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How do you conjugate regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs in the present tense?

How to Conjugate Regular -er, -ir, and -re Verbs in the Present Tense

Key Grammar Points

Present Tense Verb Conjugation

In French, regular verbs fall into three groups based on their endings: -er, -ir, and -re verbs. Each group changes a little differently in the present tense.

1. Regular -er Verbs

To change regular -er verbs (like parler meaning "to speak"):

  • Take off the -er ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je (I) → -e (je parle)
    • Tu (you, singular) → -es (tu parles)
    • Il/Elle/On (he/she/one) → -e (il parle)
    • Nous (we) → -ons (nous parlons)
    • Vous (you, plural/formal) → -ez (vous parlez)
    • Ils/Elles (they) → -ent (ils parlent)

2. Regular -ir Verbs

For regular -ir verbs (like finir meaning "to finish"):

  • Take off the -ir ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je → -is (je finis)
    • Tu → -is (tu finis)
    • Il/Elle/On → -it (il finit)
    • Nous → -issons (nous finissons)
    • Vous → -issez (vous finissez)
    • Ils/Elles → -issent (ils finissent)

3. Regular -re Verbs

For regular -re verbs (like vendre meaning "to sell"):

  • Take off the -re ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je → -s (je vends)
    • Tu → -s (tu vends)
    • Il/Elle/On → (no ending) (il vend)
    • Nous → -ons (nous vendons)
    • Vous → -ez (vous vendez)
    • Ils/Elles → -ent (ils vendent)

Common Irregular Verbs

Some common irregular verbs in the present tense are:

  • être (to be): je suis, tu es, il est...
  • avoir (to have): j'ai, tu as, il a...
  • aller (to go): je vais, tu vas, il va...
  • faire (to do/make): je fais, tu fais, il fait...

Articles, Gender Agreement, and Negative Sentences

  • Articles: Use un (a) or une (a, for girls) for indefinite; use le, la, les for definite.

  • Gender Agreement: Adjectives must match the gender of the nouns (example: un livre intéressant means "an interesting book", une maison intéressante means "an interesting house").

  • Negative Sentences: To say something is not true, put ne before the verb and pas after (example: je ne parle pas means "I do not speak").

Question Formation

You can make questions using est-ce que or by switching the subject and verb (for example, Est-ce que tu viens? or Viens-tu?).

Use of Reflexive Verbs

With reflexive verbs, you need a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject (example: Je me lave means "I wash myself").

Demonstrative Adjectives

Use ce (this/that, for boys), cette (this/that, for girls), ces (these/those, plural).

Simple Future Tense Formation

To say what you will do, combine the present tense of aller (to go) with the infinitive (for example, Je vais manger means "I am going to eat").

Use of Pronouns

Subject pronouns (je, tu, il...) replace subjects, while object pronouns (me, te, le...) replace the direct objects in sentences (for example, Je le vois means "I see him").

By understanding these points, you'll be ready to make sentences and have simple conversations in French!

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How do you conjugate regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs in the present tense?

How to Conjugate Regular -er, -ir, and -re Verbs in the Present Tense

Key Grammar Points

Present Tense Verb Conjugation

In French, regular verbs fall into three groups based on their endings: -er, -ir, and -re verbs. Each group changes a little differently in the present tense.

1. Regular -er Verbs

To change regular -er verbs (like parler meaning "to speak"):

  • Take off the -er ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je (I) → -e (je parle)
    • Tu (you, singular) → -es (tu parles)
    • Il/Elle/On (he/she/one) → -e (il parle)
    • Nous (we) → -ons (nous parlons)
    • Vous (you, plural/formal) → -ez (vous parlez)
    • Ils/Elles (they) → -ent (ils parlent)

2. Regular -ir Verbs

For regular -ir verbs (like finir meaning "to finish"):

  • Take off the -ir ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je → -is (je finis)
    • Tu → -is (tu finis)
    • Il/Elle/On → -it (il finit)
    • Nous → -issons (nous finissons)
    • Vous → -issez (vous finissez)
    • Ils/Elles → -issent (ils finissent)

3. Regular -re Verbs

For regular -re verbs (like vendre meaning "to sell"):

  • Take off the -re ending.
  • Add these endings:
    • Je → -s (je vends)
    • Tu → -s (tu vends)
    • Il/Elle/On → (no ending) (il vend)
    • Nous → -ons (nous vendons)
    • Vous → -ez (vous vendez)
    • Ils/Elles → -ent (ils vendent)

Common Irregular Verbs

Some common irregular verbs in the present tense are:

  • être (to be): je suis, tu es, il est...
  • avoir (to have): j'ai, tu as, il a...
  • aller (to go): je vais, tu vas, il va...
  • faire (to do/make): je fais, tu fais, il fait...

Articles, Gender Agreement, and Negative Sentences

  • Articles: Use un (a) or une (a, for girls) for indefinite; use le, la, les for definite.

  • Gender Agreement: Adjectives must match the gender of the nouns (example: un livre intéressant means "an interesting book", une maison intéressante means "an interesting house").

  • Negative Sentences: To say something is not true, put ne before the verb and pas after (example: je ne parle pas means "I do not speak").

Question Formation

You can make questions using est-ce que or by switching the subject and verb (for example, Est-ce que tu viens? or Viens-tu?).

Use of Reflexive Verbs

With reflexive verbs, you need a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject (example: Je me lave means "I wash myself").

Demonstrative Adjectives

Use ce (this/that, for boys), cette (this/that, for girls), ces (these/those, plural).

Simple Future Tense Formation

To say what you will do, combine the present tense of aller (to go) with the infinitive (for example, Je vais manger means "I am going to eat").

Use of Pronouns

Subject pronouns (je, tu, il...) replace subjects, while object pronouns (me, te, le...) replace the direct objects in sentences (for example, Je le vois means "I see him").

By understanding these points, you'll be ready to make sentences and have simple conversations in French!

Related articles