Here is a guide to first group (regular) verbs and how to conjugate them in the present tense. This includes a step-by-step process for how to dismantle the infinitive and then add on the correct ending to conjugate the verb. There is a list of verbs within this presentation.

1. First group verbs
All first group verbs in French have an -er ending.
Some examples:
● MANGER
● AIMER
● PARLER
● HABITER
● TROUVER
● AIDER
● ARRIVER
● CHANTER
● DANSER
● CHERCHER
TO EAT
TO LIKE
TO SPEAK
TO LIVE
TO FIND
TO HELP
TO ARRIVE
TO SING
TO DANCE
TO SEARCH/LOOK FOR

2. First group verbs - how to get to the
finished product (the conjugated verb)
Verb in
infinitif
(pure) form
Minus the
verb ending
(-er for 1st
group verbs)
Leaves the
stem
Which
subject are
you using?
Add
conjugated
ending to
agree with
the subject
Gives
correctly
conjugated
verb to
agree with
subject
AIMER AIMER
minus
-ER ending
AIM__ Je
Tu
Il
etc
-e
-es
-e
etc
j’aime
tu aimes
il aime
etc

3. First group verbs - the endings
Singular 1st person je -e
2nd person tu -es
3rd person il / elle / on -e
Plural 1st person nous -ons
2nd person vous -ez
3rd person ils / elles -ent (NB ending is silent -
don’t pronounce the ‘ent’)

4. First group verbs - conjugated endings practice
SUBJECT STEM CONJUGATED ENDING
Singular 1st person je mang_
parl_
-e
2nd person tu mang__
parl__
-es
3rd person il / elle / on mang_
parl_
-e
Plural 1st person nous mange__
parl__
-ons
2nd person vous mang__
parl__
-ez
3rd person ils / elles mang___
parl___
-ent

5. First group verbs - complete the endings below
he helps his grandma il aid__ sa grandmère AIDER
i give you (sing.) a gift je te donn__ un cadeau DONNER
you (sing). speak to your (sing.) mum tu parl__ à ta mère PARLER
we think it’s funny nous pens__ que c’est drôle PENSER
she cries / she is crying elle pleur__ PLEURER
you (pl.) sing a song vous chant__ une chanson CHANTER
we stay at home nous rest__ à la maison RESTER
they (m) cross the road ils travers__ la rue TRAVERSER
one wins a prize on gagn__ un prix GAGNER
Subject Verb
ending
je -e
tu -es
il / elle / on -e
nous -ons
vous -ez
ils / elles -ent

6. A reminder about the present tense...
The present tense in French is equivalent to three things in English (depending on the
context):
Je parle I speak
I am speaking
I do speak
Tu regardes You watch
You are watching
You do watch
Il joue He plays
He is playing
He does play
Elle pleure She cries
She is crying
She does cry
Nous allons We go
We are going
We do go