Start with the verb group, not the whole verb table
French "ir" verbs are a large and varied group. Some follow a regular pattern, while others belong to irregular families. Trying to teach them all at once is overwhelming. The Va à la pêche - "ir" Verbs card game gives you a way to focus on one group at a time through play.
The game is a Go Fish–style card game. Players ask for cards by matching French "ir" verbs, so the repetition of asking and answering becomes the practice. The catalog describes it as an interactive French learning resource for classrooms and home use, suitable for students of all levels. That range means you can adjust the difficulty by choosing which verbs to include and how strictly you require full sentences.
What the game gives you for "ir" verb practice
- ***NEW*** Va à la pêche - "ir" Verbs: Va à la pêche - "ir" Verbs is a French "IR" Verbs Card Game and an interactive French learning resource for classrooms and home use. It is a ready-made card set focused on one verb group, so you do not have to create or sort your own "ir" verb cards before teaching.
***NEW*** Va à la pêche - "ir" Verbs - ***NEW*** Va à la pêche - "ir" Verbs: The game uses the "Va à la pêche" (Go Fish) format and is described as making learning and practicing French "ir" verbs fun and effective for students of all levels. The familiar Go Fish structure lets you spend teaching time on conjugation and pronunciation rather than on explaining rules.
A group-by-group routine for teaching "ir" verbs
The following sequence uses the card game as the practice engine. Each step assumes you are working with the verbs included in the set. Because the catalog does not list the individual verbs, sort the cards yourself before the lesson so you know which patterns you are covering.
- 1. Sort the cards into verb families: Before class, separate the "ir" verbs in the deck into small groups based on their conjugation pattern. Keep each group to a manageable size—four to six verbs is often enough for one lesson. This sorting is your preparation, not a student task.
- 2. Introduce one family with a spoken model: Say the verbs aloud and write the endings for the group on the board. Keep the explanation short: point out the stem and the ending for each subject pronoun you plan to use. Do not introduce every pronoun at once if students are new to the group.
- 3. Play a round with only that family: Remove all other cards from the deck. Play Go Fish using only the selected "ir" verbs. Require students to ask for cards in a full sentence that includes the correct verb form. This turns each turn into a mini conjugation drill without feeling like one.
- 4. Add a second family and mix the two: Once students are comfortable with the first group, introduce a second family. Shuffle both families together and play again. The contrast between the two patterns is where real learning happens, because students must choose the correct ending rather than repeat one pattern.
- 5. Use the game as a review station: After you have taught several families, keep the full deck available as a review station. Students can play in small groups while you work with others. The game format lets them practice asking and answering independently.
Making the game work for different levels
The catalog describes the game as suitable for students of all levels, but "all levels" does not mean the same rules for everyone. For beginners, limit the deck to one verb family and accept short answers. For intermediate students, require full sentences with the correct subject pronoun and verb ending. For advanced students, ask them to use the verb in a question or a short statement about themselves before they request a card.
You can also adjust the pace. A fast round with a small deck builds fluency, while a slower round with a larger deck gives more thinking time. The game does not come with a prescribed lesson plan, so you decide how much grammar to front-load before play.
Checkpoints before you teach
The catalog does not list the specific verbs included, the number of cards, or an age range. That means you should check the physical deck before you plan your unit. Use these checkpoints to avoid surprises.
- Which verbs are actually in the deck?: The catalog does not provide a verb list. Sort the cards before class so you know which "ir" patterns you can teach with this set and which you will need to supplement.
- How many cards are included?: The number of cards is not stated in the supplied information. Count them before you plan group sizes or decide how many families you can cover in one lesson.
- Is there a listed age range?: The catalog does not state an age range. The game is described as suitable for students of all levels, but you should judge whether the card size and reading level fit your group.
- Do you need a printed guide?: The supplied information does not confirm whether a guide or instruction sheet is included. If you need step-by-step rules for a substitute teacher, plan to write your own short rule sheet.
Where this game fits in a French program
This is a practice tool, not a full grammar curriculum. It works best after you have introduced a verb family and students have seen the pattern in context. Use it for review, for stations, or for a short focused drill at the start of class. It is less suited to first-time introduction of a complex irregular group, where students need more explanation before they can ask and answer confidently.
For French immersion classrooms, the game supports oral practice and quick recall. For core French or home use, it gives parents a structured way to practice without needing to create materials. The Go Fish format is familiar enough that students can focus on the language rather than on learning new rules.
