aller = to go

Aller means to go in French. Aller is an irregular verb, which means it doesn't follow a particular pattern when it is conjugated. Take some time to memorize this important verb!

I go = je vais
you go = tu vas
he goes = il va
she goes = elle va
we go = nous allons
you go = vous allez
they go = ils vont, elles vont

For more information on aller, look for the free slideshow at nallenart.org.
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LIRE = to read

Lire is an irregular verb meaning to read. The English words literature and literary are related to lire.

je lis (zhuh LEE)* = I read
tu lis (tyoo LEE) = you read
il lit (eel LEE) = he reads
elle lit (el LEE) = she reads
nous lisons (noo lee-ZOH) = we read
vous lisez (voo lee-ZAY) = you read
ils lisent (eel LEEZ) = they read
elles lisent (el LEEZ) = they read

*These pronunciation guides give only a rough approximation of the French sounds!

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ÉCRIRE = to write

Écrire means to write. It is related to the English words scribe,
script, and scripture.

j’écris (zhay-KREE)* = I write
tu écris (tyoo ay-KREE) = you write
il écrit (eel ay-KREE) = he writes
elle écrit (el ay-KREE) = she writes
nous écrivons (noo-zay-kree-VOH) = we write
vous écrivez (voo-zay-kree-VAY) = you write
ils écrivent (eel-zay-KREEV) = they write
elles écrivent (el-zay-KREEV) = they write

*These pronunciation guides give only a rough approximation of the French sounds!

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DIRE = to say, to tell

Dire is an irregular verb meaning to say or to tell. The French word dire is from the Latin word dicere (to say) and is related to the English words dictate, diction, and dictionary.

Note the irregular vous form!

je dis (zhuh DEE)* = I say
tu dis (tyoo DEE) = you say
il dit (eel DEE) = he says
elle dit (el DEE) = she says
nous disons (noo dee-ZOH) = we say
vous dites (voo DEET) = you say
ils disent (eel DEEZ) = they say
elles disent (el DEEZ) = they say

*These pronunciation guides give only a rough approximation of the French sounds!

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Lire = to read

Lire is an irregular verb meaning to read. The English words literature and literary are related to lire.

je lis (zhuh LEE)
= I read, I am reading, I do read
tu lis (tyoo LEE)
= you read, you are reading, you do read
il lit (eel LEE)
= he reads, he is reading, he does read
elle lit (el LEE)
= she reads, she is reading, she does read

nous lisons (noo lee-SOH)
= we read, we do read, we are reading
vous lisez (voo lee-ZAY)
= you read, you are reading, you do read
ils lisent (eel LEEZ)
= they read, they are reading, they do read
elles lisent (el LEEZ)
= they read, they are reading, they do read

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Dormir

Dormir means “to sleep.” Our English words dormitory and dormant are related to dormir. Write out and memorize the present tense of dormir.

je dors (zhuh DOHR)
= I sleep, I am sleeping, I do sleep
tu dors (tyoo DOHR)
= you sleep, you are sleeping, you do sleep
il dort (eel DOHR)
= he sleeps, he is sleeping, he does sleep
elle dort (el DOHR)
= she sleeps, she is sleeping, she does sleep

nous dormons (noo dohr-MOH)
= we sleep, we are sleeping, we do sleep
vous dormez (voo dohr-MAY)
= you sleep, you are sleeping, you do sleep
ils dorment (eel DOHRM)
= they sleep, they are sleeping, they do sleep
elles dorment (el DOHRM)
= they sleep, they are sleeping, they do sleep

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More -IR Verbs

Here are some more -IR verbs.

réfléchir (ray-flay-SHEER) = to think, to reflect
choisir (shwah-ZEER) = to choose
bâtir (ba-TEER) = to build
punir (pyoo-NEER) = to punish
grandir (grahn-DEER) = to grow
réussir (ray-yoo-SEER) = to succeed

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-IR Verbs

Finir means to finish. Other verbs have similar endings. This group of verbs, -IR verbs, is the second major verb group, after -ER verbs.

je finis (zhuh fee-NEE)
= I finish, I am finishing, I do finish
tu finis (tyoo fee-NEE)
= you finish, you are finishing, you do finish
il finit (eel fee-NEE)
= he finishes, he is finishing, he does finish
elle finit (el fee-NEE)
= she finishes, she is finishing, she does finish

nous finissons (noo fee-nee-SOH)
= we finish, we are finishing, we do finish
vous finissez (voo fee-nee-SAY)
= you finish, you are finishing, you do finish
ils finissent (eel fee-NEES)
= they finish, they are finishing, they do finish
elles finissent (el fee-NEES)
= they finish, they are finishing, they do finish

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-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!