How it works
Almost all French verbs end in -er in the infinitive (base form), like parler (to speak). Nearly all follow the same pattern; one important exception is aller (more on this later).
Drop -er to get the stem, then add the ending for the person. French has no separate continuous form: je parle means both "I speak" and "I am speaking".
From infinitive to form
The endings: parler
parler (to speak)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | parle |
| tu | parles |
| il/elle/on | parle |
| nous | parlons |
| vous | parlez |
| ils/elles | parlent |
Présent
parler in a sentence
Je parle français.
I speak French.
Nous parlons lentement.
We speak slowly.
Ils parlent trop vite.
They speak too fast.
je becomes j' before a vowel
When the verb starts with a vowel or a silent h, je becomes j': j'aime, j'habite. All other persons stay the same: tu aimes, nous habitons.
J'aime le chocolat.
I like chocolate.
J'habite à Paris.
I live in Paris.
More -er verbs
Common -er verbs
These verbs in a sentence
Elle travaille à l'hôpital.
She works at the hospital.
Vous regardez la télévision.
You watch television.
Ils écoutent de la musique.
They listen to music.
chercher, regarder and écouter already contain "for", "at" and "to": je cherche mes clés, j'écoute la radio, with no extra word.
A small detail with manger: before -ons it gets an extra e so the g stays soft: nous mangeons.
