Verbs: Present Tense

In French, the present tense is used to talk about current actions, habits, and situations. It describes what is happening right now or what happens regularly. To properly use the present tense, you need to conjugate verbs correctly. Conjugation refers to changing the verb form to match the subject of the sentence.

Conjugating Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in French follow specific patterns of conjugation. There are three main verb groups: -er, -ir, and -re. Let's take a look at the conjugation of each group in the present tense:

-er Verbs

Most common verbs belong to the -er group. To conjugate them, follow these steps:

1. Start with the infinitive form of the verb.
2. Remove the "-er" ending.
3. Add the appropriate endings based on the subject.

Here are the endings for -er verbs:

• Je (I): -e
• Tu (You singular informal): -es
• Il/Elle/On (He/She/One): -e
• Nous (We): -ons
• Vous (You plural/formal): -ez
• Ils/Elles (They): -ent

For example, let's conjugate the verb "parler" (to speak):

• Je parle (I speak)
• Tu parles (You speak)
• Il/Elle/On parle (He/She/One speaks)
• Nous parlons (We speak)
• Vous parlez (You speak)
• Ils/Elles parlent (They speak)

-ir Verbs

Conjugating -ir verbs is similar to -er verbs, but with different endings. Here are the endings for -ir verbs:

• Je (I): -is
• Tu (You singular informal): -is
• Il/Elle/On (He/She/One): -it
• Nous (We): -issons
• Vous (You plural/formal): -issez
• Ils/Elles (They): -issent

For example, let's conjugate the verb "finir" (to finish):

• Je finis (I finish)
• Tu finis (You finish)
• Il/Elle/On finit (He/She/One finishes)
• Nous finissons (We finish)
• Vous finissez (You finish)
• Ils/Elles finissent (They finish)

-re Verbs

Conjugating -re verbs is slightly different from -er and -ir verbs. Only the endings for "nous" and "vous" differ. Here are the endings for -re verbs:

• Je (I): -s
• Tu (You singular informal): -s
• Il/Elle/On (He/She/One): -
• Nous (We): -ons
• Vous (You plural/formal): -ez
• Ils/Elles (They): -ent

For example, let's conjugate the verb "attendre" (to wait):

• Je attends (I wait)
• Tu attends (You wait)
• Il/Elle/On attend (He/She/One waits)
• Nous attendons (We wait)
• Vous attendez (You wait)
• Ils/Elles attendent (They wait)

Conjugating Irregular Verbs

Although regular verbs have predictable conjugation patterns, there are several irregular verbs in French. Here are some common irregular verbs in the present tense:

• "être" (to be): Je suis, Tu es, Il/Elle/On est, Nous sommes, Vous êtes, Ils/Elles sont
• "avoir" (to have): J'ai, Tu as, Il/Elle/On a, Nous avons, Vous avez, Ils/Elles ont
• "aller" (to go): Je vais, Tu vas, Il/Elle/On va, Nous allons, Vous allez, Ils/Elles vont

Be aware that there are other irregular verbs in the present tense, and their conjugation is unique. It's important to familiarize yourself with them as you continue your French language journey.

Using the Present Tense

Now that you understand how to conjugate verbs in the present tense, you can start using them to talk about current actions and situations. Here are some examples:

• Je parle français. (I speak French)
• Tu manges une pomme. (You eat an apple)
• Il regarde la télévision. (He watches television)
• Nous allons au cinéma ce soir. (We are going to the cinema tonight)
• Vous travaillez dur. (You work hard)
• Ils habitent à Paris. (They live in Paris)

Remember to conjugate the verb according to the subject of the sentence. With practice, using the present tense will become more natural to you.

Congratulations! You now have a solid understanding of verbs in the present tense in French. Keep practicing and incorporating them into your conversations to improve your language skills.