🥐French I Unit 23 Review
23.2 Conjugation patterns for regular -re verbs
23.2 Conjugation patterns for regular -re verbs
Unit & Topic Study Guides
Introduction to French Language and Culture
Greetings, Introductions, and Goodbyes
The French Alphabet and Pronunciation
Numbers and Telling Time
Days, Months, and Seasons
Basic Vocabulary: Classroom Objects and School Subjects
Subject Pronouns and the Verb "être" (to be)
Descriptive Adjectives and Gender Agreement
Family and Pets
The Verb "avoir" (to have) and Age
Colors and Clothing
Food, Drinks, and Meals
The Partitive Article and Expressions of Quantity
Regular -er Verbs in the Present Tense
Negation and Forming Questions
Irregular Verbs: "aller" (to go), "faire" (to do, to make)
Prepositions of Location and Expressing Possession
Leisure Activities and Hobbies
The Verb "vouloir" (to want) and Expressing Preferences
Weather Expressions and Seasons
Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns
The Imperative Mood and Giving Commands
Regular -ir and -re Verbs in the Present Tense
Professions and Places in the City
The Near Future Tense with "aller"
Cultural Exploration: Francophone Countries and Traditions
Regular -re verbs in French follow a specific pattern in the present tense. By removing the -re ending and adding new endings, you can conjugate these verbs for different subject pronouns. This skill is crucial for building sentences and expressing actions accurately.
Understanding -re verb conjugations is part of mastering regular verb patterns in French. While -re verbs share some similarities with -ir and -er verbs, they have unique endings for nous and vous forms. Knowing these differences helps you use verbs correctly in various contexts.
Conjugation patterns for -re verbs
Regular conjugation patterns
- Regular -re verbs follow a consistent pattern of conjugation in the present tense, with specific endings for each subject pronoun
- The endings for regular -re verbs in the present tense are: -s, -s, -, -ons, -ez, -ent
- To conjugate a regular -re verb, remove the -re ending from the infinitive and add the appropriate ending for each subject pronoun
- The stem of the verb (the part that remains after removing the -re ending) stays the same for all subject pronouns in the present tense
Common regular -re verbs
- vendre (to sell)
- répondre (to answer)
- attendre (to wait)
- perdre (to lose)
- entendre (to hear)
Conjugation of -re verbs in present tense
Subject pronoun endings
- Je (I): verb stem + -s
- Tu (you, singular informal): verb stem + -s
- Il/Elle/On (he/she/one): verb stem + -
- Nous (we): verb stem + -ons
- Vous (you, plural/formal): verb stem + -ez
- Ils/Elles (they): verb stem + -ent
Example conjugation: vendre (to sell)
- Je vends
- Tu vends
- Il/Elle/On vend
- Nous vendons
- Vous vendez
- Ils/Elles vendent
Additional examples
- répondre (to answer)
- Je réponds
- Tu réponds
- Il/Elle/On répond
- Nous répondons
- Vous répondez
- Ils/Elles répondent
- attendre (to wait)
- J'attends
- Tu attends
- Il/Elle/On attend
- Nous attendons
- Vous attendez
- Ils/Elles attendent
-re verbs vs -ir and -er verbs
Similarities in conjugation patterns
- All three verb groups (-re, -ir, and -er) have regular conjugation patterns in the present tense
- The stem of the verb remains unchanged for all three verb groups in the present tense, except for some irregular verbs
Differences in conjugation endings
- -re and -ir verbs share the same endings for je, tu, il/elle/on, and ils/elles, but differ in the nous and vous forms
- -re verbs: nous (-ons), vous (-ez)
- -ir verbs: nous (-issons), vous (-issez)
- -er verbs have a different set of endings compared to -re and -ir verbs
- -er endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
Irregular verbs within each group
- Irregular verbs within each group (-re, -ir, and -er) do not follow the regular conjugation patterns
- Irregular verbs must be memorized individually
- Examples of irregular -re verbs: être (to be), faire (to do/make), prendre (to take)
- Examples of irregular -ir verbs: venir (to come), partir (to leave), dormir (to sleep)
- Examples of irregular -er verbs: aller (to go), avoir (to have), envoyer (to send)