Verbs in French end in -er, -re, or -ir. The verb before it is conjugated is called the infinitive. Removing the last two letters leaves you with the stem (aimer is the infinitive, aim- is the stem.) The present indicative tense indicates an ongoing action, general state, or habitual activity. Besides the simple present tense (I write, I run, I see); there are two other forms of the present tense in English: the progressive (I am writing, I am running, etc.) and the emphatic (I do write, I do run, etc.) However, these three English present tenses are all translated by the present indicative tense in French.
To conjugate verbs in the present tense, use the stem and add the following endings.
| -er |
|
-re |
|
1st -ir |
|
2nd -ir* |
| -e |
-ons |
|
-s |
-ons |
|
-is |
-issons |
|
-s |
-ons |
| -es |
-ez |
|
-s |
-ez |
|
-is |
-issez |
|
-s |
-ez |
| -e |
-ent |
|
- |
-ent |
|
-it |
-issent |
|
-t |
-ent |
Sample Regular Verbs
| aimer -to like, love |
|
vendre - to sell |
| j'aime |
zhem |
aimons |
em-ohn |
|
vends |
vawn |
vendons |
vawn-dohn |
| aimes |
em |
aimez |
em-ay |
|
vends |
vawn |
vendez |
vawn-day |
| aime |
em |
aiment |
em |
|
vend |
vawn |
vendent |
vawn |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| finir - to finish |
|
partir - to leave |
| finis |
fee-nee |
finissons |
fee-nee |
|
pars |
pahr |
partons |
pahr-tohn |
| finis |
fee-nee |
finissez |
fee-nee |
|
pars |
pahr |
partez |
pahr-tay |
| finit |
fee-nee |
finissent |
fee-neess |
|
part |
pahr |
partent |
pahrt |
Regular verbs
| -er |
|
-re |
| aimer |
em-ay |
to like, love |
|
vendre |
vawn-druh |
to sell |
| chanter |
shahn-tay |
to sing |
|
attendre |
ah-tawn-druh |
to wait for |
| chercher |
share-shay |
to look for |
|
entendre |
awn-tawn-druh |
to listen |
| commencer |
koh-mawn-say |
to begin |
|
perdre |
pair-druh |
to lose |
| donner |
dohn-nay |
to give |
|
répondre (à) |
ray-pohn-druh (ah) |
to answer |
| étudier |
ay-too-dee-ay |
to study |
|
descendre |
deh-sawn-druh |
to go down |
| fermer |
fehr-may |
to close |
|
1st -ir |
| habiter |
ah-bee-tay |
to live |
|
bâtir |
bah-teer |
to build |
| jouer |
zhoo-ay |
to play |
|
finir |
fee-neer |
to finish |
| manger |
mawn-zhay |
to eat |
|
choisir |
shwa-zeer |
to choose |
| montrer |
mohn-tray |
to show |
|
punir |
poo-neer |
to punish |
| parler |
par-lay |
to speak |
|
remplir |
rawn-pleer |
to fill |
| penser |
pawn-say |
to think |
|
obéir (à) |
oh-bay-eer (ah) |
to obey |
| travailler |
trah-vy-yay |
to work |
|
réussir |
ray-oo-seer |
to succeed |
| trouver |
troo-vay |
to find |
|
guérir |
gay-reer |
to cure, heal |
Note: If a verb is followed by à (like répondre) you have to use the à and any contractions after the conjugated verb. Ex: Je réponds au téléphone.
* The 2nd -ir verbs are considered irregular sometimes because there are only a few verbs which follow that pattern. Other verbs like partir are sortir (to go out), dormir (to sleep), mentir (to lie), sentir (to smell, feel) and servir (to serve.)
Pronominal (Reflexive) Verbs
These verbs are conjugated like normal verbs, but they require an extra pronoun before the verb. Most indicate a reflexive action but some are idiomatic and can't be translated literally. The pronouns are:
Some Pronominal Verbs
| s'amuser |
to have fun |
se reposer |
to rest |
| se lever |
to get up |
se souvenir de |
to remember |
| se laver |
to wash (oneself) |
s'entendre bien |
to get along well |
| se dépêcher |
to hurry |
se coucher |
to go to bed |
| se peigner |
to comb |
se brosser |
to brush |
| s'habiller |
to get dressed |
se maquiller |
to put on makeup |
| se marier |
to get married |
se casser |
to break (arm, leg, etc.) |
Note: When used in the infinitive, such as after another verb, the reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject of the sentence. Je vais me coucher maintenant. I'm going to go to bed.
| Sample Irregular Pronominal Verb |
| s'asseoir - to sit down |
| je m'assieds |
mah-see-ay |
nous nous asseyons |
noo-zah-say-ohn |
| tu t'assieds |
tah-see-ay |
vous vous asseyez |
vous-zah-say-yay |
| il s'assied |
sah-see-ay |
ils s'asseyent |
sah-say-ee |
