Conjugating Regular -er Verbs in the Present Tense

In French, verbs fall into three groups based on how they end: -er, -ir, and -re.

Right now, let's look at regular -er verbs. These are the most common verbs you will find in French.

1. How to Conjugate Regular -er Verbs

To change (or "conjugate") regular -er verbs into the present tense, follow these easy steps:

1. Find the base form. For example, the verb "parler" means "to speak."
2. Take off the -er ending to get the base: "parl-."
3. Add the right endings based on who is doing the action.

Here are the endings you will use for regular -er verbs:

• je (I) → -e
• tu (you, talking to one person) → -es
• il/elle/on (he/she/one) → -e
• nous (we) → -ons
• vous (you, talking to many people or one formal person) → -ez
• ils/elles (they) → -ent

Example using "parler":

• 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)

2. Subject Pronouns

Always pair the verb with the right subject pronouns:

• je (I)
• tu (you, informal)
• il (he)
• elle (she)
• on (one/people)
• nous (we)
• vous (you, formal/plural)
• ils (they, masculine)
• elles (they, feminine)

3. Negative Sentences

To make a negative sentence, use the structure ne...pas. Put "ne" before the verb and "pas" after it.

Example:

• Je ne parle pas. (I do not speak.)

4. Articles and Agreement

In French, notice the definite articles (like "the") and indefinite articles (like "a") that help you point out nouns:

• le (the - masculine)
• la (the - feminine)
• l' (the - when it starts with a vowel)
• un (a - masculine)
• une (a - feminine)

Example:

• Le livre (the book - masculine)
• Une voiture (a car - feminine)

5. Demonstrative Adjectives

Use demonstrative adjectives to talk about something specific:

• ce (this/that - masculine)
• cette (this/that - feminine)
• ces (these/those - plural)

Example:

• Ce livre (this book)
• Cette voiture (this car)

6. Asking Questions

You can ask questions using "est-ce que":

Example:

• Est-ce que tu parles français? (Do you speak French?)

7. Possessive Adjectives

Use possessive adjectives to show who something belongs to:

• mon (my - masculine)
• ma (my - feminine)
• mes (my - plural)
• ton (your - masculine)
• ta (your - feminine)
• tes (your - plural)

Example:

• Mon livre (my book)

8. Simple Conjunctions

You can connect your thoughts using simple joining words:

• et (and)
• mais (but)
• ou (or)

Example:

• J’aime le français et l’anglais. (I like French and English.)

9. Immediate Future

Finally, to say what will happen soon, use aller + infinitive (going + verb):

Example:

• Je vais parler. (I am going to speak.)

With these rules and tips, you can confidently use regular -er verbs in the present tense and improve your basic French conversations. Happy learning!