Present Tense
The present tense describes habitual actions, current states, and near-future events. This guide focuses on the indicative present (le présent de l'indicatif), which is essential for everyday communication.
Usage
Use the present tense to talk about routines, general truths, ongoing actions, and planned events. It can also soften commands and relate recent events when paired with time expressions.
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Formation
Regular verbs follow predictable patterns based on their endings: -er, -ir, and -re. Learning these standard endings makes it easy to conjugate new verbs in sentences.
-er Verbs
-er verbs are the most common and follow a straightforward pattern in the present tense. The stem comes from removing -er, and endings are added consistently for each person.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je parle | I speak / I am speaking |
| tu parles | you speak / you are speaking |
| il/elle parle | he/she speaks / is speaking |
| nous parlons | we speak / we are speaking |
| vous parlez | you (pl.) speak / are speaking |
| ils/elles parlent | they speak / they are speaking |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Je plante des graines chaque printemps. | I plant seeds every spring. |
| 💧 Tu arroses les fleurs du jardin. | You water the garden flowers. |
| 🐝 Il cueille du miel sur les fleurs. | He gathers honey from the flowers. |
| 🌸 Nous taillons les branches en fleur. | We prune the flowering branches. |
| 🍃 Vous ramassez les feuilles du cerisier. | You (pl.) collect the cherry tree leaves. |
| 🌙 Elles décorent le jardin pour la fête. | They decorate the garden for the festival. |
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-ir Verbs
-ir verbs that follow the regular pattern keep the stem and add endings like -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. These endings apply to common verbs such as finir.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je finis | I finish / I am finishing |
| tu finis | you finish / you are finishing |
| il/elle finit | he/she finishes / is finishing |
| nous finissons | we finish / we are finishing |
| vous finissez | you (pl.) finish / are finishing |
| ils/elles finissent | they finish / they are finishing |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌱 Je nourris les plantes du potager. | I feed the vegetable garden plants. |
| 🐓 Tu grandis parmi les rangs de légumes. | You grow among the rows of vegetables. |
| 🐇 Elle finit de planter les bulbes. | She finishes planting the bulbs. |
| 🌾 Nous choisissons les meilleures pousses. | We choose the best shoots. |
| 🍯 Vous réfléchissez à la rotation des cultures. | You (pl.) think about crop rotation. |
| 🌼 Ils guérissent les plantes malades. | They heal the sick plants. |
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-re Verbs
‑re verbs drop the final ‑re for the stem and add endings like ‑s, ‑s, ‑t, ‑ons, ‑ez, ‑ent. This pattern applies to verbs such as vendre.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je vends | I sell / I am selling |
| tu vends | you sell / you are selling |
| il/elle vend | he/she sells / is selling |
| nous vendons | we sell / we are selling |
| vous vendez | you (pl.) sell / are selling |
| ils/elles vendent | they sell / they are selling |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🪴 Je vends des pots de fleurs au marché. | I sell flower pots at the market. |
| 📅 Tu attends le bon moment pour semer. | You wait for the right time to sow. |
| 🕊️ Il entend le chant des oiseaux du verger. | He hears the song of the orchard birds. |
| 🚜 Nous rendons le terrain plus fertile. | We make the land more fertile. |
| 🗑️ Vous perdez rarement une graine. | You (pl.) rarely lose a seed. |
| 🌾 Elles attendent la récolte avec impatience. | They eagerly await the harvest. |
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Irregular Verbs
Some high-frequency verbs change their stem or endings in ways you must memorize. These irregular verbs appear in everyday speech and writing.
être (to be)
Être is fundamental and irregular in the present tense. It is used for descriptions, identities, locations, and forming compound tenses.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je suis | I am |
| tu es | you are |
| il/elle est | he/she is |
| nous sommes | we are |
| vous êtes | you (pl.) are |
| ils/elles sont | they are |
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avoir (to have)
Avoir is irregular and widely used for possession, age, sensations, and as an auxiliary. Its forms must be learned to function smoothly.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| j'ai | I have |
| tu as | you have |
| il/elle a | he/she has |
| nous avons | we have |
| vous avez | you (pl.) have |
| ils/elles ont | they have |
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aller (to go)
Aller is irregular and commonly used both literally and to form the near future with aller + infinitive. Its present forms are important for planning and movement.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je vais | I go / I am going |
| tu vas | you go / you are going |
| il/elle va | he/she goes / is going |
| nous allons | we go / we are going |
| vous allez | you (pl.) go / are going |
| ils/elles vont | they go / they are going |
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faire (to do, to make)
Faire is irregular and appears in many expressions for activities, weather, and tasks. Its present forms are essential for describing actions and plans.
| French Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| je fais | I do / I make |
| tu fais | you do / you make |
| il/elle fait | he/she does / makes |
| nous faisons | we do / we make |
| vous faites | you (pl.) do / make |
| ils/elles font | they do / they make |
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Summary
The present tense describes habitual, current, and near-future actions. Regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs follow predictable patterns, while high-use irregular verbs like être, avoir, aller, and faire must be learned. Mastering these forms enables clear communication about everyday activities.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025