In French, verbs are categorized by their infinitive endings: -er, -ir, and -re.
While some verbs are
regular and follow predictable conjugation patterns, many are irregular and have unique endings.
Here are some examples of regular and irregular verbs in each category:
Regular -er verbs:
parler: (to speak)
manger: (to eat)
visiter: (to visit)
Irregular -er verbs:
aller: (to go)
avoir: (to have)
être: (to be)
Regular -ir verbs:
finir: (to finish)
choisir: (to choose)
pouvoir: (to be able to)
Irregular -ir verbs:
dire: (to say)
voir: (to see)
savoir: (to know)
Regular -re verbs:
attendre: (to wait)
perdre: (to lose)
vendre: (to sell)
Irregular -re verbs:
dire: (to say)
recevoir: (to receive)
devoir: (to have to)
er Verbs:
Aimer: to like, to love
Parler: to talk, to speak
Travailler: to work
Chercher: to look for
Regarder: to watch, to look at
Écouter: to listen to
Jouer: to play
Manger: to eat
Donner: to give
Acheter: to buy
Comprendre: to understand
Attendre: to wait
Vendre: to sell
Perdre: to lose
Rendre: to return
Entendre: to hear
Répondre: to answer
-ir Verbs:
Choisir: to choose
Finir: to finish
Réussir: to succeed
Obéir: to obey
Punir: to punish
Remplir: to fill
Agir: to act
Avertir: to warn
Bâtir: to build
Partir: to leave, to depart
Vivre: to live
Offrir: to offer
Entrer: to enter
Sortir: to go out
Descendre: to go down
Monter: to go up
ER Verbs (Irregular):
Aller: To go
Avoir: To have
Faire: To do/make
Être: To be
Pouvoir: To be able to/can
Savoir: To know
Devoir: To have to/must
Vouloir: To want
Voir: To see
Dire: To say/tell
-IR Verbs (Irregular):
Naître: To be born
Mourir: To die
Venir: To come
Pouvoir: To be able to/can (also an -er verb, but its irregular conjugation follows an -ir pattern)
Savoir: To know (also an -er verb, but its irregular conjugation follows an -ir pattern)
Devoir: To have to/must (also an -er verb, but its irregular conjugation follows an -ir pattern)
Vouloir: To want (also an -er verb, but its irregular conjugation follows an -ir pattern)
Lire: To read
Écrire: To write
Sortir: To leave
Dormir: To sleep
Servir: To serve
Recevoir: To receive
Parcourir: To travel, go around
Se repentir: To repent
Sentir: To feel, smell
Ressentir: To feel, sense
Mentir: To lie
-RE Verbs (Irregular):
Vendre: To sell
Courir: To run
Croire: To believe
Conduire: To drive
French "-er" verbs are a large and important group of verbs, forming the first conjugation in
French. These verbs generally follow a consistent conjugation pattern in the present tense, with
endings of -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, and -ent. Here's a list of common "-er" verbs with their English
translations.
French Verb English Translation
aimer to love, to like
chanter to sing
chercher to look for
danser to dance
demander to ask
écouter to listen to
étudier to study
jouer to play
regarder to watch
travailler to work
visiter to visit
manger to eat
parler to speak
passer to pass, spend (time)
porter to wear, to carry
arriver to arrive, to happen
commencer to begin
donner to give
fermer to close
goûter to taste
l'apporter to bring
penser to think
rester to stay
téléphoner to telephone
tomber to fall
Common regular -er verbs
abaisser to lower, to push/pull
down
abîmer to ruin
aimer to like, to love
arriver to arrive, to happen
bouger** to move
brosser to brush
changer** to change
chanter to sing
chercher to look for
commencer to begin, start
**
corriger** to correct
danser to dance
demander to ask for
détester to hate
donner to give
écouter to listen to
effacer** to erase
étudier to study
féliciter to congratulate
fêter to celebrate
gagner to win, to earn
glisser to slide
habiter to live
jouer to play
manger** to eat
manquer to miss
marcher to walk, to function
monter to climb
nager** to swim
parler to talk, to speak
partager** to share
penser to think
regarder to watch, to look at
skier to ski
travailler to work
trouver to find
visiter to visit (a place)
voyager** to travel
In French, irregular "-er" verbs deviate from the standard "-er" conjugation pattern, especially in the
present tense. While there aren't many that are completely irregular, some exhibit stem changes or
unique endings. The most well-known irregular "-er" verb is "aller" (to go), but others like "envoyer" (to
send), "appeler" (to call), and "jeter" (to throw) also have specific irregular forms.
rench Verb (Infinitive) English Meaning
aller to go
envoyer to send
appeler to call
jeter to throw
renouveler to renew
ruisseler to flow, stream
"Aller" (to go):
The most irregular, with unique forms in the present tense: je vais, tu vas, il/elle/on va, nous allons,
vous allez, ils/elles vont.
Verbs ending in "-eler" or "-eter":
These verbs often experience stem changes in the "nous" and "vous" forms of the present tense,
with a "Ç" inserted before the "e" (e.g., annoncer: nous annonçons).
Verbs ending in "-ayer", "-oyer", or "-uyer":
These verbs typically have a stem change from "y" to "i" in the "je", "tu", "il/elle/on", and "ils/elles"
forms of the present tense (e.g., envoyer: j'envoie).
Key Irregular "-er" Verbs and Their Conjugations:
Aller (to go):
o Je vais
o Tu vas
o Il/Elle va
o Nous allons
o Vous allez
o Ils/Elles vont
Avoir (to have):
o J'ai
o Tu as
o Il/Elle a
o Nous avons
o Vous avez
o Ils/Elles ont
o
Être (to be):
o Je suis
o Tu es
o Il/Elle est
o Nous sommes
o Vous êtes
o Ils/Elles sont
Dire (to say/tell):
o Je dis
o Tu dis
o Il/Elle dit
o Nous disons
o Vous dites
o Ils/Elles dissent
Faire (to do/make):
o Je fais
o Tu fais
o Il/Elle fait
o Nous faisons
o Vous faites
o Ils/Elles font
Pouvoir (to be able to/can):
o Je peux
o Tu peux
o Il/Elle peut
o Nous pouvons
o Vous pouvez
o Ils/Elles peuvent
Savoir (to know):
o Je sais
o Tu sais
o Il/Elle sait
o Nous savons
o Vous savez
o Ils/Elles savent
Voir (to see):-
o Je vois
o Tu vois
o Il/Elle voit
o Nous voyons
o Vous voyez
o Ils/Elles voient
Here are some examples of French "-er" verbs and their English translations:
Parler (to speak/talk): Je parle français. (I speak French.)
Aimer (to love/like): J'aime le chocolat. (I love chocolate.)
Habiter (to live): Elle habite à Paris. (She lives in Paris.)
Regarder (to watch/look at): Il regarde la télévision. (He watches TV.)
Marcher (to walk): Nous marchons dans le parc. (We walk in the park.)
Chanter (to sing): Ils chantent une chanson. (They sing a song.)
Danser (to dance): Tu danses très bien. (You dance very well.)
Étudier (to study): Je suis étudiant. (I am a student.)
Chercher (to look for): Elle cherche ses clés. (She is looking for her keys.)
Commencer (to begin): Nous commençons la classe. (We begin the class.)
Demander (to ask): Je demande à Marie. (I'm asking Mary.)
Jouer (to play): Les enfants jouent au football. (The children play football.)
Manger (to eat): Je mange une pomme. (I eat an apple.)
Écouter (to listen): Il écoute de la musique. (He listens to music.)
Donner (to give): Elle donne un cadeau. (She gives a gift.)
Prendre (to take): Je prends le bus. (I take the bus.)
Acheter (to buy): J'achète un livre. (I buy a book.)
Voir (to see): Je vois un chat. (I see a cat.)
Aller (to go): Nous allons au cinéma. (We are going to the cinema.)
Travailler (to work): Il travaille beaucoup. (He works a lot.)
Example:
Infinitive: choisir (to choose)
Present Tense Conjugation:
Je chois(is) (I choose/am choosing)
Tu chois(is) (You choose/are choosing)
Il/Elle/On chois(it) (He/She/One chooses/is choosing)
Nous chois(issons) (We choose/are choosing)
Vous chois(issez) (You choose/are choosing)
Ils/Elles chois(issent) (They choose/are choosing)
Sentences:
French: Je choisis le livre. (I choose the book.)
English: I choose the book.
French: Il choisit une robe. (He chooses a dress.)
English: He chooses a dress.
French: Nous choisissons le café. (We choose the coffee.)
English: We choose the coffee.
French: Vous choisissez le restaurant. (You choose the restaurant.)
English: You choose the restaurant.
French: Ils choisissent la musique. (They choose the music.)
English: They choose the music.
Par exemple, remplir:
je rempli nous remplisso
s ns
tu rempli vous remplisse
s z
il/elle/ rempli ils/ remplisse
on t elles nt
Common regular -ir verbs
abolir to abolish
accompl to accomplish
ir
agir to act
agrandir to enlarge, to increase
avertir to warn
bâtir to build
bénir to bless
blanchir to whiten, to lighten
choisir to choose
converti to convert
r
définir to define
établir to establish
étourdir to stun, to deafen, to make
dizzy
finir to finish
franchir to clear (an obstacle)
grossir to gain weight, to get fat
guérir to cure, to heal, to recover
investir to invest
maigrir to lose weight, to get thin
nourrir to feed, to nourish
obéir to obey
punir to punish
réfléchir to reflect, to think
remplir to fill
réussir to succeed
rougir to blush, to turn red
saisir to seize
vieillir to age, grow old
Here are some small sentences using French "-ir" verbs, along with their English translations:
Je finis mon travail. (I finish my work.)
Elle choisit une robe. (She chooses a dress.)
Nous attendons le bus. (We wait for the bus.)
Vous écoutez la musique. (You are listening to the music.)
Ils reçoivent un cadeau. (They receive a gift.)
Il participe à la réunion. (He participates in the meeting.)
Tu réponds à la question. (You answer the question.)
Je distribue les brochures. (I distribute the brochures.)
Nous descendons les escaliers. (We go down the stairs.)
Ils réfléchissent à l'avenir. (They are thinking about the future.)
Here are 25 small sentences using "-ir" verbs in French, along with their English translations:
1. Je finirai mon travail ce soir. (I will finish my work tonight.)
2. Elle a averti ses amis du danger. (She warned her friends about the danger.)
3. Nous choisirons un bon restaurant. (We will choose a good restaurant.)
4. Vous bâtirez une nouvelle maison. (You will build a new house.)
5. Ils agiront avec sagesse. (They will act wisely.)
6. Je dois partir. (I have to leave.)
7. Elle a écrit une lettre. (She wrote a letter.)
8. Nous allons visiter le musée. (We are going to visit the museum.)
9. Vous allez sortir. (You are going to go out.)
10. Ils ont publié leur livre. (They published their book.)
11. Je dois finir mon travail. (I have to finish my work.)
12. Elle est partie hier. (She left yesterday.)
13. Nous allons jouer au football. (We are going to play football.)
14. Vous avez choisi un bon film. (You have chosen a good movie.)
15. Ils vont visiter Paris. (They are going to visit Paris.)
16. Je vais dormir. (I am going to sleep.)
17. Elle a couru vite. (She ran fast.)
18. Nous allons manger. (We are going to eat.)
19. Vous allez acheter un cadeau. (You are going to buy a gift.)
20. Ils vont partir en vacances. (They are going to leave on vacation.)
21. Je vais étudier. (I am going to study.)
22. Elle va lire un livre. (She is going to read a book.)
23. Nous allons parler. (We are going to talk.)
24. Vous allez rire. (You are going to laugh.)
25. Ils vont chanter. (They are going to sing.)
Common -ir Verbs (Present Tense)
1. Je finis mon travail. - I finish my work.
2. Tu réponds à la question. - You answer the question.
3. Il choisit un cadeau. - He chooses a gift.
4. Elle visite la ville. - She visits the city.
5. Nous écoutons la musique. - We listen to the music.
6. Vous réfléchissez à la réponse. - You (plural) think about the answer.
7. Ils obtiennent une réponse. - They obtain an answer.
8. Elles partent en voyage. - They (plural, female) leave for a trip.
9. Je dois partir. - I must leave.
10. Tu dois finir. - You must finish.
11. Il doit choisir. - He must choose.
12. Elle doit visiter. - She must visit.
13. Nous devons écouter. - We must listen.
14. Vous devez réfléchir. - You (plural) must think.
15. Ils doivent obtenir. - They must obtain.
16. Elles doivent partir. - They (plural, female) must leave.
17. Je peux partir. - I can leave.
18. Tu peux finir. - You can finish.
19. Il peut choisir. - He can choose.
20. Elle peut visiter. - She can visit.
21. Nous pouvons écouter. - We can listen.
22. Vous pouvez réfléchir. - You (plural) can think.
23. Ils peuvent obtenir. - They can obtain.
24. Elles peuvent partir. - They (plural, female) can leave.
Specific -ir Verbs
1. Je vois mon ami. - I see my friend.
2. Tu vois la maison. - You see the house.
3. Il doit partir. - He must leave.
4. Elle doit finir. - She must finish.
5. Nous devons écouter. - We must listen.
6. Vous devez réfléchir. - You (plural) must think.
7. Ils doivent partir. - They must leave.
8. Elles doivent visiter. - They (plural, female) must visit.
9. Je dois choisir. - I must choose.
10. Tu dois répondre. - You must answer.
11. Il doit écouter. - He must listen.
12. Elle doit réfléchir. - She must think.
13. Nous devons obtenir. - We must obtain.
14. Vous devez choisir. - You (plural) must choose.
15. Ils doivent répondre. - They must answer.
16. Elles doivent écouter. - They (plural, female) must listen.
17. Je peux choisir. - I can choose.
18. Tu peux répondre. - You can answer.
19. Il peut écouter. - He can listen.
20. Elle peut réfléchir. - She can think.
21. Nous pouvons obtenir. - We can obtain.
22. Vous pouvez choisir. - You (plural) can choose.
23. Ils peuvent répondre. - They can answer.
24. Elles peuvent écouter. - They (plural, female) can listen.
25. Je dois partir. - I must leave.
26. Tu dois choisir. - You must choose.
Sentences:
1. Je regarde la télé. - I am watching TV.
2. Tu parles français. - You speak French.
3. Il écoute la musique. - He listens to music.
4. Elle danse bien. - She dances well.
5. Nous chantons ensemble. - We sing together.
6. Vous parlez anglais. - You speak English.
7. Ils jouent au football. - They play football.
8. Elles lisent un livre. - They (female) read a book.
9. Je travaille dur. - I work hard.
10. Tu as mangé le gâteau. - You ate the cake.
11. Il écrit une lettre. - He writes a letter.
12. Elle cherche son téléphone. - She is looking for her phone.
13. Nous demandons de l'aide. - We ask for help.
14. Vous jouez au tennis. - You play tennis.
15. Ils regardent un film. - They watch a movie.
16. Je vais au supermarché. - I go to the supermarket.
17. Tu téléphones à ta maman. - You phone your mom.
18. Il voyage souvent. - He travels often.
19. Elle aime chanter. - She likes to sing.
20. Nous regardons la télé. - We watch TV.
21. Vous parlez avec vos amis. - You talk with your friends.
22. Ils mangent du pain. - They eat bread.
23. Elle regarde la télévision. - She watches TV.
24. Nous travaillons ensemble. - We work together.
25. Vous chantez une chanson. - You sing a song.
26. Ils dansent le tango. - They dance the tango.
27. Je regarde la télé. - I watch TV.
28. Tu parles français. - You speak French.
29. Il écoute la musique. - He listens to music.
30. Elle danse bien. - She dances well.
31. Nous chantons ensemble. - We sing together.
32. Vous parlez anglais. - You speak English.
33. Ils jouent au football. - They play football.
34. Elles lisent un livre. - They (female) read a book.
35. Je travaille dur. - I work hard.
36. Tu as mangé le gâteau. - You ate the cake.
37. Il écrit une lettre. - He writes a letter.
38. Elle cherche son téléphone. - She's looking for her phone.
39. Nous demandons de l'aide. - We ask for help.
40. Vous jouez au tennis. - You play tennis.
41. Ils regardent un film. - They watch a movie.
42. Je vais au supermarché. - I go to the supermarket.
43. Tu téléphones à ta maman. - You phone your mom.
44. Il voyage souvent. - He travels often.
45. Elle aime chanter. - She likes to sing.
46. Nous regardons la télé. - We watch TV.
47. Vous parlez avec vos amis. - You talk with your friends.
48. Ils mangent du pain. - They eat bread.
49. Elle regarde la télévision. - She watches TV.
50. Nous travaillons ensemble. - We work together.
