Present Tense: -er Verbs (parler)

French verbs change their endings based on the subject. We call this conjugation. It is like a LEGO set. You have a base piece that stays the same. Then, you swap out the hats depending on who is acting. In English, we only change the verb for "he" or "she." We say "I speak" but "he speaks." French is more detailed. Every person gets a unique ending. Don't worry, though. Most of these endings sound exactly the same when spoken. It is much easier than it looks on paper. You just need to learn the system.

1. 1Follow these three simple steps to conjugate any regular -er verb:
2. 2Start with the infinitive form like parler (to speak).
3. 3Remove the -er ending to find the stem. For parler, the stem is parl-.
4. 4Add the specific ending that matches your subject pronoun.
5. 5Here are the endings you need to memorize:
6. 6Je (I): add -e (Je parle)
7. 7Tu (You, informal): add -es (Tu parles)
8. 8Il / Elle / On (He/She/One): add -e (Il parle)
9. 9Nous (We): add -ons (Nous parlons)
10. 10Vous (You, formal/plural): add -ez (Vous parlez)
11. 11Ils / Elles (They): add -ent (Ils parlent)
12. 12Pro tip: The endings -e, -es, and -ent are all silent. Yes, even the long -ent at the end! They all sound like the stem. Only nous and vous change the sound of the word. It’s like a secret club where most members wear the same invisible hat.

Use the present tense for things happening right now. If you are currently eating a croissant, use this tense. It also works for habits or things you do often. "I play tennis every Tuesday" uses this pattern. Use it for general truths too. "The sun shines" is a perfect example. Use it when ordering food at a café. Je commande un café, s'il vous plaît. Use it in job interviews to describe your skills. Je travaille bien en équipe. Use it to ask for directions. Je cherche le Louvre. It is the Swiss Army knife of French tenses.

Do not use this for things that happened yesterday. That requires the past tense. Do not use it for things that will happen next year. That usually needs the future tense. Also, watch out for the verb aller (to go). It ends in -er, but it is a rebel. It does not follow these rules at all. It is the black sheep of the family. Finally, don't use these endings for verbs ending in -ir or -re. They have their own sets of hats to wear.

Many people try to pronounce the -ent at the end of ils parlent. Please don't! It is completely silent. Think of it as a decorative ending. Another common slip is forgetting the s on the tu form. Even though you don't hear it, you must write it. It’s like the silent 's' in 'island.' Native speakers will know what you mean, but your teacher will notice. Also, watch out for je. If the verb starts with a vowel, je becomes j'. We say j'aime, not je aime. French hates it when two vowels bump into each other. It’s a grammar traffic jam.

In English, we have two ways to say the present. We say "I speak" and "I am speaking." French only has one. Je parle covers both meanings. You don't need to add a word for "am." If you say Je suis parle, it sounds like you are saying "I am a speak." That is a classic beginner mistake. Just keep it simple. One French verb does the work of two English phrases. It’s like a two-for-one deal at your favorite store.