1. How to Conjugate Regular -ER Verbs in the Present Tense
More than 80% of all French verbs end in -er (known as the first group of verbs, except the irregular verb aller). To conjugate any regular -er verb in the present tense, follow two simple steps:
Step 1: Remove the infinitive ending -er to get the stem (parler → parl-, habiter → habit-).
Step 2: Add the present tense endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
| Subject Pronoun | Ending | Parler (to speak) | Habiter (to live — silent h) | Pronunciation Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je / J' | -e | je parle | j'habite | parl / a-beet (-e is silent) |
| Tu | -es | tu parles | tu habites | parl / a-beet (-es is silent) |
| Il / Elle / On | -e | il/elle/on parle | il/elle/on habite | parl / a-beet (-e is silent) |
| Nous | -ons | nous parlons | nous habitons | par-lohn / noo-za-bee-tohn |
| Vous | -ez | vous parlez | vous habitez | par-lay / voo-za-bee-tay |
| Ils / Elles | -ent | ils/elles parlent | ils/elles habitent | parl / a-beet (-ent is 100% SILENT!) |
2. Essential French A1 Regular -ER Verbs & Built-In Prepositions
Several everyday French -er verbs already include the English preposition ("to", "at", "for") inside the verb itself, which means you do not add a preposition after them:
| French Verb | English Meaning | Correct French Example | Important Grammar Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| écouter | to listen (to) | J'écoute la radio. | No à! Never say écouter à. |
| regarder | to watch / look (at) | Nous regardons la télé. | No à! Direct object follows immediately. |
| chercher | to look (for) / search | Il cherche ses clés. | No pour! Means "to look for". |
| demander | to ask (for) | Elle demande l'addition. | Means "to ask for". |
| visiter | to visit (a place/city) | Ils visitent un musée à Paris. | Used ONLY for places! For people, use rendre visite à. |
| travailler | to work | Tu travailles dans une banque ? | Regular -er verb. |
| étudier | to study | Vous étudiez le français. | Keep the i: nous étudions, vous étudiez. |
| jouer à / de | to play (sport vs. music) | Il joue au football / du piano. | jouer à + sport/game; jouer de + instrument. |
3. Spelling-Change -ER Verbs (-GER, -CER, Acheter, Préférer, Appeler)
A few common -er verbs make a tiny spelling adjustment in the stem so their pronunciation stays consistent:
| Verb Group | Why It Changes | Key Conjugation Forms | Common Verbs in This Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| -GER Verbs (manger, voyager) |
Keep e before -ons in the nous form so g stays soft ("zh"). | je mange, tu manges, il mange, nous mangeons, vous mangez, ils mangent |
manger (to eat), voyager (to travel), nager (to swim), partager (to share) |
| -CER Verbs (commencer) |
Change c → ç before -ons in the nous form so c stays soft ("s"). | je commence, tu commences, il commence, nous commençons, vous commencez, ils commencent |
commencer (to start/begin), avancer (to advance), prononcer (to pronounce) |
| Acheter / Préférer (Accent shift) |
Take a grave accent (è) when the ending is silent (je, tu, il, ils). | j'achète, tu achètes, il achète, ils achètent (but nous achetons, vous achetez) |
acheter (to buy), se promener (to walk), préférer (je préfère / nous préférons) |
| Appeler (Double L) |
Doubles the l when the ending is silent (je, tu, il, ils). | j'appelle, tu appelles, il appelle, ils appellent (but nous appelons, vous appelez) |
appeler (to call), s'appeler (to be named: Je m'appelle) |
- The Two-Verb Rule: When two verbs are next to each other (e.g., aimer, adorer, détester, préférer + second verb), conjugate the FIRST verb and leave the SECOND verb in the infinitive (-er): J'aime parler français (never J'aime parle!).
- Never Translate "I am working" with Être: Never write Je suis travaille. Simply write Je travaille.
- Nous mangeons / Nous commençons: Only the nous form needs the extra e (mangeons) or cedilla (commençons). All other forms are 100% regular.
- Visiter vs. Rendre visite à: Use visiter ONLY for places (Je visite Lyon). To visit a person, say Je rends visite à mes grands-parents.
Frequently Asked Questions — Regular -ER Verbs in the Present Tense
How do you pronounce the '-ent' ending on 'ils parlent' or 'elles travaillent'?
The '-ent' ending on third-person plural verbs is 100% silent in French! 'Il parle' and 'ils parlent' are pronounced identically (parl). You only hear the difference through the subject pronoun (il vs. ils) or a liaison when the verb begins with a vowel (il aime vs. ils aiment = eel-zem).
Why do we write 'nous mangeons' with an 'e' before '-ons'?
In French, the letter 'g' followed by 'o' makes a hard 'g' sound (like in 'go'). To keep the soft 'zh' sound of 'manger' in the nous form, French adds an 'e' before '-ons': nous mangeons, nous voyageons, nous nageons.
When two verbs follow each other (like 'I love to travel'), how do I conjugate them?
When two verbs follow each other in the same clause, only the first verb is conjugated for the subject, and the second verb stays in its full infinitive (-er) form: J'adore voyager, Tu aimes cuisiner, Nous préférons marcher.
Why don't we say 'J'écoute à la musique' or 'Je cherche pour mon téléphone' in French?
The French verbs écouter (to listen to), regarder (to look at/watch), chercher (to look for), and demander (to ask for) already include the preposition in their meaning. They take a direct object with no preposition in between: J'écoute la musique, Je cherche mon téléphone.