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How to use the present tense in French

 

The three groups of French verbs

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For the present, as for other tenses in French, verbs are divided into three distinct groups:

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• The first group: verbs that end in -er and are regular. Examples: gagner (to win), parler (to speak), dessiner (to draw) etc.

• The second group: verbs that end in -ir and are regular. Examples: finir (to finish), grandir (to grow up). IMPORTANT!  Some verbs in –ir are irregular and belong to the 3rd group

• The third group: irregular verbs. Examples: être (to be), avoir (to have), aller (to go), faire (to do), mourir (to die)

Verbs of the first group (-er)

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To conjugate a verb from the first group in the present tense, simply remove the final –er from the infinitive of the verb, and then add the following endings depending on the subject:

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- danser  (to dance) = we remove the –er, we then have "dans "

• For  je (I) we add -e : je danse

• For tu (you, only one person), we add -es : tu danses

• For il/elle/on (he/she/it), we add -e: il/elle/on danse

• For nous (we), we add -ons : nous dansons

• For vous (you, two or more people), we add -ez : vous dansez

• For ils/elles  (they), we add -ent (which is pronounced as if it were simply –e) = ils/elles dansent

 

Be careful! There are some irregularities with some verbs of the first group that will be explained with at the end of this module.

Verbs of the second group (-ir)

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To conjugate a verb from the second group in the present tense, simply remove the final –ir from the infinitive of the verb, and then add the following endings depending on the subject:

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- finir  (to finish) = we remove the –ir, we then have "fin "

• For je (I) we add -is : je finis

• For tu (you, only one person), we add –is : tu finis

• For il/elle/on (he/she/it), we add –it : il/elle/on finit

• For nous (we), we add -issons : nous finissons

• For vous (you, two or more people), we add -issez : vous finissez

• For ils/elles  (they), we add -issent (which is pronounced as if it were simply -isse) = ils/elles finissent

Verbs of the third group (-dre)

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For the verbs of the 3rd group, we have the verbs that end with –dre, which for most of them have a common pattern in the present tense. Simply remove the final –re from the infinitive of the verb, and then add the following endings depending on the subject:

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- vendre (to sell) = we remove the –re, we then have " vend "

• For je (I) we add -s : je vends

• For tu (you, only one person), we add –s : tu vends

• For il/elle/on (he/she/it), we add nothing : il/elle/on vend

• For nous (we), we add -ons: nous vendons

• For vous (you, two or more people), we add -ez : vous vendez

• For ils/elles (they), we add -ent (which is pronounced as if it were simply –e) = ils/elles vendent

 

Be careful! prendre (to take) and coudre (to sew) do not follow this pattern (see at the end of this module)

Verbs of the third group (tenir, venir)

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For the verbs of the 3rd group, it is very useful to know the conjugation of the verbs tenir (to hold) and venir (to come) since many other verbs are derived from these: devenir (to become), parvenir (to reach, to succeed), revenir (to come back), intervenir (to intervene, to step in), appartenir (to step in), obtenir (to get, to obtain).

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• je viens - tu tiens

• tu viens - tu tiens

• il/elle/on vient - il/elle/on tient

• nous venons – nous tenons

• vous venez – vous tenez

• ils/elles viennent – ils/elles tiennent (the final –ent is pronounced as if it were simply –e)

For similar verbs, simply add the prefix before: de+viens / par+viens / ob+tiens / re+venons / inter+viennent etc. (always in one word)

The verbs of the third group (modals)

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There are three modal verbs in French :

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devoir (must/have to)

je dois

tu dois

il/elle/on doit

nous devons

vous devez

ils/elles doivent

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pouvoir (can, be able to)

je peux

tu peux

il/elle/on peut

nous pouvons

vous pouvez

ils/elles peuvent

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vouloir (to want)

je veux

tu veux

il/elle/on veut

nous voulons

vous voulez

ils/elles veulent

Verbs of the third group (important verbs)

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Among the essential verbs to know, we have être (to be), avoir (to have) and aller (to go) which are all used to form other compound tenses, and faire (to do):

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être

je suis

tu es

il/elle/on est

nous sommes

vous êtes

ils/elles sont

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avoir

j’ai

tu as

il/elle/on a

nous avons

vous avez

ils/elles ont

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aller

je vais

tu vas

il/elle/on va

nous allons

vous allez

ils/elles vont

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faire

je fais

tu fais

il/elle/on fait

nous faisons​

vous faites

ils/elles font

Other verbs of the third group

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For the verbs of the 3rd group that were not mentioned above, you will find the conjugation of the most important of them at the end of this module.

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When to use the French present tense? A comparison with English

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As can be expected, the French present tense is used in contexts where the present simple or the present progressive is used in English:

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(progressive present) I am running: je cours (if you want to reinforce the idea of an action in progress, you can add être conjugated with the present tense with en train de, then the verb in the infinitive form: je suis en train de courir)

 

(simple present) I run every day: je cours tous les jours

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But the French present tense is also found where English will use other tenses, such as the future or the present perfect continuous. So do not follow the English conjugation to use the French present tense! Examples:

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I have been singing for two hours = je chantes depuis deux heures

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I’m going to the doctor tomorrow at 2pm = Je vais chez le médecin demain à 14h.

In which contexts can we use the present tense?

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- In French, the present tense can be used to express a current action or a current state. Examples:

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I’m talking = Je parle (or Je suis en train de parler)

 

Sorry, I’m currently working = Désolé, je travaille actuellement (or Je suis actuellement en train de travailler)

 

He’s late = Il est en retard

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- The present tense can be used to express a habit or a repeated action, or a general state. Examples:

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I work every Friday = Je travaille tous les vendredis

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He’s always late = Il est toujours en retard

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- The present tense can be used to express a future action, when the date of it is known and specified (possibility also to use the future, see the chapter "Expressing the future in French"). Examples:

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I’m working next week = Je travaille la semaine prochaine

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I’m cooking tomorrow evening at home = Je cuisine demain soir chez moi

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- The present tense can be used to express absolute or general truth. Example:

 

The sun rises in the east. = Le soleil se lève à l’est.

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Water will boil at 100 °C = L’eau bout à 100 °C.

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- The present tense can be used to express an action that started in the past and is still ongoing at the present moment:

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I have been swimming for one hour. = Je nage depuis une heure.

 

I have been travelling since last week. = Je voyage depuis la semaine dernière.

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- The present tense can be used to express a likely condition in 'if' sentences. Note here that the verb that expresses what happens if the condition is true, is in the future. Refer to the chapter “ The Conditional ” for details on “if” contexts. Here are some examples:

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If he comes, I won't stay. = S’il vient (the condition, present tense), je ne resterai pas (what happens if it's the case, futur).

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If you win, I'll congratulate you = Si tu gagnes, je te féliciterai. (the condition "tu gagnes" is in the present, and what I will do if it is the case, "te féliciterai", is in the future)

 

Irregularities of some verbs of the 1st group

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• Verbs ending in –cer. The « c » turns into « ç » when the verb is conjugated with « nous » . This change happens to keep the “s” sound before -ons. Example: je commence (I begin), but nous commençons (we begin).

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

placer (to place), commencer (to begin), balancer (to throw), tracer (to trace/to track), forcer (to force)

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• Verbs ending in –ger. We add an « e »  after « g »  when conjugated with « nous ». This change happens to keep the soft “g” sound before -ons. Example: je mange (I eat), but nous mangeons (we eat).

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

changer (to change), exiger (to require/impose), voyager (to travel), corriger (correct), manger (to eat)

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• Verbs ending in –ayer, -uyer and -oyer. The « y »  becomes « i » except when conjugated with « nous » and « vous ». Example: j’essaie (I try), tu essaies (you try), il/elle essaie (he/she tries), but nous essayons (we try), vous essayez (you try), and then back to « i », ils essaient (they try)

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

essayer (to try), payer (to pay), balayer (to sweep), effrayer (to scare), nettoyer (to clean), essuyer (to wipe)

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• Verbs ending in –eler and -eter. All the forms except « nous » and « vous », will double the « l » or the « t » when conjugated in the present tense. Examples: j’appelle (I call) or tu appelles (you call), but nous appelons (we call) and vous appelez (you call). Another example: il jette (he throws), but nous jetons (we throw) and vous jetez (you throw)

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

appeler (to call), épeler (to spell), rappeler (to call back), jeter (to throw), rejeter (to reject), projeter (to project)

 

Be careful! Note that « e » before the double « l » and double « t », is pronounced as « è ».

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• Verbs ending in -eler, -ener, -eter, -eser, and -ever which don’t have a double consonant in their spelling, will take an « accent grave » (« è ») in all forms, except with nous and vous. Example: je gèle (I’m freezing), but nous gelons (we are freezing) and vous gelez (you are freezing)

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

geler (to freeze), peler (to peel), emmener (to bring), mener (to lead), (se) promener (to walk/take a walk), acheter (to buy), achever (to complete/to finish off), élever (to raise), enlever (to remove), lever (to lift)

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Be careful! Note that épeler (to spell), jeter (to throw) and similar verbs rejeter or projeter follow the pattern of appeler despite not having a double consonant in their spelling (see the previous paragraph)

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• Verbs ending in -éder, -érer, -éter and –ébrer. The last « é » will become « è »  in all forms, except with nous and vous (it stays « é »).  Example: je cède (I yield), but nous cédons (we yield) and vous cédez (you yield)

Here is a list of a few verbs having this irregularity:

céder (to yield), espérer (to hope), préférer (to prefer), exagérer (to exaggerate), considérer (to consider), répéter (to repeat/rehearse), célébrer (to celebrate)

 

Verbs of the 3rd group: prendre and coudre

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These two verbs are different from the other verbs ending with –dre:

 

prendre (to take)

je prends

tu prends

il/elle/on prend

nous prenons

vous prenez

ils/elles prennent

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coudre (to sew)

je couds

tu couds

il/elle/on coud

nous cousons

vous cousez

ils/elles cousent

 

Verbs of the 3rd group: mettre and verbs ending in -tre

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Note that the consonant 't' only doubles if it is followed by a vowel, if the verb has two 't's in its infinitive form:

 

mettre (to put)

je mets

tu mets

il/elle/on met

nous mettons

vous mettez

ils/elles mettent

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Verbs of the 3rd group: ending in -ir

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To find out if a verb that ends in –ir belongs to the 2nd or the 3rd group, you have to add the ending –ant:

• If you have -issant, then this is the 2nd group. Exemple: grandissant (verb grandir = to grow)

• If we don 't have that, then this is the 3rd group. Exemple: disant (verb dire = to say)

 

The verbs of the 3rd group that end in -ir  follow the pattern of courir. There are two exceptions, dire and servir.

 

courir (to run)

je cours

tu cours

elle/il/on court

nous courons

vous courez

ils/elles courent

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dire (to say)

je dis

tu dis

elle/il/on dit

nous disons

vous dites

ils/elles disent

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servir (to serve)

je sers

tu sers

elle/il/on sert

nous servons

vous servez

ils/elles servent

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Be careful! The verbs offrir (to offer), ouvrir (to open), souffrir (to suffer) and cueillir (to pick/to pluck) are conjugated like the verbs of the first group

 

Verbs of the 3rd group: endings in -eindre, -aindre and – oindre

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For these verbs, we remove the final -dre  and then we add the following endings:

 

craindre (to fear)

je crains

tu crains

elle/il/on craint

nous craignons

vous craignez

ils/elles craignent

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joindre (to join)

je joins

tu joins

elle/il/on joint

nous joignons

vous joignez

ils/elles joignent

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peindre (to paint)

je peins

tu peins

elle/il/on peint

nous peignons

vous peignez

ils/elles peignent

 

Verbs of the 3rd group: endings in –oir and -cevoir

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The verbs in -cevoir are conjugated like percevoir (to perceive), the verbs in -oir like voir (to see) and pleuvoir (to rain) is different:

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apercevoir

j’aperçois

tu aperçois

elle/il/on aperçoit

nous apercevons

vous apercevez

ils/elles aperçoivent

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voir

je vois

tu vois

elle/il/on voit

nous voyons

vous voyez

ils/elles voient

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pleuvoir

Il/elle pleut

ils/elles pleuvent

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