-ER Verbs

The last verb we learned, donner = to give, belongs to a large group of verbs known as -ER verbs. These verbs all have a similar pattern of conjugation, with a certain ending that corresponds with each subject pronoun that we have learned. If you learn these endings, you will be able to use hundreds of French verbs.

-ER Verb endings: These are the endings that go with each of the subject pronouns that you have learned. To put together the right verb for each subject, take off the -er from the infinitive and add the correct ending.

je -e
je donne = I give, I am giving

tu -es
tu donnes = you give, you are giving

il -e
il donne = he gives, he is giving

elle -e
elle donne = she gives, she is giving

nous -ons
nous donnons = we give, we are giving

vous -ez
vous donnez = you give, you are giving

ils -ent
ils donnent = they give, they are giving

elles -ent
elles donnent = they give, they are giving

Listen to the podcast to learn how to pronounce these verbs.

donner = to give

je donne = I give
tu donnes = you give
il donne = he gives
elle donne = she gives
nous donnons = we give
vous donnez = you give
ils donnent = they give
elles donnent = they give

All of these verbs describe an action in the present tense. They can all be translated in three ways like this:

I give, I am giving, I do give
you give, you are giving, you do give, etc.

Listen to the podcast to learn how to pronounce these verbs.

avoir = to have

The verb avoir describes having something. It is also used in many different expressions in French where different verbs might be used in English.

to have = avoir
I have = j’ai*
you have (singular) = tu as
he has = il a
she has = elle a
it has = il a or elle a
we have = nous avons
you have (plural) = vous avez
they have = ils ont or elles ont

*When the verb starts with a vowel, je drops the e and adds an apostrophe to make a contraction.

Listen to the podcast to learn how to pronounce these verbs.

être = to be

These are some of the most common words in French. Writing out the "being" words will help you to memorize them.

to be = être
I am = je suis
you are (singular) = tu es
he is = il est
she is = elle est
it is = il est or elle est
we are = nous sommes
you are (plural) = vous êtes
they are = ils sont or elles sont

Listen to the podcast to learn how to pronounce these verbs.

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Conjugation

When we study verbs in French we arrange the information in an easy to understand format called conjugation. Starting in the singular (just one person or thing as subject), verbs are listed in the order of first person, second person, third person masculine and feminine. Then the plural (more than one person or thing as subject) forms are given.

first person = the person speaking:
singular = I in English, je in French
plural = we in English, nous in French

second person = the person(s) to whom the speaker is speaking:
singular = you in English, tu or vous in French
(tu is for a friend, vous is more polite)
plural = you in English, vous in French

third person = the person(s) or thing(s) about whom the speaker is speaking:
singular = he, she, or it in English, il or elle in French
plural = they in English, ils or elles in French

If this explanation leaves you more confused, ignore it for now and come back when you have had some experience learning verbs. It makes more sense as you see it in action!