#9 French First Group Verbs in the Present Tense | Conjugation Rules and Usage

Unlike English, French verbs require conjugation. Among them, the most fundamental are the first-group regular verbs, known as -er verbs.

By understanding their regular conjugation patterns, you will be able to construct a wide variety of sentences.

In this lesson, we will learn the conjugation rules of first-group verbs in the present tense, with the goal of mastering how to form correct sentences.

1. What Are First-Group Regular Verbs?

French verbs are divided into three groups, and the first group is the largest. These are verbs whose infinitive form ends in -er.

Because they conjugate according to consistent rules, they are the easiest group for beginners to learn.

Conjugation Rules

The present tense of first-group verbs is formed by adding the appropriate ending to the verb stem, depending on the subject.

The stem remains unchanged for all subjects.

The ending -ent for ils/elles is not pronounced. For example, “je parle” and “ils parlent” are pronounced the same.

2. Basic Conjugation Pattern

To conjugate a first-group verb, simply remove -er from the infinitive, then add the subject-specific ending.

Because of their high regularity, once you learn the pattern of one verb, you can apply it to many others.

3. Pronunciation of ils/elles Forms

In the third-person plural (ils/elles), verbs take the ending -ent. However, this ending is silent.

Thus, different conjugated forms may be spelled differently but sound the same:

This is why French generally does not allow omission of the subject pronoun: the verb form alone does not always indicate who the subject is.

4. Special Spelling Changes: -ger and -cer Verbs

Some first-group verbs undergo small spelling adjustments to preserve pronunciation.

The most common are -ger verbs and -cer verbs. These changes occur mainly in the nous form.

4-1. -ger Verbs (Example: manger = to eat)

The stem is mang-, but in the nous form an “e” is inserted.

When g is followed by a, o, u, it is pronounced [g] (hard “g”). When followed by “e,” it becomes [ʒ] (soft “g,” like “zh”).

Therefore, the extra “e” in nous mangeons keeps the soft sound.

4-2. -cer Verbs (Example: commencer = to begin)

The stem is commenc-, but in the nous form, the “c” changes to “ç.”

When c is followed by a, o, u, it is pronounced [k] (“k” sound). Adding a cedilla (ç) ensures the pronunciation [s].

5. Summary