regular -re verbs

French verbs that end in “re” also follow a regular pattern for their conjugation in the present tense and the passé composé. A good example is the verb “vendre,” which means “to sell.”

Regular -re verb endings

PersonEnding
je-s
tu-s
il/elle/on(no ending, just the stem)
nous-ons
vous-ez
ils/elles-ent

“vendre” conjugated

present tense:
je vends
tu vends
il/elle/on vend
nous vendons
vous vendez
ils/elles vendent

In the passé composé, these verbs use the auxiliary verb “avoir” plus the past participle, which is formed by replacing “re” with “u.”

passé composé:
j’ai vendu
tu as vendu
il/elle/on a vendu
nous avons vendu
vous avez vendu
ils/elles ont vendu

Examples using “vendre”

Je vends ma voiture.
I am selling my car.

Tu vends beaucoup de livres.
You sell many books.

Il vend ses tableaux dans une galerie.
He sells his paintings in a gallery.

Nous vendons notre maison.
We are selling our house.

Vous vendez ces produits en ligne ?
Do you sell these products online?

Elles vendent des fleurs au marché.
They sell flowers at the market.

J’ai vendu mon vélo hier.
I sold my bike yesterday.

Tu as vendu ta vieille guitare ?
Did you sell your old guitar?

Nous avons vendu tout le stock.
We sold all the stock.

Examples of other -re verbs

Attendre (to wait)
J’attends le bus.
I am waiting for the bus.

Ils attendent leurs amis.
They are waiting for their friends.

Nous avons attendu une heure.
We waited for an hour.

Répondre (to answer)
Elle répond toujours poliment.
She always answers politely.

Avez-vous répondu à la question ?
Did you answer the question?

Perdre (to lose)
Je perds souvent mes clés.
I often lose my keys.

Les enfants perdent leurs jouets.
The children lose their toys.

Entendre (to hear)
Il entend un bruit bizarre.
He hears a strange noise.

As-tu entendu la nouvelle ?
Did you hear the news?

Rendre (to give back)
Tu rends le livre demain ?
Are you giving the book back tomorrow?

Nous rendons visite à nos parents.
We are visiting our parents.

Most frequently used regular -re verbs

  • vendre (to sell)
  • attendre (to wait)
  • entendre (to hear)
  • répondre (to answer)
  • perdre (to lose)
  • rendre (to give back, to return)
  • défendre (to defend, to forbid)
  • descendre (to go down, to get off)
  • fondre (to melt)
  • mordre (to bite)
  • prétendre (to claim)
  • répandre (to spread)
  • tendre (to stretch, to tighten, to hand)
  • dépendre (to depend)

All of these follow the same pattern as “vendre” in the present tense and the passé composé.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • homeless

    In French, several terms are used to refer to people who are homeless. Some are neutral and administrative, while others are older or more colloquial, and may carry connotations of pity or stigma. The two most commonly encountered terms are SDF and clochard. Other related terms include sans-abri, sans domicile, and marginal. SDF SDF is…

  • Beyond hier and demain

    Translating “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after” into French You may already know the French words “hier” (yesterday) and “demain” (tomorrow). French offers several expressions to convey concepts like “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after.” Each has its unique nuances depending on the context. 1. “The day before” The English phrase…

  • Verb: réussir

    The French verb “réussir” means “to succeed,” but it can also mean “to achieve,” “to carry off (something) successfully,” “to win,” or “to pass (an exam).” Etymology: The word “réussir” was borrowed in the early 16th century from the Italian verb “riuscire,” meaning “to re-issue” or “to go out again.” The Italian “riuscire,” is made up…

  • aérer

    The French verb aérer comes from air and means to let air circulate, to ventilate, or to expose something to fresh air. It is an -er verb, conjugated like parler. Its uses extend beyond literal ventilation and include figurative meanings, such as clearing one’s head, or making something lighter and less dense. It is pronounced…

  • happen (version 2.0)

    The English verb “to happen” has various meanings and nuances that can be expressed in different ways in French. The choice of translation depends on the context in which the word is used. This article explores the most common French equivalents for “happen” and provides examples for each. 1. Se produire Se produire is often…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *