Grammar: Present tense, regular

ByFast French

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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