sont, ont, font, vont

In French, certain verbs such as “être” (to be), “avoir” (to have), “faire” (to do/make), and “aller” (to go) have unique conjugation patterns. Interestingly, the third person plural forms (“they” form) of these verbs all end in “ont.” No other French verbs have the “they” form ending in “ont.” This article will explore the present tense conjugations of these verbs and provide examples of their usage.

Conjugations in the Present Tense

How to conjugate each of these verbs in the present tense.

  1. 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)
  • Ils/Elles sont (They are)
  1. 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)
  • Ils/Elles ont (They have)
  1. 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)
  • Ils/Elles font (They do/make)
  1. Aller (to go)
  • Je vais (I go)
  • Tu vas (You go)
  • Il/Elle/On va (He/She/One goes)
  • Nous allons (We go)
  • Vous allez (You go)
  • Ils/Elles vont (They go)

Usage Examples

How to use the third person plurals of these verbs in a sentence.

  1. Être (to be)
  • Les étudiants sont dans la salle de classe. (The students are in the classroom.)
  • Les fleurs sont magnifiques cette année. (The flowers are beautiful this year.)
  1. Avoir (to have)
  • Les enfants ont des jouets nouveaux. (The children have new toys.)
  • Mes amis ont une grande maison. (My friends have a big house.)
  1. Faire (to do/make)
  • Les athlètes font de l’exercice tous les jours. (The athletes exercise every day.)
  • Les chefs font un repas délicieux. (The chefs make a delicious meal.)
  1. Aller (to go)
  • Les touristes vont visiter le musée demain. (The tourists are going to visit the museum tomorrow.)
  • Mes parents vont souvent à la campagne. (My parents often go to the countryside.)

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

  • loger vs se loger

    “Loger” is a transitive verb meaning to accommodate, house, or provide lodging for someone or something. The subject provides housing to the object. “Se loger” is a reflexive verb meaning to find accommodation, to house oneself, or to settle somewhere. The subject finds or secures housing for themselves. Key structural differences Loger (transitive) This verb…

  • verb: dessiner

    Meaning The primary meaning of the French verb “dessiner” is “to draw,” “to design,” “to map out,” “to outline,” “to depict” or even “to portray.” For example, “Il a su dessiner un tableau vivant de la scène.” Conjugation “Dessiner” is a regular “-er” verb, meaning it follows the typical conjugation patterns for this type of…

  • inquiéter

    The French verb “inquiéter” and its reflexive counterpart “s’inquiéter” express worry, concern, or anxiety. While sharing the same root, these verbs have distinct uses and meanings. Basic Meanings “Inquiéter” (transitive form) means “to worry” or “to disturb” someone or something. For example: “S’inquiéter” (reflexive form) means “to worry oneself” or “to be concerned about.” It’s…

  • charger

    The French verb “charger” has a variety of different meanings. It can mean to load, to charge, to make responsible for, to bring evidence against, or to launch an attack. To load To charge To give someone the responsibility for To load (a weapon) To bring/give evidence against To launch an attack Etymology “Charger” comes…

  • ressasser

    The French verb ressasser means to go over something repeatedly in one’s mind or to keep bringing it up. It describes a mental or verbal repetition, often obsessive or negative. It can refer to thoughts, memories, worries, or conversations that someone cannot let go of. It is a regular -er verb: je ressasse, tu ressasses,…

  • monter dans vs monter à

    French learners often wonder when to use monter dans and when to use monter à. Both can be translated as “to get in” or “to get on,” but their use depends on the type of transport or the situation. Monter dansThe expression monter dans is used when someone goes inside a closed or enclosed vehicle….