Grammar: Present tense, regular

The present tense in French covers three different tenses in English. If you take the verb “to speak,” the French present tense covers these three meanings:

1. I speak
2. I am speaking
3. I do speak

Regular -er verbs endings

1. -e
2. -es
3. -e
4. -ons
5. -ez
6. -ent

Regular -er verbs conjugation example:

Parler – to speak

1. je parle (I speak)
2. tu parles (you speak [informal singular])
3. il parle (he speaks)
4. nous parlons (we speak)
5. vous parlez (you speak [formal singular, formal plural or informal plural])
6. ils parlent (they speak)

Donner – to give

1. je donne
2. tu donnes
3. il donne
4. nous donnons
5. vous donnez
6. ils donnent

Regular -ir verbs

Regular -ir verb endings:

1. -s
2. -s
3. -t
4. -ssons
5. -ssez
6. -ssent

Regular -ir verbs conjugation example

Finir – to finish

1. je finis
2. tu finis
3. il finit
4. nous finissons
5. vous finissez
6. ils finissent

Regular -re verbs

Regular -re verb endings

1. -s
2. -s
3. –
4. -ons
5. -ez
6. -ent

Regular -re verbs conjugation example

Attendre – to wait, to wait for, to await

1. j’attends
2. tu attends
3. il attend
4. nous attendons
5. vous attendez
6. ils attendent

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