Verbs ending in -ETER and -ELER such as geler, acheter, congeler ... are semi-regular -ER verbs in Présent indicatif, which means that, even though they take the regular -ER endings of Présent indicatif, their spelling and subsequently their pronunciation vary.
The majority of -ETER and -ELER verbs follow this rule: they double the T or L with je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles.
To practise these verbs, see the related lesson Conjugate -eter and -eler verbs in Le Présent - main rule (ll / tt)
HOWEVER with every rule come exceptions !
The following-ETER and -ELER verbs behave differently.
They always and only take the accent è on the first -e (-eter/-eler) with je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles (they can never double the T or L).
Here is the example of GELER (to freeze):
| je gèle |
| tu gèles |
| il/elle/on gèle |
| nous gelons |
| vous gelez |
| ils/elles gèlent |
Of course, the pronunciation is affected: gèle/gèles/gèlent are pronounced [jell], whereas gelons/gelez are [juh-lon / juh-ley]
And here is the example of ACHETER (to buy):
| j'achète |
| tu achètes |
| il/elle/on achète |
| nous achetons |
| vous achetez |
| ils/elles achètent |
Of course, the pronunciation is affected: achète/achètes/achètent are pronounced [achette], whereas achetons/achetez are [achuh-ton / achuh-tey]
Here is the complete list of exceptions, so you just need to know them (or at least the ones you might actually use (*), as most of the other ones are extremely rare!) :
agneler - to yean / give birth to a lamb
celer - to conceal
* receler - to conceal / to receive, hold stolen goods
ciseler - to chisel
* démanteler - to dismantle / take down
* écarteler - to quarter
s'encasteler - to be hoof bound
* geler - to freeze
* dégeler - to thaw (out)
* congeler - to freeze [something]
* surgeler - to quick-freeze [something]
* marteler - to hammer
* modeler - to model, to mould [US: to mold]
* peler - to peel (off)
* acheter - to buy
* racheter - to buy again, to acquire, to buy back
bégueter - to bleat (goat)
corseter - to corset
crocheter - to pick (a lock), to crochet
fileter - to thread
* fureter - to rummage, to nose about
* haleter - to pant
Look and listen at these other examples:
Le détective démantèle des réseaux criminels, et vous les démantelez avec lui.
The detective dismantles criminal networks, and you dismantle them with him.
Elles rachètent sa maison, et vous rachetez la leur.
They buy her house back and you buy theirs back.
Tu achètes des bananes et nous achetons des tomates.
You buy bananas and we buy tomatoes.
La route gèle en hiver.
The road freezes in winter.
Je pèle les pommes de terre et vous pelez les pommes.
I'm peeling the potatoes and you're peeling the apples.
Ma grand-mère ne congèle jamais les légumes, mais nous, nous congelons tout !
My grandma never freezes vegetables, but we freeze everything!
Ma petite sœur furète partout, mais nous, nous ne furetons jamais.
My little sister rummages everywhere, but we never rummage about.
And to study other -E(-)ER and -É(-)ER verbs, see Conjugate -é(-)er, -e(-)er verbs in Le Présent (except -eter and -eler)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Le détective démantèle des réseaux criminels, et vous les démantelez avec lui.
The detective dismantles criminal networks, and you dismantle them with him.
Mes amis pèlent tous les étés !
My friends' skin peels every summer.
Elles rachètent sa maison, et vous rachetez la leur.
They buy her house back and you buy theirs back.
La route gèle en hiver.
The road freezes in winter.
Je pèle les pommes de terre et vous pelez les pommes.
I'm peeling the potatoes and you're peeling the apples.
Ma petite sœur furète partout, mais nous, nous ne furetons jamais.
My little sister rummages everywhere, but we never rummage about.
Tu achètes des bananes et nous achetons des tomates.
You buy bananas and we buy tomatoes.
Ma grand-mère ne congèle jamais les légumes, mais nous, nous congelons tout !
My grandma never freezes vegetables, but we freeze everything!
Q&A
Alan
Kwiziq community member
8/06/18
Janet
Kwiziq community member
8/06/18
Alan
Kwiziq community member
8/06/18
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
8/06/18
Hi Janet,
Peler in this intransitive (without an object) form means to lose your own skin as in peeling after sunburnt. So I think the word skin was added in the translation to clarify the meaning but i don't think it is necessary.
Peler comes from 'peau' (skin) and it means enlever la peau in a transitive form (peeling something.) e.g.
Je vais peler mon raisin avant de le manger. (I am going to peel my grapes before eating them.)
Il faut peler et couper les pommes de terre en petits dés. (You have to peel and cut the potatoes into little cubes.)
On peut manger une pomme sans la peler. (You can eat an apple without peeling it.)
Hope this helps!
Janet
Kwiziq community member
8/06/18
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/03/17
G
Kwiziq community member
2/01/19
I was thinking the same thing.....just group all the -eler and -eter verbs together and make the jeter/appeler verbs (+ derivatives) the exceptions - it seems much simpler and easier to remember to me.
Even though I appreciate the three lessons explaining everything in detail, I would like to know if the "ll" and "tt" versions are considered the 'preferred' conjugations.
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
12/12/16
Jennifer
Kwiziq community member
12/12/16
Latha
Kwiziq community member
15 October 2018
1 reply
wanted to know why double nous in nous,nous congelons tout! Merci
Chris
Kwiziq community member
15 October 2018
15/10/18
This is just a stylistic repetition of the subject:
Mais nous, nous congelons tout! -- But us, we freeze everything.