Mon quotidien (Regular -ER Verbs)
Learn the most common verb group in French: regular -ER verbs. One pattern = hundreds of verbs.
Over 90% of new French verbs are regular -ER verbs. Once you learn this one pattern, you can conjugate thousands of words. The key: remove -er, then add the endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. Note: the je/tu/il/elle forms all sound the same (the final -ent in ils/elles is SILENT).
REGULAR -ER VERBS: the premier groupe (first group), the largest verb group in French (~90% of all verbs). Model: PARLER (to speak)
FORMATION: remove the -ER infinitive ending → stem PARL-, then add the endings below
ENDINGS: je -e · tu -es · il/elle/on -e · nous -ons · vous -ez · ils/elles -ent. The -e, -es and -ent endings are silent
SPELLING CHANGES in some -ER verbs (important!): verbs ending in -CER add a cédille before O: commencer (to begin) → nous commençons (we begin). Verbs ending in -GER add an E before O: manger (to eat) → nous mangeons (we eat)
Common mistake: pronouncing the final -ent: ils parlent (they speak): the ENT is completely silent. Do not release a final /ə/ sound
- je parle — I speak
- tu parles — you speak
- il / elle / on parle — he/she/one speaks
- nous parlons — we speak
- vous parlez — you speak (formal/pl)
- ils / elles parlent — they speak (SILENT -ent!)