There are five main kinds of verbs in French: regular -ER, -IR, -RE; stem-changing; and irregular. Once you've learned the rules of conjugation for each of the first three kinds of verbs, you should have no problem conjugating regular verbs in each of those categories. The majority of French verbs are regular -ER verbs - see the next page for a list of some common -ER verbs.
The verb form that ends in -ER is called the infinitive (in English, the infinitive is the verb preceded by the word "to"), and -ER is the infinitive ending. The verb with the infinitive ending removed is called the stem or radical. To conjugate -ER verbs, remove the infinitive ending to find the stem and add the endings in the table below.
To conjugate an -ER verb in the present tense, remove the infinitive ending and then add the appropriate endings. For example, here are the present tense conjugations for the regular -ER verbs parler (to speak), donner (to give), and visiter (to visit):
Pronoun / Ending / parlerparl- / donnerdonn- / visitervisit-
je / -e / parle / donne / visite
tu / -es / parles / donnes / visites
il / -e / parle / donne / visite
nous / -ons / parlons / donnons / visitons
vous / -ez / parlez / donnez / visitez
ils / -ent / parlent / donnent / visitent
Regular -ER verbs share conjugation patterns in all tenses and moods.
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French regular -ER verbs, by far the largest group of French verbs, share a conjugation pattern. Here are just a few of the most common regular -ER verbs:
aimerto like, to love
arriverto arrive, to happen
chanterto sing
chercherto look for
commencer*to begin
danserto dance
demanderto ask for
dépenserto spend (money)
détesterto hate
donnerto give
écouterto listen to
étudier**to study
fermerto close
goûterto taste
jouerto play
laverto wash
manger*to eat
nager*to swim
parlerto talk, to speak
passerto pass, spend (time)
penserto think
porterto wear, to carry
regarderto watch, to look at
rêverto dream
semblerto seem
skier*to ski
travaillerto work
trouverto find
visiterto visit (a place)
volerto fly, to steal
*All regular -ER verbs are conjugated according to the regular -ER verb conjugation pattern, except for one small irregularity in verbs that end in -ger and -cer,which are known as spelling-change verbs.
**Though conjugated just like regular -ER verbs, watch out for verbs that end in -IER