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The French present tense is the only tense you truly need to know to get by on a trip to France.
You can use it to talk about the present of course but the French sometimes use it to talk about future events as well.
And while it has the reputation of being illogical and hard to master, nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, you can master the present tense conjugation of most French verbs in a matter of weeks if you focus on learning the most common
conjugation patterns first.
After reading this article, you’ll know exactly when to use the French present tense and how to quickly master it (oh and the free bonus at the
end will help you make sure it doesn’t take forever).
Contents
1 When should you use the French present tense?
1.1 To talk about what you’re doing and how you’re feeling
1.2 To talk about habits and facts
1.3 To talk about what’s about to happen
2 How to conjugate the French present tense?
2.1 Regular verbs
2.2 Pronoun
2.3 Ending
2.4 Example
2.5 Pronoun
2.6 Ending
2.7 Example
2.8 Pronoun
2.9 Ending
2.10 Example
2.11 The dreaded irregular verbs
2.12 Conjugation
2.13 Translation
2.14 Conjugation
2.15 Translation
2.16 Conjugation
2.17 Translation
2.18 Conjugation
2.19 Translation
2.20 Conjugation
2.21 Translation
2.22 Conjugation
2.23 Translation
3 How to memorize all these crazy conjugations?
4 Practice the present tense in the comment section below
For example, you would use it to say you’re eating a jambon beurre (ham butter) sandwich or to describe anything happening as you speak.
This makes it the equivalent of the English present tense as well as of the present progressive (be + ing form).
While this isn’t grammatically correct, people won’t have any problem understanding you and this is an easy way to talk about the future if you
don’t know how to conjugate the French future tense yet.
Regular verbs
Regular verbs follow a pattern you can quickly learn.
Once you know the endings of the three different kinds of regular verbs, you can easily conjugate the large majority of French verbs which is
why learning these regular patterns should be your number one priority.
This is a common French verb, so you have to learn to conjugate it separately. I apologize on behalf of the French
population.
Pronoun Ending Example
Je e mange
Tu es manges
Il/elle/on e mange
Vous ez mangez
This may look like a lot of endings for just one tense but these forms are all pronounced the same way (except for “mangez” and “mangeons” so
you only have three pronunciations to remember.
Je mange un gâteau
I’m eating a cake
Tu manges un gâteau
You (singular) are eating a cake
These are the patterns that regular IR verbs follow, but there are also some irregular IR verbs like “venir” (to come).
Tu is finis
Il/elle/on it finit
Je finis à 20 heures
I finish (work) at 8PM
Tu finis à 20 heures
You (singular) finish at 8PM
Je s vends
Tu s vends
Il/elle/on – vend
Vous ez vendez
Tu vends du chocolat
You sell chocolate
However, you don’t have to learn how to conjugate every irregular verb there is. Learning the most common ones is largely enough when you
begin learning French.
Like the 100 most common French words, these are verbs you will find in most conversations.
For example, “avoir” (to have) and “être” (to be) are said to be found in more than 20% of French sentences.
The following irregular verbs are the most common irregular French verbs and the irregular verbs I recommend you learn first.
Avoir
Conjugation Translation
J’ai I have
Tu as You have
Être
Conjugation Translation
Je suis I am
Tu es You are
Aller
Conjugation Translation
Je vais I go
Tu vas You go
Nous allons We go
Faire
Conjugation Translation
Je fais I do
Tu fais You do
Nous faisons We do
Vouloir
Conjugation Translation
Je veux I want
Pouvoir
Conjugation Translation
Je peux I can