Regular Verbs: Present Tense in French
This section explains Present Tense Regular Verbs in French. In French, regular verbs are divided into three main groups based on their infinitive endings: -er, -ir, and -re. To form the present tense, you need to conjugate the verb according to the subject pronoun (e.g., je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles). This is essential for both Foundation and Higher Tier exams, so it’s important to get comfortable with these conjugations.
Regular -ER Verbs in the Present Tense
Most French verbs are regular -er verbs. To conjugate a regular -er verb in the present tense, follow this pattern:
Conjugation Rule for -ER Verbs:
- Je (I) → -e
- Tu (you, informal) → -es
- Il/elle/on (he/she/one) → -e
- Nous (we) → -ons
- Vous (you, formal/plural) → -ez
- Ils/elles (they) → -ent
Examples with 'parler' (to speak):
| French | English | Example Sentence in French | Translation in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je parle | I speak | Je parle français. | I speak French. |
| Tu parles | You speak (informal) | Tu parles trop vite. | You speak too fast. |
| Il/elle/on parle | He/she/one speaks | Il parle anglais. | He speaks English. |
| Nous parlons | We speak | Nous parlons espagnol. | We speak Spanish. |
| Vous parlez | You speak (formal/plural) | Vous parlez bien. | You speak well. |
| Ils/elles parlent | They speak | Ils parlent de leur projet. | They speak about their project. |
More Examples with Regular -ER Verbs:
- Chanter (to sing)
- Je chante (I sing)
- Tu chantes (You sing)
- Il chante (He sings)
- Aimer (to like/love)
- J’aime (I like/love)
- Nous aimons (We like/love)
Regular -IR Verbs in the Present Tense
Regular -ir verbs follow a slightly different conjugation pattern compared to -er verbs. The conjugation rule for -ir verbs in the present tense is:
Conjugation Rule for -IR Verbs:
- Je (I) → -s
- Tu (you, informal) → -s
- Il/elle/on (he/she/one) → -t
- Nous (we) → -ssons
- Vous (you, formal/plural) → -ssez
- Ils/elles (they) → -ssent
Examples with 'finir' (to finish):
| French | English | Example Sentence in French | Translation in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je finis | I finish | Je finis mes devoirs. | I finish my homework. |
| Tu finis | You finish (informal) | Tu finis toujours ton travail tôt. | You finish your work early. |
| Il/elle/on finit | He/she/one finishes | Elle finit le livre. | She finishes the book. |
| Nous finissons | We finish | Nous finissons notre repas. | We finish our meal. |
| Vous finissez | You finish (formal/plural) | Vous finissez toujours à l’heure. | You finish always on time. |
| Ils/elles finissent | They finish | Ils finissent leurs études cette année. | They finish their studies this year. |
More Examples with Regular -IR Verbs:
- Réussir (to succeed)
- Je réussis (I succeed)
- Nous réussissons (We succeed)
- Choisir (to choose)
- Tu choisis (You choose)
- Ils choisissent (They choose)
Regular -RE Verbs in the Present Tense
-RE verbs follow a different conjugation pattern again, but they are still regular. The conjugation rule for -re verbs in the present tense is:
Conjugation Rule for -RE Verbs:
- Je (I) → -s
- Tu (you, informal) → -s
- Il/elle/on (he/she/one) → no ending
- Nous (we) → -ons
- Vous (you, formal/plural) → -ez
- Ils/elles (they) → -ent
Examples with 'vendre' (to sell):
| French | English | Example Sentence in French | Translation in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je vends | I sell | Je vends des livres. | I sell books. |
| Tu vends | You sell (informal) | Tu vends des vêtements. | You sell clothes. |
| Il/elle/on vend | He/she/one sells | Elle vend des fruits. | She sells fruits. |
| Nous vendons | We sell | Nous vendons des souvenirs. | We sell souvenirs. |
| Vous vendez | You sell (formal/plural) | Vous vendez des cartes postales. | You sell postcards. |
| Ils/elles vendent | They sell | Ils vendent des produits bio. | They sell organic products. |
More Examples with Regular -RE Verbs:
- Attendre (to wait)
- Je attends (I wait)
- Nous attendons (We wait)
- Perdre (to lose)
- Tu perds (You lose)
- Ils perdent (They lose)
Key Points to Remember:
- -ER Verbs are the most common and follow the pattern: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
- Example: Je travaille (I work), Nous écoutons (We listen).
- -IR Verbs follow the pattern: -s, -s, -t, -ssons, -ssez, -ssent.
- Example: Il finit (He finishes), Vous choisissez (You choose).
- -RE Verbs follow the pattern: -s, -s, no ending, -ons, -ez, -ent.
- Example: Tu vends (You sell), Ils attendent (They wait).
Higher Tier: More Complex Sentences with Regular Verbs
At the Higher Tier, you may be required to use regular verbs in more complex sentences. These might include reflexive verbs or combined with other tenses.
Examples:
- Je travaille tous les jours pour gagner de l’argent.
- Translation: I work every day to earn money.
- Nous choisissons un film avant de sortir ce soir.
- Translation: We are choosing a film before going out tonight.
- Ils vendent des vêtements depuis deux ans.
- Translation: They have been selling clothes for two years.
Summary of Key Points:
- -ER Verbs: Most common, conjugated as -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
- -IR Verbs: Conjugated as -s, -s, -t, -ssons, -ssez, -ssent.
- -RE Verbs: Conjugated as -s, -s, no ending, -ons, -ez, -ent.
- Practice these conjugations with various verbs to become confident in using the present tense in French.
This videos covers the present tense in French.
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