Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present Indicative Tense
Verbs in French end in -er, -re, or -ir. The verb before it is conjugated is called the infinitive. Removing the last two letters leaves you with the stem (aimer is the infinitive, aim- is the stem.) The present indicative tense indicates an ongoing action, general state, or habitual activity. Besides the simple present tense (I write, I run, I see); there are two other forms of the present tense in English: the progressive (I am writing, I am running, etc.) and the emphatic (I do write, I do run, etc.) However, these three English present tenses are all translated by the present indicative tense in French.
To conjugate verbs in the present tense, use the stem and add the following endings.
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-er
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-re
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1st -ir
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2nd -ir*
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-e
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-ons
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-s
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-ons
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-is
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-issons
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-s
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-ons
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-es
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-ez
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-s
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-ez
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-is
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-issez
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-s
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-ez
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-e
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-ent
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-
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-ent
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-it
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-issent
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-t
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-ent
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Sample Regular Verbs in the Present tense
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aimer - to like, love
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vendre - to sell
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aime
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/em/
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aimons
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/emɔ̃/
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vends
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/vɑ̃/
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vendons
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/vɑ̃dɔ̃/
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aimes
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/em/
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aimez
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/eme/
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vends
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/vɑ̃/
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vendez
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/vɑ̃de/
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aime
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/em/
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aiment
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/em/
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vend
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/vɑ/̃
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vendent
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/vɑ̃d/
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finir - to finish
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partir - to leave
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finis
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/fini/
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finissons
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/finisɔ̃/
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pars
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/paʀ/
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partons
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/paʀtɔ̃/
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finis
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/fini/
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finissez
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/finise/
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pars
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/paʀ/
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partez
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/paʀte/
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finit
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/fini/
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finissent
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/finis/
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part
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/paʀ/
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partent
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/paʀt/
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Notice how several conjugations are pronounced the same. This is why you must use the subject pronouns in French.
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Regular verbs
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-er
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-re
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aimer
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/eme/
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to like, love
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vendre
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/vɑ̃dʀ/
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to sell
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chanter
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/ʃɑ̃te/
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to sing
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attendre
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/atɑ̃dʀ/
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to wait for
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chercher
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/ʃɛʀʃe/
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to look for
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entendre
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/ɑ̃tɑ̃dʀ/
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to hear
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commencer
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/kɔmɑ̃se/
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to begin
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perdre
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/pɛʀdʀ/
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to lose
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donner
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/dɔne/
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to give
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répondre (à)
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/ʀepɔ̃dʀ/
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to answer
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étudier
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/etydje/
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to study
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descendre
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/dɛsɑ̃dʀ/
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to go down
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fermer
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/fɛʀme/
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to close
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1st -ir
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habiter
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/abite/
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to live
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bâtir
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/bɑtiʀ/
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to build
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jouer
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/ʒwe/
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to play
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finir
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/finiʀ/
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to finish
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manger
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/mɑ̃ʒe/
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to eat
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choisir
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/ʃwaziʀ/
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to choose
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montrer
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/mɔ̃tʀe/
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to show
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punir
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/pyniʀ/
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to punish
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parler
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/paʀle/
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to speak
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remplir
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/ʀɑ̃pliʀ/
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to fill
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penser
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/pɑ̃se/
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to think
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obéir (à)
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/ɔbeiʀ/
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to obey
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travailler
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/tʀavaje/
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to work
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réussir
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/ʀeysiʀ/
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to succeed
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trouver
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/tʀuve/
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to find
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guérir
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/geʀiʀ/
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to cure, heal
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If a verb is followed by à (like répondre) you have to use the à and any contractions after the conjugated verb. Ex: Je réponds au téléphone. I answer the phone.
* The 2nd -ir verbs are considered irregular sometimes because there are only a few verbs which follow that pattern. Other verbs like partir are sortir /sɔʀtiʀ/ (to go out), dormir /dɔʀmiʀ/ (to sleep), mentir /mɑ̃tiʀ/ (to lie), sentir /sɑ̃tiʀ/ (to smell, feel) and servir /sɛʀviʀ/ (to serve.)
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