Conjugating Present Tense Regular French -er Verbs

Engaging Questions

• What does "a verb in its infinitive form" mean?

• How do we translate a verb in the present tense from French back into English ?

• Do we conjugate verbs in English ?

Teacher Goals

• Students will be able to conjugate a regular French -er verb.

Required Resources

• A French grammar book
  
  Any text being used for a French class will have a list of these verbs.

Optional Resources

• Common -er verbs

  • aider = to help
  • aimer = to like/love
  • chanter = to sing
  • chercher = to sing
  • commencer = to begin
  • compter = to count
  • danser = to dance
  • desirer = to desire
  • donner = to give
  • entrer(dans) = to enter/go (in)
  • tudier = to study
  • fermer = to close
  • habiter = to live in
  • jouer = to play
  • manger = to eat
  • marcher = to walk
  • montrer = to show
  • parler = to speak, talk
  • penser = to think
  • pleurer = to cry
  • porter = to carry or wear
  • sonner = to ring
  • tomber = to fall
  • travailler = to work
  • trouver = to find

• Conjugating Present Tense Regular French -ir Verbs
  
  Use this lesson by Gregory Perkins to learn conjugation of French -ir verbs.

  • Conjugating Present Tense Regular French -ir Verbs

Steps

1. An infinitive: a verb before conjugation.

   Before we conjugate any verb in French, it is said to be in its infinitive form. The infinitive form simply means that it is in its "to" form. Some examples are the following: manger = to eat; marcher = to walk; parler = to speak. As we would never say, "I to speak," we must conjugate so that we have  "I speak."

2. Endings for -er verbs

   The endings of the present tense (le present) of -er verbs are: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. In order to achieve this conjugation, we simply drop the -er ending from the infinitive and add the endings appropriate for number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). See below.

   Present Tense Endings

   Person	Singular	Plural
   First	add -e	add -ons
   Second	add -es	add -ez
   Third	add -e	add -ent

   Example:

   Conjugation of parler (to speak)

   Person	Singular	Plural
   First	Je parle	nous parlons
   Second	tu parles	vous parlez
   Third	il/elle parle	ils/elles parlent

3. Translation of regular, present tense -er verbs

   French -er verbs can be translated in three ways. For example, "parler" (to speak), when conjugated, can mean: I speak; I am speaking; or I do speak.

4. Vowels and the silent "h" after "je"

   The "e" of je is dropped if the next word begins with a vowel or silent "h." For example:  j'arrive ( I arrive; I am arriving; I do arrive). Another example:  j'habite ( I live(in); I am living(in); I do live (in) ).

5. Third person singular and plural pronouns

   The pronouns "il," "elle," "ils", and "elles" refer to both persons and things. "Il" is the equivalent of "he" or "it" and "elle" is the equivalent of "she" or "it."

   For example, a car (une voiture) uses the subject pronoun "elle" (she) because it is a feminine noun. And, a book (un livre) uses the subject pronoun "il" (he) because it is a masculine noun.
   
   To summarize two or more nouns of different genders, the masculine, 3d person, subject pronoun, "ils," is used. For example, a group of three girls and one boy when being refered to as "they" would use "ils" because there are two genders, male and female.

Teacher Notes

• Students will learn how to conjugate a regular French -er verb. They will read the instructions and then show through exercises that they know how to conjugate.

• Duration: 45 minutes

Learner Notes

• You will learn and demonstrate how to conjugate a regular French -er verb.

Mentor Notes

• Your son or daughter will learn and demonstrate how to conjugate a regular French -er verb.