs* in Japanese. (Lexico.com)
> 
> 
> 
> 我正在學日文裏的*動詞變化*。
Click to expand...

The derivation of various Japanese verb and adjective forms is called 活用 in that language.  How does that fare in Chinese?  It's also an intransitive verb, meaning for a verb or an adjective to produce forms.

I believe *yuechu*'s question is if Chinese has a verb that means something like "to conjugate."  Is there one that is less periphrastic than 列举动词的词形变化?


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## ovaltine888

Flaminius said:


> The derivation of various Japanese verb and adjective forms is called 活用 in that language.  How does that fare in Chinese?  It's also an intransitive verb, meaning for a verb or an adjective to produce forms.
> 
> I believe *yuechu*'s question is if Chinese has a verb that means something like "to conjugate."  Is there one that is less periphrastic than 列举动词的词形变化?


Like what I said, as a linguistic term in Chinese, conjugation is 动词变位. If you do not need a technical term here, 词形变化 is fine with proper context.


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## Flaminius

How, then, do you say, "Please conjugate these verbs in the past tense." using 动词变位?


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## ovaltine888

Flaminius said:


> How, then, do you say, "Please conjugate these verbs in the past tense." using 动词变位?


动词变位 is a noun for the concept of conjugation, usually referring to the system of different forms of verbs. You will often see it in such context:

我需要一张完整的*动词变位表*帮助我记住所有*动词变位规则*。
I need a complete conjugation table to help me memorise all the conjugation rules.

When it comes to a verb conjugate as in your sentence, I will put it in this way.
请将这些动词变成过去式。
Please change these verbs into past tense form.
请写出这些动词的过去式。
Please write out the past tense form of these verbs.

If you still want an example with 变位, maybe this one will suit you but it doesn't sound very natural. And people may not understand the technical term 变位.
选择合适的变位使下列动词表示过去时态。


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## yuechu

Thank you all for the translations and examples you have given!


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