French grammar: présent de l'indicatif

What this grammar point covers

The 'présent de l'indicatif' is the present tense in French. It is used to talk about actions that are happening now, habits, and general truths.

When to use it

Use the présent de l'indicatif to talk about what is happening right now, what happens regularly, or facts that are always true.

Key forms

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

Examples

Tips

• Remember that the verb endings change depending on the subject (je, tu, il/elle, etc.).
• Some verbs are irregular and do not follow the regular patterns. Learn the most common ones.
• Do not use the French present tense for actions that will happen in the future.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs like 'être', 'avoir', 'aller', and 'faire' are irregular and must be memorized.
• Spelling changes can happen for pronunciation (e.g., manger → nous mangeons).