The French present tense, or le présent, is used to talk about actions happening now, express general truths, or even describe near-future events. Here, you’ll learn how to form and use the present tense for regular and irregular verbs, along with common examples.
Usage
The present tense is used to:
- Describe actions happening right now: Je mange — “I am eating.”
- Express general truths: Le soleil brille — “The sun shines.”
- Talk about habitual actions: Je vais à l’école — “I go to school.”
- Describe near-future plans: Je pars bientôt — “I’m leaving soon.”
- Express ongoing states or emotions: Je suis fatigué — “I am tired.”
Conjugation Rules
French verbs fall into three main groups, each with different present tense endings:
- -er verbs (e.g., parler) — most common group
- -ir verbs (e.g., finir) — stem ends with -iss- for most forms
- -re verbs (e.g., vendre)
Irregular verbs have unique patterns that must be memorized.
Regular Verb Endings
| Pronoun | -er finir | -ir finir | -re vendre | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | parle | finis | vends | I speak / finish / sell |
| tu | parles | finis | vends | You speak / finish / sell |
| il/elle/on | parle | finit | vend | He speaks / finishes / sells |
| nous | parlons | finissons | vendons | We speak / finish / sell |
| vous | parlez | finissez | vendez | You speak / finish / sell |
| ils/elles | parlent | finissent | vendent | They speak / finish / sell |
Irregular Verb Examples
| Pronoun | être | avoir | aller | faire | dire | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | suis | j’ai | je vais | je fais | je dis | I am / have / go / do / say |
| tu | es | tu as | tu vas | tu fais | tu dis | You are / have / go / do / say |
| il/elle/on | est | il a | il va | il fait | il dit | He is / has / goes / does / says |
| nous | sommes | nous avons | nous allons | nous faisons | nous disons | We are / have / go / do / say |
| vous | êtes | vous avez | vous allez | vous faites | vous dites | You are / have / go / do / say |
| ils/elles | sont | ils ont | ils vont | ils font | ils disent | They are / have / go / do / say |
Spelling Changes
Some verbs change spelling to preserve pronunciation:
- -ger verbs (manger): nous mangeons
- -cer verbs (commencer): nous commençons
- -yer verbs (payer): je paie, tu payes
- e → è verbs (lever): je lève
- é → è verbs (préférer): je préfère
Examples
Regular Verbs
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je parle français. | I speak French. |
| Tu finis tes devoirs. | You finish your homework. |
| Nous vendons des livres. | We sell books. |
Irregular Verbs
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je suis étudiant. | I am a student. |
| Ils ont un chien. | They have a dog. |
| Nous allons au parc. | We’re going to the park. |
Spelling-Change Verbs
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Nous mangeons ensemble. | We eat together. |
| Je préfère le thé. | I prefer tea. |
| Tu paies demain. | You pay tomorrow. |
Common Expressions
| French | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Il y a du monde. | There are people. | General truth/state |
| C’est facile. | It’s easy. | General truth/opinion |
| Je travaille beaucoup. | I work a lot. | Habitual action |
| Je pars à 18h. | I’m leaving at 6 p.m. | Near-future plan |
| Tu as raison. | You’re right. | Ongoing state/opinion |
Translate into French: “It’s easy.”
C’est facile.
'C’est facile.' means 'It’s easy.' Using 'c’est' (it is) is standard for general statements.
Summary
- Use the present tense for current, habitual, general, or near-future actions.
- Most verbs fit into -er, -ir, or -re groups with predictable endings.
- Irregular verbs must be memorized individually.
- Watch for spelling changes in certain verb families.
- Context and time expressions clarify meaning.
Choose the correct conjugation of 'payer' for 'je'.
Je paie demain.
'Payer' can be conjugated as 'paie' or 'paye' for 'je'. Both are correct, but 'paie' is more common in formal writing.
Flashcards (1 of 26)
- Pronoun: je
- -er finir: parle
- -ir finir: finis
- -re vendre: vends
- English Example: I speak / finish / sell
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
