The present tense
Regular -er, -ir and -re verbs.
French has one present tense for "I speak", "I'm speaking" and "I do speak". Verbs fall into three groups by their infinitive. Nine in ten are -er verbs, and all but aller are regular.
| parler "speak" | finir "finish" | vendre "sell" | |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | parle | finis | vends |
| tu | parles | finis | vends |
| il, elle, on | parle | finit | vend |
| nous | parlons | finissons | vendons |
| vous | parlez | finissez | vendez |
| ils, elles | parlent | finissent | vendent |
In -er verbs, four of the six forms sound the same: parle, parles, parle and parlent are all "parl". Only parlons and parlez sound different.
Most -ir verbs go like finir, with -iss- in the plural: choisir, réussir, grandir. Some common ones don't; see Common irregular verbs. -re verbs like vendre include attendre, entendre, répondre and perdre.
Spelling changes in -er verbs
| Verb | Change | Forms |
|---|---|---|
| manger | e before o, to keep g soft | nous mangeons |
| commencer | ç before o, to keep c as s | nous commençons |
| acheter | è before a silent ending | j'achète, but nous achetons |
| préférer | è before a silent ending | je préfère, but nous préférons |
| appeler | ll before a silent ending | j'appelle, but nous appelons |
| payer, envoyer | i for y before a silent ending | je paie, j'envoie |
Uses
The present also says what has been going on and still is, with depuis: J'attends depuis une heure, "I've been waiting for an hour". And it can say what's planned for the near future: Je pars demain.
Cards from this guide
9 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
What are the present endings of an -er verb?
-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
How do you say "I'm eating" (right now)?
Je mange.
What's the nous form of finir?
nous finissons.
What's the il form of attendre?
il attend.
Why is it nous mangeons, with an e?
To keep the g soft before o.
What's the je form of acheter?
j'achète.
How is appeler spelled with je?
j'appelle, with two l's.
How do you say "I've been waiting for an hour"?
J'attends depuis une heure.
Can the present tense talk about the future?
Yes, for plans: Je pars demain.