This deep dive covers La conjugaison des verbes en -er within Present tense: regular -er verbs for GCSE French. Revise Present tense: regular -er verbs in The 25 Core Verbs and the Present Tense for GCSE French with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📐 La conjugaison des verbes en -er
To conjugate a regular -er verb, remove the -er from the infinitive to get the stem, then add the correct ending.
parler → stem: parl-
| Pronom sujet | Ending | parler (to speak) |
|---|---|---|
| je | -e | je parle |
| tu | -es | tu parles |
| il / elle / on | -e | il/elle/on parle |
| nous | -ons | nous parlons |
| vous | -ez | vous parlez |
| ils / elles | -ent | ils/elles parlent |
⚠️ Spelling-Change Verbs
Two groups of -er verbs have predictable spelling changes to preserve pronunciation:
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ger verbs (e.g. manger) | Add e before -ons to keep the soft g sound | nous mangeons |
| -cer verbs (e.g. commencer) | Change c → ç before -ons to keep the soft c sound | nous commençons |
Other -ger verbs you will meet: ranger, nager, voyager, partager, plonger. Other -cer verbs: lancer, placer, prononcer.
Les 12 verbes en -er les plus utiles
| Verbe | Meaning | je form |
|---|---|---|
| parler | to speak / to talk | je parle |
| manger | to eat | je mange |
| travailler | to work | je travaille |
| écouter | to listen (to) | j'écoute |
| regarder | to watch / to look at | je regarde |
| habiter | to live (somewhere) | j'habite |
| aimer | to like / to love | j'aime |
| étudier | to study | j'étudie |
| visiter | to visit | je visite |
| jouer | to play | je joue |
| acheter | to buy | j'achète |
| chercher | to look for | je cherche |
Annotated model sentences
J'écoute de la musique et je regarde des films le weekend.
I listen to music and I watch films at the weekend.
- écoute — je form of écouter: stem écout- + ending -e
- regarde — je form of regarder: stem regard- + ending -e
- Both verbs take the same -e ending for je — this is the regular pattern
- de la musique, des films — articles are essential; never drop them
Nous travaillons dur pour réussir nos examens parce que nous voulons aller à l'université.
We work hard in order to pass our exams because we want to go to university.
- travaillons — nous form: stem travaill- + -ons (note the double l stays in all forms)
- pour réussir — pour + infinitif expresses purpose: "in order to succeed"; this connective earns AO2 marks
- parce que — causal connective; always followed by a full clause with a conjugated verb
- voulons — nous form of vouloir (irregular): links back to the T1 priority verbs
Practice questions for Present tense: regular -er verbs
What is the correct present tense ending for 'nous' with a regular -er verb?
What does 'regarder' mean in English?