French grammar: verbes au présent de l’indicatif (groupes réguliers et principaux verbes irréguliers)

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

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).