# French/Grammar/Tenses/Present indicative

Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts

## Usage of the Present

When you want to talk about something that's happening now.

## Formation of the Present

To form the present tense, there are seven categories of verbs that you need to know about, sorted by their endings, and if they are regular (follow the rules) or irregular (have their own rules).
They are:
* -er verbs
* -ir verbs
* -re verbs
and
* irregular -er verbs
* irregular -ir verbs
* irregular -re verbs
* really really irregular verbs

### Regular Verbs
#### Regular -er Verbs

* For non stem-changing regular -er verbs, the stem is determined by removing the final -er.
* After determining the stem, conjugate by adding the appropriate endings.
| Subject | Ending |
| je | -e |
| tu | -es |
| il | -e |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils | -ent |

#### Conjugation of Regular -ir Verbs

* For regular -ir verbs, the stem is determined by removing the final -ir.
* After determining the stem, conjugate by adding the appropriate endings.
| Subject | Ending |
| je | -is |
| tu | -is |
| il | -it |
| nous | -issons |
| vous | -issez |
| ils | -issent |

#### Conjugation of Regular -re Verbs

* For regular -re verbs, the stem is determined by removing the final -re.
* After determining the stem, conjugate by adding the appropriate endings.
| Subject | Ending |
| je | -s |
| tu | -s |
| il | - |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils | -ent |

### Irregular Conjugations

* Several verbs are irregularly conjugated in the present.
* Some verbs can be categorized by the general pattern they follow, while others are completely irregular.
* Irregular verbs are too numerous to be entirely provided here. Only some common irregular verbs will be shown.

#### Stem Changing -er Verbs

* Several French verbs are stem-changing; the endings for conjugation basically remain the same, but slight changes occur with the stem.
* One may divide the category of stem-changing verbs into two subcategories: verbs whose stems change only in the nous form and verbs whose stems change only in the je, tu, il, and ils forms.
-cer Verbs
* To conjugate a -cer verb in the nous form, change the c to a ç.
* Conjugations in the je, tu, il, vous, and ils forms remain unaffected.
-ger Verbs
* To conjugate a -ger verb in the nous form, add an e between the final g and the ending ons.
* Conjugations in the je, tu, il, vous, and ils forms remain unaffected.
-ayer, -oyer, and -uyer Verbs
* To conjugate an -ayer, -oyer, or -uyer verb in the je, tu, il, and ils forms, change the y to i.
* Conjugations in the nous and vous forms remain unaffected.
-eler Verbs
* To conjugate an -eler verb in the je, tu, il, and ils forms, change the l to ll.
* Conjugations in the nous and vous forms remain unaffected.
-eter Verbs
* To conjugate an -eter verb in the je, tu, il, and ils forms, change the t to tt.
* Conjugations in the nous and vous forms remain unaffected.
Verbs with e in the second to last syllable
* To conjugate a verb with an e in the second to last syllable in the je, tu, il, and ils forms, change the e to è.
* Conjugations in the nous and vous forms remain unaffected.
Verbs with é in the second to last syllable
* To conjugate a verb with an é in the second to last syllable in the je, tu, il, and ils forms, change the é to è.
* Conjugations in the nous and vous forms remain unaffected.

#### Irregular -ir Verb Patterns

Couvrir
* The verbs couvrir, cueillir, offrir, ouvrir, and souffrir, follow this pattern.
* The stem is determined by removing the final -ir.
* Although the verbs are -ir verbs, they are treated like regular -er verbs for the purpose of conjugation. Thus, they utilize the regular endings for -er verbs.
Dormir
* The verbs dormir, mentir, partir, sentir, servir, and sortir follow this pattern.
* For conjugating the plural forms (nous, vous, ils), the stem is determined by removing the final -ir.
* For conjugating the singular forms (je, tu, il), the stem is the same as the plural stem, except that the last letter of the plural stem is removed in addition to the -ir.
* The verb ending pattern for these verbs is as follows:
| Subject | Ending |
| je | -s |
| tu | -s |
| il | -t |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils | -ent |

#### Irregular -re Verb Patterns

-aindre, -eindre, and -oindre Verbs
* Verbs ending with -aindre, -eindre, and -oindre follow this pattern.
* For conjugating the singular forms (je, tu, il), the stem is determined by removing the final -dre.
* For conjugating the plural forms (nous, vous, ils), the stem is the same as the singular stem, except that a g is immediately after the final i and before the final n.
* The verb ending pattern for these verbs is as follows:
| Subject | Ending |
| je | -s |
| tu | -s |
| il | -t |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils | -ent |

#### Completely Irregular Verbs

Aller - To Go
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | vais |
| tu | vas |
| il | va |
| nous | allons |
| vous | allez |
| ils | vont |
S'asseoir - To Sit
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je m' | assieds |
| tu t' | assieds |
| il s' | assied |
| nous nous | asseyons |
| vous vous | asseyez |
| ils s' | asseyent |
Avoir - To Have
| Subject | Conjugation |
| j' | ai |
| tu | as |
| il | a |
| nous | avons |
| vous | avez |
| ils | ont |
Boire - To Drink
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | bois |
| tu | bois |
| il | boit |
| nous | buvons |
| vous | buvez |
| ils | boivent |
Conduire - To Drive
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | conduis |
| tu | conduis |
| il | conduit |
| nous | conduisons |
| vous | conduisez |
| ils | conduisent |
Connaître - To Know (A person)
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | connais |
| tu | connais |
| il | connaît |
| nous | connaissons |
| vous | connaissez |
| ils | connaissent |
Croire - To Believe
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | crois |
| tu | crois |
| il | croit |
| nous | croyons |
| vous | croyez |
| ils | croient |
Devoir - To Have To
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | dois |
| tu | dois |
| il | doit |
| nous | devons |
| vous | devez |
| ils | doivent |
Dire - To Say/To Tell
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | dis |
| tu | dis |
| il | dit |
| nous | disons |
| vous | dites |
| ils | disent |
Écrire - TO Write
| Subject | Conjugation |
| j' | écris |
| tu | écris |
| il | écrit |
| nous | écrivons |
| vous | écrivez |
| ils | écrivent |
Être - To Be
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | suis |
| tu | es |
| il | est |
| nous | sommes |
| vous | êtes |
| ils | sont |
Faillir - To Almost Do
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | faillis / faux |
| tu | faillis / faux |
| il | faillit / faut |
| nous | faillissons / faillons |
| vous | faillissez / faillez |
| ils | faillissent / faillent |
Faire - To Do/To Make
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | fais |
| tu | fais |
| il | fait |
| nous | faisons |
| vous | faites |
| ils | font |
Falloir - To Have To/To Need (This verb can only be used in the impersonnal form)
| Subject | Conjugation |
| il | faut |
Lire - To Read
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | lis |
| tu | lis |
| il | lit |
| nous | lisons |
| vous | lisez |
| ils | lisent |
Mettre - To Put/To Place
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | mets |
| tu | mets |
| il | met |
| nous | mettons |
| vous | mettez |
| ils | mettent |
Mourir - To Die
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | meure |
| tu | meures |
| il | meurt |
| nous | mourons |
| vous | mourez |
| ils | meurent |
Naître - To Be Born
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | nais |
| tu | nais |
| il | naît |
| nous | naissons |
| vous | naissez |
| ils | naissent |
Prendre - To Take
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | prends |
| tu | prends |
| il | prend |
| nous | prenons |
| vous | prenez |
| ils | prennent |
Rire - To Laugh
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | ris |
| tu | ris |
| il | rit |
| nous | rions |
| vous | riez |
| ils | rient |
Savoir - To Know (a fact)
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | sais |
| tu | sais |
| il | sait |
| nous | savons |
| vous | savez |
| ils | savent |
Sortir - To Go Out
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | sors |
| tu | sors |
| il | sort |
| nous | sortons |
| vous | sortez |
| ils | sortent |
Venir - To Come
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | viens |
| tu | viens |
| il | vient |
| nous | venons |
| vous | venez |
| ils | viennent |
Vivre - To Live
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | vis |
| tu | vis |
| il | vit |
| nous | vivons |
| vous | vivez |
| ils | vivent |
Voir - To See
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | vois |
| tu | vois |
| il | voit |
| nous | voyons |
| vous | voyez |
| ils | voient |
Vouloir - To Want
| Subject | Conjugation |
| je | veux |
| tu | veux |
| il | veut |
| nous | voulons |
| vous | voulez |
| ils | veulent |
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