LE PRÉSENT

The Present Tense

LE PRÉSENT

We use the present tense to describe an action that is happening now.

We use the present tense by taking the radical of the infinitive.

WHAT IS THE RADICAL OF THE INFINITIVE?

Well for instance with the verb parler which means to talk it is parl

For Finir which means to finish it is fin For Vendre which means to sell it is vend

So after we have the radical of the infinitive we add the endings.

WHAT ARE THE ENDINGS?

For “er” verbs like Parler they are 

Je ...e

Tu ...esIl/Elle/On ...eNous ...onsVous ...ezIls/Elles ...ent

FOR “IR” VERBS LIKE FINIRJe ...is

Tu ...isIl/Elle/On ...itNous ...issonsVous ...issezIls/Elles ...issent

FOR “RE” VERBS LIKE VENDREJe ...s

Tu ...sIl/Elle/OnNous ...onsVous ...ezIls/Elles ...ent

SO WHAT DOES THIS TELL ALL OF US?

Well it tells us how to form verbs in the present tense.

So Parler becomesJe parleTu parlesIl parleNous parlonsVous parlezIls parlent

FINIR BECOMES

Je finisTu finisIl finitNous finissonsVous finissezIls finissent

AND VENDRE BECOMES

Je vendsTu vendsIl vendNous vendonsVous vendezIls vendent

ONE EXCEPTION There is of course one exception that you

need to learn. Verbs that end in “ger” like manger (to eat)

or changer (to change) When they are conjugated in the nous form you need to keep the “e” before adding the “ons”

For example : Nous mangeonsNous changeons