The Present Tense of être, avoir, aller, -er verbs,

regular - ir & - re verbs

How to say Actions in the present.

- er verbs Most verbs in French end in –er in the

infinitive. You follow 3 steps with forming – er

verbs.

STEP 1 Determine who is doing the action of the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We Y’all (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 Find the stem (remove the –er) manger (to eat) mang

jouer(to play) jou

STEP 3 – Add the correct ending to the stem, depending on who the person is who is doing the verb.

Je = e je joue tu = es tu joues Il/ elle/ on = e il joue Nous = ons nous jouons Vous = ez vous jouez Ils/ elles = ent ils jouent

- ir verbs You also follow 3 steps when forming – ir

verbs.

STEP 1 Determine who is doing the action of the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We Y’all (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 Find the stem (remove the –ir) finir (to finish) fin choisir ( to choose) chois

STEP 3 – Add the correct ending to the stem, depending on who the person is who is doing the verb.

Je = is je finis tu = is tu finis Il/ elle/ on = it il finit Nous = issons nous finissons Vous = issez vous finissez Ils/ elles = issent ils finissent

- re verbs They follow 3 steps too.

STEP 1 First find out who is doing the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We You (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 Find the stem > remove the –re vendre (to sell) vend répondre (to reply ) répond

STEP 3 – Add the correct ending to the stem, depending on who the person is who is doing the verb.

Je = s je vends tu = s tu vends Il/ elle/ on = il vend Nous = ons nous vendons Vous = ez vous vendez Ils/ elles = ent ils vendent

être You follow only 2 steps when forming

être.

STEP 1 Determine who is doing the action of the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We Y’all (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 – There are NO endings to remove, use the correct verb depending on who is who is doing the action of the verb.

Je = suis je suis tu = es tu es Il/ elle/ on = est il est Nous = sommes nous sommes Vous = êtes vous êtes Ils/ elles = sont ils sont

avoir You follow 2 steps with forming avoir.

STEP 1 Determine who is doing the action of the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We Y’all (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 – There are NO endings to remove, use the correct verb depending on who is who is doing the action of the verb.

Je = ai j’ai tu = as tu as Il/ elle/ on = a il a Nous = avons nous avons Vous = avez vous avez Ils/ elles = ont ils vont

aller You follow only 2 steps with forming

aller.

STEP 1 Determine who is doing the action of the verb.

Je Tu Il Elle On Nous Vous Ils Elles

I You (s) He She We / one We Y’all (pl) They (m) They (f)

STEP 2 – There are NO endings to remove, use the correct verb depending on who is who is doing the action of the verb.

Je = vais je vais tu = vas tu vas Il/ elle/ on = va il va Nous = allons nous allons Vous = allez vous allez Ils/ elles = vont ils vont