French regular verbs are grouped into three main families based on their infinitive endings: -er, -ir, and -re. Each group follows a systematic conjugation pattern in the present tense, allowing learners to predict the correct forms for most verbs once they know the pattern.
- -er verbs (e.g., parler, aimer) are the most common and follow a straightforward pattern.
- -ir verbs (e.g., finir, choisir) have their own distinctive endings.
- -re verbs (e.g., vendre, attendre) also follow a unique set of endings.
-er Verbs
Most French verbs are in the -er family. To conjugate regular -er verbs, remove the -er from the infinitive to get the stem, then add the following endings:
| Subject | Ending | Example: Parler (to speak) |
|---|---|---|
| Je | -e | Je parle |
| Tu | -es | Tu parles |
| Il/Elle/On | -e | Il parle |
| Nous | -ons | Nous parlons |
| Vous | -ez | Vous parlez |
| Ils/Elles | -ent | Ils parlent |
- Infinitive: parler → Stem: parl-
- Present: Je parle, Tu parles, Il parle, Nous parlons, Vous parlez, Ils parlent
- [x] Use the correct -er ending for each subject.
- [x] Remove -er to find the stem.
- [x] Recognize that -er verbs are the largest verb family.
-ir Verbs
Regular -ir verbs are conjugated by removing -ir from the infinitive and adding these endings:
| Subject | Ending | Example: Finir (to finish) |
|---|---|---|
| Je | -is | Je finis |
| Tu | -is | Tu finis |
| Il/Elle/On | -it | Il finit |
| Nous | -issons | Nous finissons |
| Vous | -issez | Vous finissez |
| Ils/Elles | -issent | Ils finissent |
- Infinitive: finir → Stem: fin-
- Present: Je finis, Tu finis, Il finit, Nous finissons, Vous finissez, Ils finissent
- [x] Match subjects with -is/-it/-issons/-issez/-issent endings.
- [x] Drop -ir to get the stem.
- [x] Know that not all -ir verbs are regular, but these patterns apply to many.
-re Verbs
For regular -re verbs, remove -re from the infinitive and use these endings:
| Subject | Ending | Example: Vendre (to sell) |
|---|---|---|
| Je | -s | Je vends |
| Tu | -s | Tu vends |
| Il/Elle/On | - | Il vend |
| Nous | -ons | Nous vendons |
| Vous | -ez | Vous vendez |
| Ils/Elles | -ent | Ils vendent |
- Infinitive: vendre → Stem: vend-
- Present: Je vends, Tu vends, Il vend, Nous vendons, Vous vendez, Ils vendent
- [x] Use -s, -s, -, -ons, -ez, -ent for -re verbs.
- [x] Remove -re for the stem.
- [x] Apply this pattern to most regular -re verbs.
Conclusion
French regular verbs fall into three neat families (-er, -ir, -re), each with its own conjugation rules. Mastering these patterns unlocks hundreds of verbs for accurate use in the present tense.
- -er, -ir, and -re are the main verb families for regular verbs.
- Each family has a specific set of endings for the present tense.
- Knowing the patterns helps you conjugate any regular verb correctly.
-er, -ir, and -re
-er
-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
Remove the infinitive ending (-er, -ir, -re)
-is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent
-s, -s, -, -ons, -ez, -ent