6 Ways To Conjugate French Verbs

Je: I Tu: You Il, elle, on: He, she, it Nous: We Vous: You (plural or formal) Ils, elles: They (male), they (female).

For example, in English you would not say, “He to be,” you would say “he is. " This is how we conjugate the verb “to be” in English.

-er Verbs: This includes verbs like “parler” (to talk) and “manger” (to eat). -ir Verbs: This includes verbs like “applaudir” (to clap) and “finir” (to finish). -re Vebrs: This includes verbs like “entendre” (to hear).

être: To be Avoir: To have Aller: To go Vouloir: To want Faire: To make, to do Mettre: To put, to place. [2] X Research source

-er Verbs:“Parler” (to talk) and “manger” (to eat). -ir Verbs: “Applaudir” (to clap) and “finir” (to finish). -re Vebrs: “Entendre” (to hear).

First person: “-e. " Je parle → I talk Second person: “-es. " Tu parles → You talk Third person: “-e. " Il parle, → He talks. Plural first person: “-ons. " Nous parlons → We talk. Plural second person: “-ez. " Vous parlez → You all talk. Plural third person: “-ent. " Elles parlent → They talk. [3] X Research source

First person: “-is. " J’applaudis → I clap. Second person: “-is. " Tu applaudis → You clap. Third person: “-it. " Il applaudit → He claps. Plural first person: “-issons. " Nous applaudissons → We clap. Plural second person: “-issez. " Vous applaudissez → You all clap. Plural third person: “-issent. " Ils applaudissent → They clap.

First person: “-s. " Je réponds → I respond. Second person: “-s. " Tu réponds → You respond. Third person: “nothing. " Il répond → He responds. Plural first person: “-ons. " Nous répondons → We respond. Plural second person: “-ez. " Vous répondez → You all respond. Plural third person: “-ent. " Elles répondent → They respond.

être (to be): Je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes, vous êtes, elles sont. Avoir (to have): J’ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, elles ont. Aller (to go): Je vais, tu vas, il va, nous allons, vous allez, elles vont. Faire (to make, to do): Je fais, tu fais, il fait, nous faison, vous faites, ils font. Advanced note: The conjugations of “être, “avoir,” and “aller” are necessary for the past and future tenses. To make the future tense, for example, you conjugate “aller” (to go), then add the other verb so that it translates as “going to do (verb). “[4] X Research source

Avoir (to have): J’ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, elles ont.

-Er verbs, “-é. " Examples: parlé, montré, decidé. -Ir verbs, “-i. " Examples: fini, réussi. -Re verbs, “-u” Examples: entendu, répondu.

First person: “ai + verb. " J’ai parlé → I talked. Second person: “as + verb. " Tu as fini → You finished. Third person: “a + verb. " Il a entendu → He heard. Plural first person: “avons + verb. " Nous avons réussi → We succeeded. Plural second person: “avez + verb. " Vous avez essayé → You all tried. Plural third person: “-ont + verb. " Elles ont répondu → They responded.

Devenir, Revenir, Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Rentrer, Tomber, Retourner, Arriver, Mourir, Partir A helpful way to remember these verbs is by the acronym, Dr. & Mrs. Vandertramp. You’ll notice the list above is already in this order. Grammatically, these verbs are known as “intransitive verbs. “[6] X Research source

First person: “suis + verb. " Je suis tombée → I fell. (“I” refers to a woman. ) Second person: “es + verb. " Tu es tombé → You fell. Third person: “est + verb. " Il est tombé → He fell. Plural first person: “sommes + verb. " Nous sommes tombés → We fell. Plural second person: “etes + verb. " Vous êtes tombés → You all fell. Plural third person: “sont + verb. " Elles sont tombées → They fell.

Use Imperfect for: States of being, weather, habitual actions, emotions, age, background information. [7] X Research source The simple past is for the events of a story (I bought candy, I ate it), and the imperfect is for background information (I was ten, I went to the store after school each day, it was sunny).

Parler: Parlons → “parl” Finir: Finissons → “finniss” Entendre: Entendons → “entend” Avoir: Avons → “av” Faire: Faisons → “fais” The only exception to this rule is “être, since the nous form (“nous sommes”) does not have an “ons. " The stem of être is “ét. "

First person: “-ais. " Je regardais → I was watching. Second person: “-ais. " Tu regardais &rarr: You were watching. Third person: “-ait. " Il regardait → He was watching. Plural first person: “-ions. " Nous regardions → We were watching. Plural second person: “-iez. " Vous regardiez → You all were watching. Plural third person: “-aient. " Elles regardaient → They were watching.

First person: “vais + verb. " Je vais nager → I am going to swim. Second person: “vas + verb. " Tu vas nager → You are going to swim. Third person: “va + verb. " Il va nager → He is going to swim. Plural first person: “allons + verb. " Nous allons nager &rarr: We are going to swim. Plural second person: “allez + verb. " Vous allez nager → You all are going to swim. Plural third person: “vont + verb. " Elles vont nager → They are going to swim.

First person: “-ai. " Je nagerai → I will swim. Second person: “-as. " Tu nageras &rarr: You will swim. Third person: “-a. " Il nagera → He will swim. Plural first person: “-ons. " Nous nagerons → We will swim. Plural second person: “-ez. " Vous nagerez → You all will swim. Plural third person: “-ont. " Elles nageront → They will swim.

être → serr- Voir → verr- Pouvoir → pourr- Voulor → voudr- Aller → ir-[8] X Research source

The most common phrases that use subjunctive are “il faut que + pronoun + subjunctive verb” (“It’s necessary that someone does (verb)”) and “je veux que + pronoun + subjunctive verb” (“I want someone to do (verb)”)

Examples: Il faut que, (it is necessary that), aimer mieux que (prefer that)

Parler: Parlent → “parl” Finir: Finissent → finniss” Entendre: Entendent → “entend”'

First person: “-e. " Il faut que je parle → It is necessary that I talk. Second person: “-es. " Il faut que tu parles → It is necessary that you talk. Third person: “-e” Il faut que il parle → it is necessary that he talks. Plural first person: “-ions. " Il faut que nous parlions → It is necessary that we talk. Plural second person: “-iez. “Il faut que vous parliez → It is necessary that you all talk. Plural third person: “-ent. “Il faut que elles parlent → It is necessary that they talk.

Faire → fass-” Savoir &rarr: sach- Pouvoir → puiss- Advanced Tip:’ There are also several words that have two stems – one singular and one plural. In this case, use the nous form, minus “-ons” and the same ending (Ex. buvoir &rarr: boiv & buv)[10] X Research source

Etre: je sois, tu sois, il soit, nous soyons, vous soyez, elles soient. Avoir: j’aie, tu aies, il ait, nous ayons, vous ayez, elles aient.