Understanding Present Tense Forms of Irregular Verbs in French

Knowing how to use the present tense of irregular verbs in French is really important for speaking and writing well. In this article, we’ll look at four main irregular verbs: avoir (to have), être (to be), aller (to go), and faire (to do/make). We’ll also share some extra grammar points to help you learn more about how French verbs work.

Present Tense Conjugation of Irregular Verbs

1. Avoir (to have)

Here’s how to conjugate it:

• Je (I) - ai
• Tu (you - informal) - as
• Il/Elle (he/she) - a
• Nous (we) - avons
• Vous (you - formal/plural) - avez
• Ils/Elles (they - masculine/feminine) - ont

Example Sentences:

• J’ai un livre. (I have a book.)
• Ils ont des amis. (They have friends.)

2. Être (to be)

Conjugation:

• Je - suis
• Tu - es
• Il/Elle - est
• Nous - sommes
• Vous - êtes
• Ils/Elles - sont

Example Sentences:

• Je suis étudiant(e). (I am a student.)
• Nous sommes contents. (We are happy.)

3. Aller (to go)

Conjugation:

• Je - vais
• Tu - vas
• Il/Elle - va
• Nous - allons
• Vous - allez
• Ils/Elles - vont

Example Sentences:

• Tu vas au cinéma. (You are going to the cinema.)
• Elles vont à la plage. (They are going to the beach.)

4. Faire (to do/make)

Conjugation:

• Je - fais
• Tu - fais
• Il/Elle - fait
• Nous - faisons
• Vous - faites
• Ils/Elles - font

Example Sentences:

• Il fait du sport. (He does sports.)
• Nous faisons le devoir. (We are doing homework.)

Summary of Irregular Verb Forms

Here’s a quick chart to show how these verbs conjugate:

| Verb | Je | Tu | Il/Elle | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles | |--------|------|-----|---------|----------|--------|-----------| | Avoir | ai | as | a | avons | avez | ont | | Être | suis | es | est | sommes | êtes | sont | | Aller | vais | vas | va | allons | allez | vont | | Faire | fais | fais| fait | faisons | faites | font |

Additional Grammar Points

a. Present tense conjugation of regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs

While we mostly talked about irregular verbs here, there are regular verbs that follow specific patterns:

• -er: parler (to speak) - je parle
• -ir: finir (to finish) - je finis
• -re: vendre (to sell) - je vends

b. Basic Negation (ne...pas)

To say a sentence is negative, use ne before the verb and pas after it.

Example:

• Je n’ai pas de stylo. (I do not have a pen.)
• Il n’est pas ici. (He is not here.)

c. Agreement of Adjectives in Gender and Number

In French, adjectives must match the noun they describe in gender (male or female) and number (singular or plural).

Example:

• Un livre intéressant (An interesting book - masculine singular)
• Des livres intéressants (Interesting books - masculine plural)
• Une fille intelligente (An intelligent girl - feminine singular)

d. Use of Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns tell us who is doing the action and are important when we conjugate verbs.

Here are some common subject pronouns:

• Je - I
• Tu - You (informal)
• Il/Ellle - He/She
• Nous - We
• Vous - You (formal/plural)
• Ils/Elles - They (masculine/feminine)

By learning these irregular verbs and understanding the grammar rules, you'll get better at speaking and writing in French. Keep practicing, and soon you'll feel more confident using these verbs in different situations!