Grammar: Verbs - Present Tenses

Grammar: Verbs - Present Tenses

Section: Present Tense Formation

  • French has three present tenses: the present indicative, present imperative, and present subjunctive.
  • The present indicative is the most commonly used tense. It describes current actions, and is often used for general statements of fact.
    • Often, it is formed by adding different endings to the verb root (stem), depending on the subject: Je -e, Tu -es, Il/Elle/On -e, Nous -ons, Vous -ez, Ils/Elles -ent.
    • For example, for the verb parler (to speak), we have parle, parles, parle, parlons, parlez, parlent.
  • The present imperative is used when giving commands or instructions.
    • It has only three forms: Tu -e / -ES, Nous -ons, Vous -ez.
    • For example, for the verb finir (to finish), we have fins, finissons, finissez.
  • The present subjunctive is used to express actions or ideas which are subjective, doubtful, or uncertain.
    • It is harder to conjugate because it often doesn’t follow regular patterns.
    • It always follows “que”, and is generally used in dependent clauses.

Section: Regular Verbs

  • French verbs fall into three groups based on their infinitive ending: -er, -ir, and -re.
    • The vast majority of French verbs are regular -er verbs. You remove the -er ending to get the stem, and add regular endings.
    • Regular -ir and -re verbs are less common, but are still important to learn and recognise.

Section: Irregular Verbs

  • Irregular verbs, such as être (to be), avoir (to have), faire (to do/make), aller (to go), deviate from the regular verb conjugation patterns.
  • These verbs need to be learned individually, and it’s important to practice them often.

Section: Using the Present Tense

  • Use the present tense to speak about current actions, recurring events, and general truths.
  • The present tense can also be used to express the future, particularly when an action will occur in the near future, e.g., “Je vais au cinéma ce soir” (I am going to the cinema tonight).
  • Also use the present tense after certain words and expressions, including quand (when), chaque fois que (every time), pendant que (while), and aussitôt que (as soon as).

Practice your conjugation skills by changing the verbs to match the subject of your sentences, and always remember to check if the verb is regular or irregular. Good luck with your revision!