# Present Tense: -er Verbs

https://langs123.com/en/french/present/present-verbes-er/
CEFR A1–A2 · 2026-10-24 · CC BY 4.0, langs123 contributors (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

> Verbs in **-er** drop that ending and take **-e** / **-es** / **-e** / **-ons** / **-ez** / **-ent**: **je parle**, **nous parlons**. The ending is silent in speech for three persons out of six, but always written: Tu **parles**. Il **parle**. Ils **parlent**.

## Summary

| Point | Rule | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Form | **parler**: **parle** / **parles** / **parle** / **parlons** / **parlez** / **parlent** | Je **parle** français. | I speak French. |
| Vowel | **je** becomes **j’** before a vowel or a silent h | J’aime le thé. | I like tea. |
| Speech | **-e**, **-es** and **-ent** are silent: three forms sound the same | Il **parle**. / Ils **parlent**. | He speaks. / They speak. |
| Use | one present: habits and actions in progress | Elle **travaille** le samedi. | She works on Saturdays. |
| Spelling | **nous mangeons**, **nous commençons**: **e** and **ç** before **o** | Nous **mangeons** ici. | We eat here. |
| Spelling | the stem changes where the ending is silent: **j’achète**, **il appelle** | Elle **appelle** sa mère. | She calls her mother. |
| Liking | **aimer** / **adorer** / **détester** + infinitive, with no preposition | J’**adore** nager. | I love swimming. |
| Aimer and a noun | the definite article: **le** / **la** / **l’** / **les** | J’aime **le** chocolat. | I like chocolate. |
| Trap | **tu** always takes **-s**: **tu parles** | Tu **parles** vite. | You speak fast. |
| Trap | after **vous**, **-ez**; the infinitive keeps **-er** | Vous **parlez** bien. / Je veux **parler**. | You speak well. / I want to speak. |

## Overview

- Verbs in **-er** are the largest group: drop **-er** and add the present endings. Je **parle** français. / Nous **habitons** à Lyon. (I speak French. / We live in Lyon.)
- The stem stays the same for every person; only the ending changes. Tu **aimes** le café. / Ils **aiment** le café. (You like coffee. / They like coffee.)
- The few spelling changes follow rules: see the Spelling section.
- For the subject pronouns, see Subject Pronouns.
- For **aller** and the other irregular verbs, see Present Tense: Irregular Verbs.
- For negation, see Negation; for questions, see Questions.

## Form: the present endings

| Person | parler | aimer | habiter |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| je / j’ | parl**e** | aim**e** | habit**e** |
| tu | parl**es** | aim**es** | habit**es** |
| il / elle / on | parl**e** | aim**e** | habit**e** |
| nous | parl**ons** | aim**ons** | habit**ons** |
| vous | parl**ez** | aim**ez** | habit**ez** |
| ils / elles | parl**ent** | aim**ent** | habit**ent** |

- Drop **-er** and add **-e** / **-es** / **-e** / **-ons** / **-ez** / **-ent**, in the order **je**, **tu**, **il**, **nous**, **vous**, **ils**. Tu **chantes**. / Elle **danse**. (You sing. / She dances.)
- Before a vowel or a silent h, **je** becomes **j’**. J’aime le thé. / J’habite à Nice. (I like tea. / I live in Nice.)
- **Vous** takes **-ez**, for one person addressed politely as well as for several people. **Vous parlez** français, madame ? / **Vous habitez** ici, les enfants ? (Do you speak French, madam? / Do you live here, children?)
- To choose between **tu** and **vous**, see Forms of Address: tu and vous.
- In speech, **on** replaces **nous** and takes the **il** form: see Subject Pronouns.

## Pronunciation: the silent endings

| Person | parler | habiter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| je / j’ | /ʒə paʁl/ | /ʒabit/ |
| tu | /ty paʁl/ | /ty abit/ |
| il / elle / on | /il paʁl/ | /il abit/ |
| nous | /nu paʁlɔ̃/ | /nu zabitɔ̃/ |
| vous | /vu paʁle/ | /vu zabite/ |
| ils / elles | /il paʁl/ | /il zabit/ |

- **-e**, **-es** and **-ent** are not pronounced: **parle**, **parles** and **parlent** sound the same. Il **parle** vite. / Ils **parlent** vite. (He talks fast. / They talk fast.)
- **-ez** and **-er** are both pronounced /e/. Vous **chantez** bien. / Je veux **chanter**. (You sing well. / I want to sing.)
- For **nous habitons** /nu zabitɔ̃/ and the other liaisons, see Liaison and Elision.

## Spelling: verbs with changes

| Infinitive | Rule | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **-ger** | Add **e** after **g** before **o** to keep the sound /ʒ/: **nous mangeons**. | Nous **mangeons** à midi. / Nous **voyageons** en train. | We eat at noon. / We travel by train. |
| **-cer** | **c** becomes **ç** before **o** to keep the sound /s/: **nous commençons**. | Nous **commençons** à huit heures. / Nous **lançons** la balle. | We start at eight. / We throw the ball. |
| **-yer** | **y** becomes **i** before a silent **e**: **je nettoie**, but **nous nettoyons**. | Elle **nettoie** la cuisine. / J’**envoie** un message. | She cleans the kitchen. / I send a message. |
| **acheter**, **lever** | **e** becomes **è** before a silent ending: **j’achète**, but **nous achetons**. | J’**achète** du pain. / Nous **achetons** des fruits. | I buy bread. / We buy fruit. |
| **préférer**, **répéter** | **é** becomes **è** before a silent ending: **je préfère**, but **nous préférons**. | Je **préfère** le thé. / Nous **préférons** le café. | I prefer tea. / We prefer coffee. |
| **appeler**, **jeter** | **l** and **t** double before a silent ending: **j’appelle**, **il jette**, but **nous appelons**. | Elle **appelle** sa mère. / Je **jette** la bouteille. | She calls her mother. / I throw away the bottle. |

- In these four types of verb, the stem changes with **je**, **tu**, **il** and **ils**; with **nous** and **vous** it stays that of the infinitive. Elle **lève** la main. / Nous **levons** la main. (She raises her hand. / We raise our hands.)

## Use: the present

| Use | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A fact or a state: where you live, what you like | J’**habite** à Lyon. / Il **déteste** le froid. | I live in Lyon. / He hates the cold. |
| What is happening now | Il **mange** une pomme. / Qu’est-ce que tu **regardes** ? | He is eating an apple. / What are you watching? |
| A habit | Elle **travaille** le samedi. / Nous **dînons** à huit heures. | She works on Saturdays. / We have dinner at eight. |
| A near, certain event | Demain, nous **arrivons** à midi. / Elle **commence** lundi. | Tomorrow we arrive at noon. / She starts on Monday. |

- French has one present: it says habits and actions in progress alike, with no -ing form. Je **mange** souvent ici. / Je **mange** maintenant. (I often eat here. / I'm eating now.)
- To stress an action in progress, say **être en train de** + infinitive. Je suis **en train de** cuisiner. (I'm in the middle of cooking.)

## Present-tense words

| Word | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **maintenant** | **Maintenant**, je **travaille**. | Now I'm working. |
| **aujourd’hui** | **Aujourd’hui**, nous **restons** à la maison. | Today we're staying at home. |
| **souvent**, **toujours** | Il **chante** **souvent** sous la douche. | He often sings in the shower. |
| **tous les jours**, **le lundi** | Elle **travaille** **le lundi**. | She works on Mondays. |
| **en ce moment** | **En ce moment**, j’**étudie** le français. | At the moment I'm studying French. |

## Aimer, adorer, détester with an infinitive

| Form | Example |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **aimer** / **adorer** / **détester** + infinitive | J’**aime** chanter. / Il **adore** nager. / Elle **déteste** attendre. | I like singing. / He loves swimming. / She hates waiting. |
| **aimer** + **le** / **la** / **l’** / **les** + noun | J’**aime** le chocolat. / Tu **aimes** les chiens ? | I like chocolate. / Do you like dogs? |
| **ne** + **aimer** + **pas** + infinitive | Je **n’aime pas** courir. / Elle **n’aime pas** le froid. | I don't like running. / She doesn't like the cold. |
| **aimer** + **bien** / **beaucoup** / **mieux** | J’**aime bien** ce film. / Il **aime beaucoup** le jazz. / J’**aime mieux** le thé. | I quite like this film. / He likes jazz a lot. / I like tea better. |

- Between **aimer**, **adorer**, **détester** and the infinitive there is no preposition. Nous **adorons** voyager. / Tu **détestes** cuisiner ? (We love travelling. / Do you hate cooking?)
- For the choice of article after **aimer**, see Articles.

## Typical errors

| ✗ | ✓ |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Je aime le thé. | J’aime le thé. | **je** becomes **j’** before **aime** |
| Tu parle français. | Tu **parles** français. | **tu** takes **-es** |
| Ils parle anglais. | Ils **parlent** anglais. | **ils** and **elles** take **-ent**, even though it is not heard |
| Nous mangons à midi. | Nous **mangeons** à midi. | **g** + **e** before **o** |
| Nous commencons à huit heures. | Nous **commençons** à huit heures. | **c** becomes **ç** before **o** |
| Je suis mangeant une pomme. | Je **mange** une pomme. | the present has one form: **je mange** means “I eat” and “I am eating” |
| J’aime chocolat. | J’aime **le** chocolat. | **aimer** + noun takes the definite article: **j’aime le chocolat** |
| J’adore de nager. | J’adore **nager**. | no preposition between **adorer** and the infinitive |
| Vous parler très bien. | Vous **parlez** très bien. | after **vous**, the ending is **-ez** |
| Il nettoye la cuisine. | Il **nettoie** la cuisine. | **y** becomes **i** before a silent **e** |
| Elle appèle sa mère. | Elle **appelle** sa mère. | **appeler** doubles the **l**: **j’appelle** |