Je parle français.
English: I speak French.
- Language
- French
- Level
- A1
- Unit
- Verbes : présent
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The present tense in French (présent de l’indicatif) is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, and general truths. Regular verbs follow patterns, but some common verbs are irregular.
When to use it
Use the present tense in French to describe what is happening right now, what happens regularly, and facts that are always true.
Key forms
- Regular -er verbs: parler → je parle, tu parles, il/elle parle
- Regular -ir verbs: finir → je finis, tu finis, il/elle finit
- Regular -re verbs: attendre → j’attends, tu attends, il/elle attend
- Irregular verbs: être → je suis, avoir → j’ai, aller → je vais, faire → je fais
Examples
Tu finis ton travail.
English: You finish your work.
Il va à l’école.
English: He goes to school.
Nous sommes heureux.
English: We are happy.
Vous faites du sport.
English: You do sports.
Tips
- Watch out for the endings: -er, -ir, and -re verbs have different endings in the present tense.
- Some verbs are irregular and must be memorized (être, avoir, aller, faire).
- Don’t forget to use the correct subject pronoun with each verb form.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Many common verbs are irregular and do not follow the regular patterns.
- Some verbs change spelling slightly to keep pronunciation consistent (e.g., manger → nous mangeons).