This key facts covers Key Facts: -ir, -re, and Modals within Present tense: -ir, -re and modal verbs for GCSE French. Revise Present tense: -ir, -re and modal 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 3 of 4 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📌 Key Facts: -ir, -re, and Modals
- -ir verbs double up with -iss- — nous/vous/ils forms: nous finissons, vous finissez, ils finissent. The -iss- is the tell-tale sign of a regular -ir verb.
- -re verbs have a bare il form — il vend (no -t, no -e). Do not add anything after the stem for il/elle/on.
- partir and sortir are irregular -ir verbs — they behave differently: je pars, tu pars, il part, nous partons, vous partez, ils partent. No -iss- extension. And they use être in the perfect tense.
- Modals are always followed by an infinitive — never by a conjugated verb. Je peux aller (correct), NOT je peux vais.
- voudrais/voudrait (I/he would like to) — this conditional form is explicitly accepted at Foundation tier and sounds more polite than veux/veut. Use it in speaking tasks.
- réussir à + infinitif means "to manage to do something" — slightly different from réussir un examen (to pass an exam, direct object, no preposition needed)
Practice questions for Present tense: -ir, -re and modal verbs
What does 'finir' mean in English?
Which ending is correct for 'nous' with a regular -ir verb like 'finir'?
Quick recall flashcards
finir
to finish — regular -ir verb. je finis mes devoirs à six heures = I finish my homework at six o'clock.
vendre
to sell — regular -re verb. il vend des fruits au marché = he sells fruit at the market.