Language/French/Grammar/Present-Tense
In this article, we will dive into the fascinating world of the French language and explain how to master the use of the present tense in French. 🇫🇷
The French present tense is the most useful and essential French tense you will learn, making it the perfect starting point for your language journey. 🌟
After mastering the present tense, you can further enhance your French grammar skills by exploring related topics such as fractions, subject pronouns, and plurals. These additional resources will help you become a true French language expert! 📚🥐
When to use?[edit | edit source]
When use the present in French?
The French present tense is used to talk about:
- Current situations
- What’s about to happen
- Habits
- Absolute truths
Examples[edit | edit source]
Current situations[edit | edit source]
- Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? Je mange = What are you doing? I’m eating
What’s about to happen[edit | edit source]
- Mardi prochain à 14 heures, il a un rendez-vous important = This Tuesday at 2PM, he has an important meeting
Habits[edit | edit source]
- Je suis malade chaque hiver = I’m sick every winter
Absolute truths[edit | edit source]
- Les français sont des râleurs = French like to complain
There are two kinds of French verbs: regular verbs and irregular verbs.
Regular verbs follow the same pattern. Once you know how to conjugate the 3 kinds of regular verbs, you will be able to conjugate the majority of French verbs.
Irregular verbs don’t follow any pattern. This means you need to learn their ending. We're lucky because most verbs are regular!
Regular verbs[edit | edit source]
There are 3 kinds of regular verbs:
- Verbs in -ER
- Verbs in -IR
- Verbs in -RE
They follow the patterns below:
Verbs in -ER[edit | edit source]
The great majority of French verbs end in "-ER". So you will improve a lot by just knowing how to use ER verbs.
Pronoun |
Verb |
Example |
---|---|---|
Je |
mange |
Je mange des fraises I eat strawberries |
Tu |
manges |
Tu ne manges jamais la matin You never eat in the morning |
Il/elle/on |
mange |
Il mange souvent des fruits He often eats fruit |
Nous |
mangeons |
Demain, nous mangeons à la maison Tomorrow, we eat at home |
Vous |
mangez |
Ce soir, vous mangez ensemble Tonight you eat together |
Ils/elles |
mangent |
Quand mangent-il en général ? When do they eat in general? |
Verbs in -IR[edit | edit source]
IR verbs are estimated to represent only a small percentage of French verbs. Here are the patterns that regular IR verbs follow:
Pronoun |
Verb |
Example |
---|---|---|
Je |
finis |
Ce soir, je finis à 6h Tonight I finish at 6 |
Tu |
finis |
Demain, tu finis tôt Tomorrow you finish early |
Il/elle/on |
finit |
En général, il finit toujours ce qu'il a commencé In general, he always finishes what he started |
Nous |
finissons |
Nous finissons ensemble aujourd'hui We finish together today |
Vous |
finissez |
Vous finissez ce dessin avant de partir ? You finish this drawing before you go? |
Ils/elles |
finissent |
ils finissent et ils partent They finish and they go |
Verbs in -RE[edit | edit source]
Regular RE verbs follow this pattern:
Pronoun |
Verb |
Example |
---|---|---|
Je |
vends |
Je vends des livres I sell books |
Tu |
vends |
Tu vends souvent ? You come often? |
Il/elle/on |
vend |
En ce moment, il vend son appartement Right now, he sells his apartment |
Nous |
vendons |
Nous vendons ce que nous pouvons We sell what we can |
Vous |
vendez |
Combien vendez-vous cela en général ? How much do you sell this in general? |
Ils/elles |
vendent |
Ils vendent trop cher ici They sell overpriced here |
Irregular verbs[edit | edit source]
Irregular French verbs don’t follow the regular verbs patterns and you will have to learn the conjugation of each irregular verb.
You do not need to learn a list of irregular verbs. Instead, you should learn the most common ones you'll find in most conversations.
For example, "avoir" (to have) and "être" (to be) are found in many French sentences.
Avoir[edit | edit source]
Conjugation |
Translation |
Example |
---|---|---|
J’ai |
I have |
J'ai 18 ans I'm 18 years old |
Tu as |
You have |
De quoi as-tu envie ? What do you want? |
Il/elle/on a |
He/she has |
Elle a regardé la télévision She watched television |
Nous avons |
We have |
Nous avons une grande maison We have a big house |
Vous avez |
You have |
Combien de livres avez-vous ? How many books do you have? |
Ils/elles ont |
They have |
Ils ont une voiture They have a car |
Être[edit | edit source]
Conjugation |
Translation |
Example |
---|---|---|
Je suis |
I am |
Je suis ici I am here |
Tu es |
You are |
Tu es grand You are tall |
Il/elle/on est |
He/she is |
Elle est gentille She's nice |
Nous sommes |
We are |
Nous sommes cinq We are five |
Vous êtes |
You are |
Vous êtes Monsieur Dupond ? You are Mr. Dupond? |
Ils/elles sont |
They are |
Ils sont nombreux They are numerous |
Aller[edit | edit source]
Conjugation |
Translation |
Example |
---|---|---|
Je vais |
I go |
Je vais au travail I'm going to work |
Tu vas |
You go |
Tu y vas combien de fois par jour ? How many times a day do you go there? |
Il/elle/on va |
He/she goes |
Elle va réussir son examen, c'est sur She will pass the test, that's for sure |
Nous allons |
We go |
Nous allons nous retrouver bientôt We will meet soon |
Vous allez |
You go |
Vous allez à Paris You go to Paris |
Ils/elles vont |
They go |
Elles vont me le dire They will tell me |
VIDEOS[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Categories of Nouns in French
- Adverb—adjective compounds
- Adverbs ending in —ment derived from the masculine form of an adjective
- Indirect and Direct Transitive Verbs
- Directly transitive verbs take the auxiliary “avoir”
- Adverbs ending in —ément derived from adjectives ending in —e
- Verbs which take noun + adjective or noun + noun complements
- Nouns which have the same spoken form but two different written forms
- Plural of Nouns
- Regular plurals in French