Le Présent

The présent tense in French is used to describe actions that are ongoing, facts, and repeated actions in the present, as well as scheduled future actions. It corresponds to the English simple present.

The French present tense is used:

• for facts or situations in the present

La fille s'appelle Alice.

The girl's name is Alice.

• for actions that take place in the present once, multiple times, or never

Tous les vendredis, elle va au cinéma.

Every Friday, she goes to the cinema.

• for actions that started in the past and are ongoing in the present

Elle joue du piano depuis 2 ans.

She has been playing the piano for 2 years.

• for a future action that is already planned or agreed upon (requires a specific future time indicator)

Lundi prochain à 10h, j'ai une interview.

Next Monday at 10 a.m., I have an interview.

Regular -er Verbs

To conjugate a regular -er verb, drop the -er of the infinitive to get the stem.

Then add the six present tense endings specific to -er verbs:

1st person singular (I) -e

2nd person singular (you) -es

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -e

1st person plural (we) -ons

2nd person plural (you) -ez

3rd person plural (they) -ent

Example:

parler (to talk, speak)

je parle

tu parles

il/elle/on parle

nous parlons

vous parlez

ils/elles parlent

Exceptions:

There are also minor spelling changes for verbs ending in “-cer”, “-ger”, “-yer”, …

The only French verb ending in -ER which is truly irregular is “aller“.

Example of iregular -er verbs:

aller

manger

appeler

lever

nettoyer

répéter

Regular -ir Verbs

To conjugate a regular -ir verb, drop the -ir of the infinitive to get the stem.

Then add the six present tense endings specific to these verbs:

1st person singular (I) -is

2nd person singular (you) -is

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -it

1st person plural (we) -issons

2nd person plural (you) -issez

3rd person plural (they) -issent

Example:

choisir (to choose)

je choisis

tu choisis

il/elle/on choisit

nous choisissons

vous choisissez

ils/elles choisissent

Exceptions:

It's important to keep in mind that there are a number of irregular -ir verbs in French.

These verbs can be tricky, but there are only about 50 irregular -ir verbs in French.

Regular -re Verbs

To form the present tense of an -re verb, drop the -re of the infinitive, like you do for -er and -ir verbs.

When you do that, you’re left with the stem for the conjugation of the present tense, and you can add the present tense endings specific to -re verbs:

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it)

1st person plural (we) -ons

2nd person plural (you) -ez

3rd person plural (they) -ent

Example:

vendre (to sell)

je vends

tu vends

il/elle/on vend

nous vendons

vous vendez

ils/elles vendent

Exceptions:

• Verbs like rompre

Rompre and its derivations are conjugated the same with one exception: in the third person singular, the ending is a t.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -t

1st person plural (we) -ons

2nd person plural (you) -ez

3rd person plural (they) -ent

Rompre (to break up)

je romps

tu romps

il/elle/on rompt

nous rompons

vous rompez

ils/elles rompent

Other similar verbs:

corrompre to corrupt

interrompre to interrupt

• Verbs that end in -crire

All verbs that end in -crire are conjugated in the present tense by dropping -re and adding v to the plural forms.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -t

1st person plural (we) -vons

2nd person plural (you) -vez

3rd person plural (they) -vent

écrire (to write)

j’écris

tu écris

il/elle/on écrit

nous écrivons

vous écrivez

ils/elles écrivent

Other similar verbs:

transcrire to transcribe

décrire to describe

souscrire to subscribe

• Verbs that end in -uire, –dire, –fire and –lire

All verbs that end in -uire, –dire, –fire and –lire are conjugated in the present tense by dropping -re and adding s to the plural forms.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -t

1st person plural (we) -sons

2nd person plural (you) -sez

3rd person plural (they) -sent

Cuire (to cook)

je cuis

tu cuis

il cuit

nous cuisons

vous cuisez

ils cuisent

• Verbs that end in -aindre, -eindre, and -oindre

All verbs that end in -aindre, -eindre, and -oindre are conjugated in the present tense by dropping the d in all forms and adding g in front of n in the plural forms.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -t

1st person plural (we) -gnons

2nd person plural (you) -gnez

3rd person plural (they) -gnent

Joindre (to join)

je joins

tu joins

il joint

nous joignons

vous joignez

ils joignent

Other similar verbs:

peindre to paint

plaindre to pity, to feel sorry for

craindre to fear

• Verbs that end in -ttre

All verbs that end in –ttre are conjugated in the present tense by dropping the second t in all the singular forms.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it)

1st person plural (we) -ons

2nd person plural (you) -ez

3rd person plural (they) -ent

Mettre (to put)

Je mets

Tu mets

Il met

Nous mettons

Vous mettez

Ils mettent

Other similar verbs:

admettre to admit

soumettre to submit

Please be aware that verbs that end in -battre have a different past participle and therefore different passé simple and imperfect subjunctive conjugations from verbs that end in -mettre.

• Verbs like Prendre

Prendre and all of its derivations are conjugated in the present tense by dropping the d in all the plural forms and doubling the n in the third person plural.

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it)

1st person plural (we) -ons

2nd person plural (you) -ez

3rd person plural (they) -nent

Prendre (to take)

Je prends

Tu prends

Il prend

Nous prenons

Vous prenez

Ils prennent

Other similar verbs:

apprendre to learn

comprendre to understand

surprendre to surprize

• Verbs that end in -aître

All verbs that end in -aître (except naître) are conjugated in the present tense as follows: drop –tre in all forms and use the following irregular endings:

1st person singular (I) -s

2nd person singular (you) -s

3rd person singular (he/she/it) -t

1st person plural (we) -ssons

2nd person plural (you) -ssez

3rd person plural (they) -ssent

Connaître (to know)

Je connais

Tu connais

Il connaît

Nous connaissons

Vous connaissez

Ils connaissent

Other similar verbs:

apparaître to appear

disparaître to disappear

transparaître to show through

• The really irregular -re verbs

Some examples would be:

boire, clore, conclure, coudre, croire, absoudre, distraire, être, faire, moudre, naître, plaire, rire, suivre, se taire, vivre.

All verbs are divided in three groups:

1. Verbes du premier groupe – "regular" -er verbs

2. Verbes du deuxième groupe – regular -ir verbs

3. Verbes du troisième groupe – irregular verbs

All the irregular verbs are forming the third group of verbs.