This document introduces French verbs ending in "-er" that constitute the first verb group. It discusses the general present tense conjugation pattern for regular "-er" verbs and highlights several special characteristics for irregular "-er" verbs, including those that double consonants, change interior vowels, or add letters in certain forms when conjugated. The document provides numerous examples to illustrate these patterns and exceptions.
This document introduces French verbs ending in "-er" that constitute the first verb group. It discusses the general present tense conjugation pattern for regular "-er" verbs and highlights several special characteristics for irregular "-er" verbs, including those that double consonants, change interior vowels, or add letters in certain forms when conjugated. The document provides numerous examples to illustrate these patterns and exceptions.
This document introduces French verbs ending in "-er" that constitute the first verb group. It discusses the general present tense conjugation pattern for regular "-er" verbs and highlights several special characteristics for irregular "-er" verbs, including those that double consonants, change interior vowels, or add letters in certain forms when conjugated. The document provides numerous examples to illustrate these patterns and exceptions.
This document introduces French verbs ending in "-er" that constitute the first verb group. It discusses the general present tense conjugation pattern for regular "-er" verbs and highlights several special characteristics for irregular "-er" verbs, including those that double consonants, change interior vowels, or add letters in certain forms when conjugated. The document provides numerous examples to illustrate these patterns and exceptions.
A verb also indicates when the action or the state
of being takes place: past tense, present tense or future tense. 1. INTRODUCTION
The correct conjugated forms of a French verb are
obtained from its basic, unconjugated form called the infinitive. 1. INTRODUCTION
In English, the infinitive is formed by adding to
in front of the verb (to do, to sing).
In French, the infinitive forms are indicated by
verb endings er, -ir and re. 1. INTRODUCTION
Verbs in er form the first group. Ex.:
Acheter to buy Appeler to call Essayer to try Parler to speak/to talk Prfrer to prefer Voyager to travel 1. INTRODUCTION
Verbs ir form the second group. Ex.:
Agir to act Choisir to choose Courir to run Finir to finish Mourir to die Sentir to feel Vouloir to want 1. INTRODUCTION
Verbs in re form the third group. Ex.:
Comprendre to understand Conduire to drive Entendre to hear Sourire to smile Vendre to sell Vivre to live 1. INTRODUCTION
It is useful to classify verbs in these three groups
because different conjugation rules apply to each of them.
The irregular verbs tre, avoir and aller are
not a part of a group. 2. THE PRESENT TENSE: -ER VERBS
To learn how to conjugate regular and irregular
er verbs, the most common category, lets use these verbs below as examples:
a) chanter to sing b) appeler to call c) acheter to buy d) prfrer to prefer e) peser to weigh f) essayer to try g) voyager to travel 3. CONJUGATION OF ER VERBS
To conjugate a regular er verb, remove its
infinitive ending (-er) and then add the appropriate endings to the root.
A. Ex.: chanter chant-
3. CONJUGATION OF ER VERBS
Singular Plural
1st person Je chante Nous chantons
2nd person Tu chantes Vous chantez
3rd person Il/elle/on chante Ils/elles chantent
3. CONJUGATION OF ER VERBS
Other useful er verbs conjugated like
chanter (to sing)
Aimer to love/to like
tudier to study Habiter to live Parler to talk Travailler to work 3. CONJUGATION OF ER VERBS
Note : the verb forms : je chante, tu chantes,
il/elle/on chante, ils/elles chantent are pronounced exactly in the same way. This means the final e, -s and ent are silent.
This rule applies to all the above verbs and to
those similar to them. 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
B. Verbs ending in eler
(Ex. : sappeler: je mappellemy name is) , its derivatives, similar verbs and verbs ending in eter (such as jeter to throw). 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
When conjugating these verbs in the present
tense, double the roots consonnants l / t.
This rule doesnt concern the plural nous (we)
and vous (you). 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Appeler (to call) Jeter (to throw)
Jappelle Je jette
Tu appelles Tu jettes
Il/elle/on appelle Il/elle/on jette
Nous appelons Nous jetons
Vous appelez Vous jetez
Ils/elles appellent Ils/elles jettent
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Here are some other verbs conjugated like appeler
and jeter
Rappeler to call back
peler to spell Feuilleter to page through Rejeter to reject Projeter to plan 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
C. Some verbs ending in eler and eter do not
double the l or t before the silent final e (acheter to buy / peler to peel)
The e in the last syllable of the root changes to
in all the conjugated forms, except in the plural (nous and vous)
Ex.: acheter jachte (to buy)
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Acheter (to buy) Geler (to freeze)
Jachte Je gle
Tu achtes Tu gles
Il/elle/on achte Il/elle/on gle
Nous achetons Nous gelons
Vous achetez Vous gelez
Ils/elles achtent Ils/elles glent
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
There are 22 irregular verbs like acheter and
geler, here are five examples:
Fileter to fillet, to thread
Modeler to model, to shape Peler to peel Ciseler to chisel carteler to quarter 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
D. Verbs like prfrer (to prefer).
For these verbs, the in the last syllable of
the root changes to an , except for the first and second person plural (nous and vous) 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Prfrer-to prefer
Singular plural
Je prfre Nous prfrons
Tu prfres Vous prfrez
Il/elle/on prfre Ils/elles prfrent
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Other verbs like prfrer
Considrer to consider Esprer to hope Rgler to regulate, to pay Rpter to repeat Rcuprer to recover 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
E. Verbs ending in ecer, -emer, -eper, -erer, -
eser, -ever and evrer, have a silent e before the last syllable (Ex.: peser-to weigh).
The silent e in the last syllable of the roots
form changes to , except for the plural (nous and vous) 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Peser to weigh
Singular Plural
Je pse Nous pesons
Tu pses Vous pesez
Il/elle/on pse Ils/elles psent
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Other verbs conjugated like peser:
Amener to bring Se lever to get up Promener to walk Ramener to bring back lever to raise 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
F. Verbs ending in ayer, such as essayer (to try)
and payer (to pay) change their y to i in all persons : except the first and second person plural (nous and vous). 4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Essayer-to try Singular Plural
Jessaie Nous essayons
Tu essaies Vous essayez
Il/elle/on essaie Ils/elles essaient
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
G. Verbs ending in ger like voyager (to travel)
take an e after the g in the present tense, so the pronounciation of g remains soft.
Ex. : voyager nous voyageons
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Voyager-to travel
Singular Plural
Je voyage Nous voyageons
Tu voyages Vous voyagez
Il/elle/on voyage Ils/elles voyagent
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Similarly, in verbs ending in cer, such as
commencer (to start), the c in the noun form changes to to keep the soft c sound (nous commenons)
Ex. : commencer nous commenons
4. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ER VERBS
Other verbs in this category include:
Corriger to correct Exiger to demand, to require Manger to eat Nager to swim Partager to share TO SUMMARISE In all these cases, there is a general conjugation pattern :
1st person sg -e 2nd person sg -es 3rd person sg -e 1st person pl -ons 2nd person pl -ez 3rd person pl -ent Cest tout pour aujourdhui!
