Regular French Verbs in the Present Tense: -er, -ir and -re

French verbs fall into three main groups, named for their infinitive endings: -er, -ir and -re. Once you learn the pattern for each, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs.

The -er group (the biggest)

Around nine out of ten French verbs end in -er. Model: parler (to speak).

Person	Form
je	parle
tu	parles
il / elle / on	parle
nous	parlons
vous	parlez
ils / elles	parlent

Other -er verbs: aimer, chanter, danser, écouter, habiter, manger, marcher, regarder, travailler, trouver.

Pronunciation: the endings -e, -es and -ent are silent, so je parle, tu parles, il parle and ils parlent all sound the same.

The -ir group

Model: finir (to finish). Regular -ir verbs add -iss- in the plural.

Person	Form
je	finis
tu	finis
il / elle / on	finit
nous	finissons
vous	finissez
ils / elles	finissent

Other verbs: choisir, réussir, grandir, réfléchir, remplir, obéir, grossir, maigrir.

The -re group

Model: vendre (to sell).

Person	Form
je	vends
tu	vends
il / elle / on	vend (no ending)
nous	vendons
vous	vendez
ils / elles	vendent

Other verbs: attendre, entendre, répondre, perdre, rendre, descendre.

Spelling changes in -er verbs

A few -er verbs adjust their spelling to keep the right sound:

• -ger verbs (manger, voyager): add e in nous: nous mangeons.
• -cer verbs (commencer, lancer): use ç in nous: nous commençons.
• acheter, lever, promener: è in all forms except nous and vous: j'achète, nous achetons.
• appeler, jeter: double the consonant: j'appelle, nous appelons.
• payer, envoyer, nettoyer (-yer): y becomes i: je paie, nous payons.
• préférer, espérer: é becomes è: je préfère, nous préférons.

Learning strategy

1. Learn the endings, not the verbs. Endings are the same for each group.
2. Learn -er first, since it covers the majority.
3. Practise with a dozen common verbs, in all persons.
4. Recognise the stem: remove -er, -ir, -re from the infinitive.

Using verbs in sentences

• Nous habitons à Lyon. — We live in Lyon.
• Vous finissez à cinq heures ? — Do you finish at five?
• Ils vendent des fruits. — They sell fruit.
• Je regarde la télévision. — I'm watching television.

Present tense meanings

French has one present tense, which translates three English forms:

• Je mange. = I eat / I am eating / I do eat.

Near future with aller

To talk about the future, use aller + infinitive: Je vais manger. — I'm going to eat.

Common mistakes

• Adding a pronounced ending to -e forms.
• Forgetting -iss- in -ir plural forms.
• Using English word order.
• Forgetting the s in tu forms.

Dictionary tip

A dictionary lists verbs by the infinitive, and often marks irregular verbs. Check the group before conjugating.

Practice

Conjugate chanter, choisir and attendre in the present tense for all persons, then write a sentence with each.

Look up French verbs with English French Dictionary →