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

What this grammar point covers

The 'présent de l’indicatif' is the present tense in French. It is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, or general truths. Regular verbs follow patterns, but some common verbs are irregular.

When to use it

Use the présent de l’indicatif in French to describe what is happening right now, to talk about habits or repeated actions, and to state facts or general truths.

Key forms

• Regular -er verbs: parler → je parle, tu parles, il/elle parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils/elles parlent
• Regular -ir verbs: finir → je finis, tu finis, il/elle finit, nous finissons, vous finissez, ils/elles finissent
• Regular -re verbs: vendre → je vends, tu vends, il/elle vend, nous vendons, vous vendez, ils/elles vendent
• Important irregular verbs: être, avoir, aller, faire

Examples

Tips

• Pay attention to the endings for each group of verbs (-er, -ir, -re).
• Some common verbs like être, avoir, aller, and faire are irregular and must be memorized.
• Do not use the present tense in French for actions happening in the future.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Many common verbs are irregular and do not follow the regular patterns. For example: être, avoir, aller, faire.
• Some verbs change spelling slightly to keep the pronunciation (e.g., manger → nous mangeons).