Essential French Verb Conjugation: Present Tense Made Simple

Say Au Revoir to Confusion and Bonjour to French Fluency!

Author

Jean-Luc Dervin
April 09, 2025

Are you struggling with French verb conjugation? You're not alone! The present tense (le présent) is where every French learner begins their conjugation journey, and it's absolutely essential for expressing yourself in everyday conversations. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about mastering French present tense conjugation—without the headache!

Most common French verbs conjugated in present tense - être, avoir, faire, aller.

What Is the Present Tense in French?

The present tense in French (le présent de l'indicatif) is used much like in English—to talk about actions happening now, habitual actions, and general truths. The difference? French verbs change their endings based on who's performing the action, while English verbs mostly stay the same (except for that pesky third-person singular 's'!).

Let's dive into the wonderful world of French verb conjugation patterns!

The Three Verb Groups: Your Conjugation Roadmap

French verbs fall into three main groups, each with their own conjugation patterns:

1. First Group Verbs (-ER Verbs)

These are the most common verbs in French (about 90% of all verbs!) and follow a regular pattern. They all end in -ER in their infinitive form.

Example: PARLER (to speak)

  • Je parle (I speak)

  • Tu parles (You speak)

  • Il/Elle/On parle (He/She/One speaks)

  • Nous parlons (We speak)

  • Vous parlez (You speak - plural or formal)

  • Ils/Elles parlent (They speak)

Notice the pattern? Remove the -ER ending from the infinitive and add the appropriate ending: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.

Other common -ER verbs that follow this same pattern:

  • Aimer (to like/love)

  • Danser (to dance)

  • Écouter (to listen)

  • Manger (to eat)

  • Travailler (to work)

2. Second Group Verbs (-IR Verbs)

These verbs end in -IR and follow a specific pattern where all forms except nous and vous have an -ss- added to the stem.

Example: FINIR (to finish)

  • Je finis (I finish)

  • Tu finis (You finish)

  • Il/Elle/On finit (He/She/One finishes)

  • Nous finissons (We finish)

  • Vous finissez (You finish - plural or formal)

  • Ils/Elles finissent (They finish)

How can you tell if an -IR verb belongs to this group? If the nous form uses -issons, it's a second group verb.

Other common -IR verbs in this group:

  • Choisir (to choose)

  • Grandir (to grow up)

  • Réfléchir (to think/reflect)

  • Réussir (to succeed)

3. Third Group Verbs (Irregular Verbs)

This is where things get a bit... unpredictable. Third group verbs include:

  • Verbs ending in -RE

  • Some verbs ending in -IR that don't follow the second group pattern

  • And other irregular verbs

Let's look at a few common examples:

FAIRE (to do/make)

  • Je fais (I do/make)

  • Tu fais (You do/make)

  • Il/Elle/On fait (He/She/One does/makes)

  • Nous faisons (We do/make)

  • Vous faites (You do/make - plural or formal)

  • Ils/Elles font (They do/make)

AVOIR (to have)

  • J'ai (I have)

  • Tu as (You have)

  • Il/Elle/On a (He/She/One has)

  • Nous avons (We have)

  • Vous avez (You have - plural or formal)

  • Ils/Elles ont (They have)

ÊTRE (to be)

  • Je suis (I am)

  • Tu es (You are)

  • Il/Elle/On est (He/She/One is)

  • Nous sommes (We are)

  • Vous êtes (You are - plural or formal)

  • Ils/Elles sont (They are)

Common French Verbs You Need to Know

Here's a handy list of the most frequently used French verbs that you should prioritize learning:

  1. Être (to be)

  2. Avoir (to have)

  3. Faire (to do/make)

  4. Aller (to go)

  5. Dire (to say)

  6. Pouvoir (to be able to)

  7. Vouloir (to want)

  8. Venir (to come)

  9. Voir (to see)

  10. Savoir (to know)

Tricky Spelling Changes in -ER Verbs

Even within regular -ER verbs, there are some spelling changes that occur to maintain proper pronunciation:

Verbs Ending in -GER

Add an 'e' after the 'g' before 'a' and 'o' to keep the soft 'g' sound.

Example: MANGER (to eat)

  • Je mange

  • Tu manges

  • Il/Elle/On mange

  • Nous mangeons (not "mangons")

  • Vous mangez

  • Ils/Elles mangent

Verbs Ending in -CER

Add a cedilla (ç) before 'a' and 'o' to maintain the soft 'c' sound.

Example: COMMENCER (to begin)

  • Je commence

  • Tu commences

  • Il/Elle/On commence

  • Nous commençons (not "commencons")

  • Vous commencez

  • Ils/Elles commencent

Practice Makes Perfect: Conjugation Drills

Here's a quick exercise to test your understanding. Try conjugating these verbs in the present tense:

  1. Parler (to speak) with je

  2. Finir (to finish) with nous

  3. Faire (to do) with tu

  4. Avoir (to have) with ils

  5. Être (to be) with vous

(Answers: je parle, nous finissons, tu fais, ils ont, vous êtes)

Tips for Mastering French Present Tense Conjugation

  1. Group verbs by pattern: Rather than memorizing each verb individually, learn the patterns and which verbs follow them.

  2. Focus on high-frequency verbs first: Master être, avoir, faire, and aller before moving on to less common verbs.

  3. Practice with complete sentences: Instead of just conjugating verbs in isolation, use them in sentences to build your muscle memory.

  4. Use conjugation apps: Applications like Conjuguemos or Verb2Verbe can help you practice on the go.

  5. Speak out loud: Say your conjugations aloud to improve both your conjugation skills and pronunciation simultaneously.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Forgetting subject pronouns: Unlike Spanish or Italian, French requires subject pronouns (je, tu, il, etc.) in most cases.

  2. Applying -ER patterns to irregular verbs: Remember that irregular verbs need to be memorized individually.

  3. Incorrect pronunciation: Many conjugated forms sound identical in speech (parle, parles, parlent) but are written differently.

  4. Mixing up avoir and être: These two foundation verbs are frequently confused by beginners.

Conclusion: Your Next Steps in French Verb Mastery

Mastering French present tense conjugation is your first major milestone on the path to French fluency. With regular practice and exposure to the language, these patterns will become second nature.

Remember that reading and listening to French regularly helps reinforce conjugation patterns naturally. Consider subscribing to our bi-weekly French story newsletter, where you'll receive short, engaging stories designed for beginners.

Each story naturally incorporates the verb forms you're learning, helping you absorb conjugation patterns effortlessly through comprehensible input.

Reply

or to participate.