The present tense is one of the first verb tenses you need to learn in French. 

Why? Because you use it all the time.

You use the present tense to talk about what you do, what you like, where you live, what you want, what you understand, and what is happening now.

For example:

Je parle français.
I speak French.

Elle habite à Paris.
She lives in Paris.

Nous regardons un film.
We are watching a movie.

Tu comprends ?
Do you understand?

In this guide, you will learn how the present tense in French works, how to conjugate regular verbs, how to use common irregular verbs, and how to build simple sentences with easy examples.

Let’s begin.

What Is the Present Tense in French?

The present tense in French is called le présent.

It is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, facts, and general truths.

In English, the French present tense can translate in different ways.

For example:

Je parle français.

This can mean:

I speak French.
I am speaking French.
I do speak French.

French does not have a separate present continuous form like English does. So both “I speak” and “I am speaking” can be translated as je parle.

Here are more examples:

Je mange une pomme.
I eat an apple.
I am eating an apple.

Elle travaille aujourd’hui.
She works today.
She is working today.

Nous étudions le français.
We study French.
We are studying French.

This is one reason the French present tense is so useful. Once you know it, you can express many ideas with one simple tense.

When Do You Use the Present Tense in French?

You use the French present tense in several situations.

1. To Talk About What Is Happening Now

Je regarde une vidéo.
I am watching a video.

Il prépare le dîner.
He is preparing dinner.

Nous écoutons de la musique.
We are listening to music.

2. To Talk About Habits

Je bois du café le matin.
I drink coffee in the morning.

Elle va au travail tous les jours.
She goes to work every day.

Nous parlons français en classe.
We speak French in class.

3. To Talk About Facts

Paris est la capitale de la France.
Paris is the capital of France.

L’eau est importante.
Water is important.

Le français est une belle langue.
French is a beautiful language.

4. To Talk About the Near Future

French often uses the present tense to talk about future events, especially when the time is clear.

Je pars demain.
I am leaving tomorrow.

Elle arrive ce soir.
She is arriving tonight.

Nous avons un examen lundi.
We have an exam on Monday.

You can also use the near future with aller + infinitive, but the present tense is very common when the future time is obvious.

French Subject Pronouns

Before you conjugate French verbs, you need to know the subject pronouns.

Je = I

Tu = You, informal

Il = He

Elle = She

On = We, one, people in general

Nous = We

Vous = You, formal or plural

Ils = They, masculine or mixed group

Elles = They, feminine only

Examples:

Je parle.
I speak.

Tu parles.
You speak.

Elle parle.
She speaks.

Nous parlons.
We speak.

Vous parlez.
You speak.

Ils parlent.
They speak.

A quick note: on is very common in spoken French. It often means “we.”

For example:

On mange au restaurant ce soir.
We are eating at the restaurant tonight.

In everyday French, on is often used more than nous when speaking casually.

How to Conjugate Regular ER Verbs in the Present Tense

Most French verbs end in -er. These are usually the easiest verbs to conjugate in the present tense.

Examples of regular -er verbs:

parler = to speak

aimer = to like, to love

regarder = to watch, to look at

travailler = to work

habiter = to live

To conjugate a regular -er verb, remove -er from the infinitive and add the correct ending.

With parler, remove -er.

You get the stem:

parl

Then add the endings:

Je parle = I speak

Tu parles = You speak

Il parle = He speaks

Elle parle = She speaks

On parle = We speak

Nous parlons = We speak

Vous parlez = You speak

Ils parlent = They speak

Elles parlent = They speak

Examples:

Je parle français.
I speak French.

Tu regardes la télé.
You watch TV.

Elle aime le chocolat.
She likes chocolate.

Nous travaillons aujourd’hui.
We are working today.

Vous habitez à Paris ?
Do you live in Paris?

Ils parlent anglais.
They speak English.

A pronunciation tip: for regular -er verbs, parle, parles, and parlent sound the same. The endings are different in writing, but not in pronunciation.

How to Conjugate Regular IR Verbs in the Present Tense

Some French verbs end in -ir.

Examples of regular -ir verbs:

finir = to finish

choisir = to choose

réussir = to succeed, to pass

grandir = to grow up

To conjugate a regular -ir verb, remove -ir and add the correct ending.

With finir, remove -ir.

You get the stem:

fin

Then add the endings:

Je finis = I finish

Tu finis = You finish

Il finit = He finishes

Elle finit = She finishes

On finit = We finish

Nous finissons = We finish

Vous finissez = You finish

Ils finissent = They finish

Elles finissent = They finish

Examples:

Je finis mon café.
I finish my coffee.

Tu choisis un livre.
You choose a book.

Elle réussit l’examen.
She passes the exam.

Nous finissons la leçon.
We are finishing the lesson.

Vous choisissez une robe.
You are choosing a dress.

Ils grandissent vite.
They grow up quickly.

Not every verb ending in -ir follows this pattern, but this is the regular pattern beginners should learn first.

How to Conjugate Regular RE Verbs in the Present Tense

Some French verbs end in -re.

Examples of regular -re verbs:

attendre = to wait, to wait for

répondre = to answer

vendre = to sell

entendre = to hear

To conjugate a regular -re verb, remove -re and add the correct ending.

With attendre, remove -re.

You get the stem:

attend

Then add the endings:

J’attends = I wait

Tu attends = You wait

Il attend = He waits

Elle attend = She waits

On attend = We wait

Nous attendons = We wait

Vous attendez = You wait

Ils attendent = They wait

Elles attendent = They wait

Examples:

J’attends le bus.
I am waiting for the bus.

Tu réponds à la question.
You answer the question.

Elle entend la musique.
She hears the music.

Nous vendons notre voiture.
We are selling our car.

Vous attendez votre ami ?
Are you waiting for your friend?

Ils répondent au message.
They reply to the message.

A quick note: with regular -re verbs, the il and elle form often ends with nothing added after the stem in pronunciation and spelling.

For example:

Il attend.
He waits.

Elle répond.
She answers.

The Most Important Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense

Some of the most common French verbs are irregular. This means they do not follow the regular -er, -ir, or -re patterns.

As a beginner, you should learn the most useful ones first.

Être = To Be

Je suis = I am

Tu es = You are

Il est = He is

Elle est = She is

On est = We are

Nous sommes = We are

Vous êtes = You are

Ils sont = They are

Elles sont = They are

Examples:

Je suis professeur.
I am a teacher.

Tu es gentil.
You are kind.

Elle est française.
She is French.

Nous sommes à la maison.
We are at home.

Vous êtes prêts ?
Are you ready?

Ils sont fatigués.
They are tired.

Avoir = To Have

J’ai = I have

Tu as = You have

Il a = He has

Elle a = She has

On a = We have

Nous avons = We have

Vous avez = You have

Ils ont = They have

Elles ont = They have

Examples:

J’ai une question.
I have a question.

Tu as un chien ?
Do you have a dog?

Elle a deux enfants.
She has two children.

Nous avons une voiture.
We have a car.

Vous avez le temps ?
Do you have time?

Ils ont une maison.
They have a house.

French uses avoir in many expressions where English uses “to be.”

Examples:

J’ai faim.
I am hungry.

J’ai soif.
I am thirsty.

J’ai froid.
I am cold.

J’ai chaud.
I am hot.

J’ai peur.
I am scared.

Aller = To Go

Je vais = I go

Tu vas = You go

Il va = He goes

Elle va = She goes

On va = We go

Nous allons = We go

Vous allez = You go

Ils vont = They go

Elles vont = They go

Examples:

Je vais au travail.
I am going to work.

Tu vas à l’école ?
Are you going to school?

Elle va au restaurant.
She is going to the restaurant.

Nous allons à Paris.
We are going to Paris.

Vous allez bien ?
Are you doing well?

Ils vont à la plage.
They are going to the beach.

You also use aller to form the near future.

Je vais étudier.
I am going to study.

Nous allons manger.
We are going to eat.

Faire = To Do, To Make

Je fais = I do, I make

Tu fais = You do, you make

Il fait = He does, he makes

Elle fait = She does, she makes

On fait = We do, we make

Nous faisons = We do, we make

Vous faites = You do, you make

Ils font = They do, they make

Elles font = They do, they make

Examples:

Je fais mes devoirs.
I am doing my homework.

Tu fais quoi ?
What are you doing?

Elle fait un gâteau.
She is making a cake.

Nous faisons du sport.
We do sports.

Vous faites attention.
You are paying attention.

Ils font la cuisine.
They are cooking.

Faire is also used for weather:

Il fait chaud.
It is hot.

Il fait froid.
It is cold.

Il fait beau.
The weather is nice.

Pouvoir = Can, To Be Able To

Je peux = I can

Tu peux = You can

Il peut = He can

Elle peut = She can

On peut = We can

Nous pouvons = We can

Vous pouvez = You can

Ils peuvent = They can

Elles peuvent = They can

Examples:

Je peux venir demain.
I can come tomorrow.

Tu peux m’aider ?
Can you help me?

Elle peut parler français.
She can speak French.

Nous pouvons commencer.
We can start.

Vous pouvez répéter ?
Can you repeat?

Ils peuvent attendre.
They can wait.

Vouloir = To Want

Je veux = I want

Tu veux = You want

Il veut = He wants

Elle veut = She wants

On veut = We want

Nous voulons = We want

Vous voulez = You want

Ils veulent = They want

Elles veulent = They want

Examples:

Je veux apprendre le français.
I want to learn French.

Tu veux un café ?
Do you want a coffee?

Elle veut partir.
She wants to leave.

Nous voulons comprendre.
We want to understand.

Vous voulez manger ?
Do you want to eat?

Ils veulent regarder un film.
They want to watch a movie.

Savoir = To Know

Je sais = I know

Tu sais = You know

Il sait = He knows

Elle sait = She knows

On sait = We know

Nous savons = We know

Vous savez = You know

Ils savent = They know

Elles savent = They know

Examples:

Je sais la réponse.
I know the answer.

Tu sais parler français ?
Do you know how to speak French?

Elle sait conduire.
She knows how to drive.

Nous savons pourquoi.
We know why.

Vous savez où est la gare ?
Do you know where the train station is?

Ils savent nager.
They know how to swim.

Present Tense With Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs are verbs where the action reflects back on the subject.

In English, this often sounds like “myself,” “yourself,” or “ourselves,” but not always.

A common example is:

se lever = to get up

In the present tense:

Je me lève = I get up

Tu te lèves = You get up

Il se lève = He gets up

Elle se lève = She gets up

On se lève = We get up

Nous nous levons = We get up

Vous vous levez = You get up

Ils se lèvent = They get up

Elles se lèvent = They get up

Examples:

Je me lève à sept heures.
I get up at seven o’clock.

Elle se prépare.
She gets ready.

Nous nous promenons le soir.
We take a walk in the evening.

Ils se couchent tard.
They go to bed late.

Common reflexive verbs include:

se lever = to get up

se coucher = to go to bed

se réveiller = to wake up

se préparer = to get ready

s’appeler = to be called

se promener = to take a walk

A useful sentence:

Je m’appelle Sophie.
My name is Sophie.

Literally, it means “I call myself Sophie.”

How to Make a Present Tense Sentence Negative

To make a sentence negative in French, place ne before the verb and pas after the verb.

The structure is:

ne + verb + pas

Examples:

Je parle français.
I speak French.

Je ne parle pas français.
I do not speak French.

Elle aime le café.
She likes coffee.

Elle n’aime pas le café.
She does not like coffee.

Nous comprenons.
We understand.

Nous ne comprenons pas.
We do not understand.

Before a vowel or silent h, ne becomes n’.

Examples:

Je n’ai pas de voiture.
I do not have a car.

Il n’est pas ici.
He is not here.

Elle n’habite pas à Paris.
She does not live in Paris.

In casual spoken French, native speakers often drop ne.

You may hear:

Je sais pas.
I don’t know.

Instead of:

Je ne sais pas.

As a beginner, learn the full form first, especially for writing.

How to Ask Questions in the Present Tense

There are several ways to ask questions in French.

1. Use Intonation

This is the easiest way. You say a normal sentence, but your voice rises at the end.

Tu parles français ?
Do you speak French?

Elle aime le café ?
Does she like coffee?

Vous comprenez ?
Do you understand?

This is very common in everyday spoken French.

2. Use Est-ce que

You can place est-ce que before a sentence to make it a question.

Est-ce que tu parles français ?
Do you speak French?

Est-ce qu’elle aime le café ?
Does she like coffee?

Est-ce que vous comprenez ?
Do you understand?

This structure is very useful for beginners because it works with many sentences.

3. Use a Question Word

You can also use question words like où, quand, pourquoi, comment, and combien.

Examples:

Où habites-tu ?
Where do you live?

Comment tu t’appelles ?
What is your name?

Pourquoi tu apprends le français ?
Why are you learning French?

Combien ça coûte ?
How much does it cost?

Quand tu pars ?
When are you leaving?

In spoken French, you will often hear question words with normal sentence order.

For example:

Tu habites où ?
Where do you live?

Tu pars quand ?
When are you leaving?

Common Spelling Changes in the Present Tense

Some verbs are mostly regular, but they have small spelling changes to keep the pronunciation natural.

Verbs Ending in GER

For verbs ending in -ger, add e in the nous form.

Example:

manger = to eat

Je mange = I eat

Tu manges = You eat

Il mange = He eats

Nous mangeons = We eat

Vous mangez = You eat

Ils mangent = They eat

Why mangeons and not mangons? Because the e keeps the soft g sound.

Example:

Nous mangeons au restaurant.
We are eating at the restaurant.

Verbs Ending in CER

For verbs ending in -cer, the c becomes ç in the nous form.

Example:

commencer = to begin

Je commence = I begin

Tu commences = You begin

Il commence = He begins

Nous commençons = We begin

Vous commencez = You begin

Ils commencent = They begin

Why commençons and not commencons? Because ç keeps the soft s sound.

Example:

Nous commençons la leçon.
We are starting the lesson.

Verbs Like Acheter

Some verbs change slightly in the stem.

Example:

acheter = to buy

J’achète = I buy

Tu achètes = You buy

Il achète = He buys

Nous achetons = We buy

Vous achetez = You buy

Ils achètent = They buy

Examples:

J’achète du pain.
I am buying bread.

Nous achetons une maison.
We are buying a house.

These spelling changes may look tricky at first, but they usually exist to make pronunciation smoother.

Present Tense With Depuis

French uses the present tense with depuis to talk about something that started in the past and is still happening now.

This is different from English.

Examples:

J’habite ici depuis deux ans.
I have lived here for two years.

Literally: I live here since two years.

J’apprends le français depuis six mois.
I have been learning French for six months.

Elle travaille ici depuis janvier.
She has worked here since January.

Nous sommes mariés depuis dix ans.
We have been married for ten years.

This is a very useful structure because English often uses the present perfect, but French uses the present tense.

Common Mistakes With the Present Tense in French

Here are some common beginner mistakes to avoid.

Mistake 1: Using the Infinitive Instead of the Conjugated Verb

Incorrect:

Je parler français.

Correct:

Je parle français.
I speak French.

In French, the verb must match the subject.

Mistake 2: Forgetting That “I Am Speaking” Is Just “Je Parle”

Incorrect:

Je suis parler français.

Correct:

Je parle français.
I am speaking French.

French does not use être + verb to form the present continuous.

Mistake 3: Forgetting the S With Tu

Incorrect:

Tu parle français.

Correct:

Tu parles français.
You speak French.

The s is silent, but it is important in writing.

Mistake 4: Pronouncing Silent Endings

In verbs like parle, parles, and parlent, the endings are not pronounced.

Je parle
Tu parles
Ils parlent

These forms sound the same.

Mistake 5: Using Nous in Casual Speech All the Time

Nous is correct, but in everyday spoken French, native speakers often use on instead.

Formal or written:

Nous parlons français.
We speak French.

Casual spoken French:

On parle français.
We speak French.

Both are correct. On is simply more common in everyday conversation.

Easy Practice With the French Present Tense

Try translating these sentences into French.

1. I speak French.
2. She likes coffee.
3. We are eating at the restaurant.
4. They live in Paris.
5. I am waiting for the bus.
6. Do you understand?
7. I do not have a car.
8. He is going to school.
9. We are starting the lesson.
10. I have been learning French for six months.

Answers:

1. Je parle français.
2. Elle aime le café.
3. Nous mangeons au restaurant.
4. Ils habitent à Paris.
5. J’attends le bus.
6. Tu comprends ?
   Or: Vous comprenez ?
7. Je n’ai pas de voiture.
8. Il va à l’école.
9. Nous commençons la leçon.
10. J’apprends le français depuis six mois.

How to Study the Present Tense in French

The best way to learn the French present tense is to practice it in small steps.

Start with être, avoir, aller, and faire. These verbs are used constantly.

Then learn regular -er verbs like parler, aimer, regarder, and habiter.

After that, practice common -ir and -re verbs like finir, choisir, attendre, and répondre.

Then add important irregular verbs like pouvoir, vouloir, savoir, venir, and prendre.

Do not only memorize conjugations. Use each verb in a real sentence.

For example:

Je veux apprendre le français.
I want to learn French.

Je peux parler un peu.
I can speak a little.

Je comprends la phrase.
I understand the sentence.

Je prends le train.
I am taking the train.

When you practice verbs inside sentences, they become much easier to remember.

Keep Practicing the French Present Tense

The present tense is one of the most useful tenses in French. You need it for basic conversations, daily routines, opinions, questions, descriptions, and many everyday situations.

Start with the most common verbs, learn the patterns, and practice with simple sentences every day.

Once you feel comfortable with the present tense, you will be able to say much more in French and understand beginner conversations more easily.