{"id":118441,"date":"2023-06-12T23:46:10","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T03:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/irregular-french-verbs-present-tense\/"},"modified":"2025-02-03T00:43:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T05:43:26","slug":"irregular-french-verbs-present-tense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/irregular-french-verbs-present-tense\/","title":{"rendered":"31 French Irregular Verbs and How to Conjugate Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

When learning French it can be challenging to remember whether a verb is conjugated regularly or irregularly, and how the spelling changes depending on the form.\u00a0Patterns abound in regular verbs\u2014whether you’re tackling the future tense<\/a>, the past tense<\/a> or even French grammar as a whole<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But there are some more patterns to find on the irregular side of things. Let\u2019s take a look at irregular verbs in French and try to point out as many patterns and groups as possible.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=3]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Irregular vs. Regular French Verbs<\/h2>\n

There are two types of verbs in French. The first type is called regular verbs. These verbs are regular because they follow a set pattern. These set patterns prevail in all tenses that a verb undergoes.<\/p>\n

Primarily, regular verbs fall into one of three categories: <\/strong>verbs that end in\u00a0-er<\/em><\/a>, verbs that end in\u00a0-ir<\/em><\/a>\u00a0or verbs that end in\u00a0-re<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

To conjugate these verbs in the present tense<\/a>, simply chop off the last two letters and add the appropriate endings determined by the subject.<\/p>\n

Irregular verbs, on the other hand, do not follow a pattern.<\/strong> Their\u00a0final letters\u00a0do not determine what conjugated endings they will receive.<\/p>\n

As such, these verbs need to be memorized because even though there are far more regular verbs than irregular ones, irregular verbs encompass some of the most important and common verbs in the French language.<\/p>\n

Four Main Irregular Verbs: \u00catre<\/em>, Avoir<\/em>, Aller<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Faire)<\/em><\/h2>\n

The following verbs are essential to know: \u00eatre<\/em> (to be), avoir<\/em> (to have), aller<\/em> (to go) and f<\/em>aire<\/em> (to do\/make). These four verbs are perhaps the most important irregular verbs in all of the French language<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the irregular verbs \u00eatre<\/strong><\/em> (to be), avoir<\/em><\/strong> (to have) and aller<\/strong><\/em> (to go) are used in compound tenses<\/strong>: the first two being support verbs for the\u00a0pass\u00e9 compos\u00e9<\/em><\/a> (the past perfect) and the third being a support verb for the\u00a0futur proche<\/em><\/a> (the near future).<\/p>\n

Let’s see how these verbs are conjugated in the present tense:<\/p>\n

\u00catre <\/em>(to be)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je suis <\/a>\n <\/td>I am<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu es <\/a>\n <\/td>you are<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il est <\/a>\n \/ Elle est\u00a0 <\/a>\n <\/td>he\/she is<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous sommes\u00a0 <\/a>\n <\/td>we are<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous \u00eates <\/a>\n <\/td>you are <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils sont <\/a>\n \/ Elles sont\u00a0 <\/a>\n <\/td>they are (masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Avoir\u00a0<\/i>(to have)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'ai <\/a>\n <\/td>I have<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu as <\/a>\n <\/td>you have<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il a <\/a>\n \/ Elle a <\/a>\n <\/td>he\/she has<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous avons <\/a>\n <\/td>we have<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous avez <\/a>\n <\/td>you have<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils ont <\/a>\n \/ Elles ont\u00a0 <\/a>\n <\/td>they have (masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Aller\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(to go)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'ai <\/td>I go<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu as <\/td>you go<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il a \/ Elle a <\/td>he\/she goes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous avons <\/td>we go<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous avez <\/td>you go
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils ont \/Elles ont\u00a0<\/td>they go
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Faire<\/em> (to do\/make)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je\u00a0fais <\/td>I do\/make<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu fais\u00a0<\/td>you do\/make<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait \/Elle fait\u00a0<\/td>he\/she does\/makes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous faisons\u00a0<\/td>we do\/make<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous faites\u00a0<\/td>you do\/make
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils font \/Elles font\u00a0<\/td>they do\/make
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Modal Verbs<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the second most important group of irregular verbs are the modals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Modal verbs are a very special type of verb in French. They are a type of helping verb that modifies the “mood” of the unconjugated verb that comes afterward<\/strong>, which is a fancy way to say that these verbs indicate ability, possibility, desire or necessity.<\/p>\n

For example, the verbs vouloir<\/em><\/strong> (to want), pouvoir<\/em><\/strong> (to be able to), devoir<\/em><\/strong> (to have to) and savoir<\/em><\/strong> (to know) are all modal verbs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Check out their conjugations:<\/p>\n

Vouloir<\/em>\u00a0(to want)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je\u00a0veux <\/td>I want<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu veux <\/td>you want<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il veut \/ Elle veut \u00a0<\/td>he\/she wants<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous voulons <\/td>we want<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous voulez <\/td>you want
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils veulent \/ Elles veulent <\/td>they want
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Pouvoir<\/em>\u00a0(to be able to)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je peux <\/td>I can<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu peux <\/td>you can<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il peut \/ Elle peut \u00a0<\/td>he\/she can<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous pouvons <\/td>we can<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous pouvez <\/td>you can
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils peuvent \/ Elles peuvent <\/td>they can
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Devoir<\/em>\u00a0(to have\u00a0to)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je dois <\/td>I have to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu dois <\/td>you have to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il doit \/ Elle doit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she has to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous devons <\/td>we have to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous devez <\/td>you have to
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils doivent \/ Elles doivent <\/td>they have to
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Savoir<\/em>\u00a0(to know)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je sais <\/td>I know<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu sais <\/td>you know<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il sait\u00a0 \/ Elle sait\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she knows<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous savons <\/td>we know<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous savez <\/td>you know
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils savent \/ Elles savent <\/td>they know
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Irregular -ER<\/em>\u00a0Stem-changing Verbs<\/h2>\n

Those –er<\/em> verbs you thought you had all figured out aren’t quite so regular after all but there are only a few exceptions.<\/p>\n

In fact, these -er<\/em> verb irregularities are called stem changes<\/strong>, and rather than being irregular verbs completely, they are simply a sub-class of\u00a0-er<\/em> verbs.<\/p>\n

A stem change happens when the root of the verb (the base of the verb without -er<\/i>) sees a spelling change before regular -er\u00a0<\/em>conjugation takes place.<\/p>\n

With the subjects nous<\/em>\u00a0and\/or\u00a0vous<\/em>, the conjugated verb is spelled differently from regular rules<\/strong>. Sometimes we need to add an extra letter. Other times, we must change or add an accent.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll break down the main types of spelling-change verbs:<\/p>\n

-Er<\/em>\u00a0Verbs with a \u201cG\u201d<\/h3>\n

-Er<\/em> verbs that end with a “g” keep the \u201ce\u201d\u00a0in the\u00a0nous<\/em> form.<\/strong> Some examples include manger<\/em><\/strong> (to eat) and nager<\/em><\/strong> (to swim)\u00a0<\/p>\n

The reason has to do with pronunciation. Based on standard rules of French pronunciation, mangons<\/em> would be pronounced with a hard \u201cg\u201d (as in \u201cgopher\u201d) as opposed to a soft \u201cg\u201d (as in \u201cGermany.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Thus, in order to retain the \u201cj\u201d sound, we say nous<\/em>\u00a0mangeons<\/em> (we eat) and nous nageons<\/em> (we swim).<\/strong><\/p>\n

The other subjects are conjugated like normal\u00a0-er<\/em>\u00a0verbs.<\/p>\n

Below are the conjugations for the irregular, stem-changing –er<\/em> verbs\u00a0appeler<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to call) and manger<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>(to eat).<\/p>\n

Appeler\u00a0<\/em>(to call)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'appelle <\/td>I call<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0appelles <\/td>you call<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il appelle \/ Elle appelle \u00a0<\/td>he\/she calls<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous appelons <\/td>we call<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous appelez <\/td>you call
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils appellent \/ Elles appellent <\/td>they call
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

With\u00a0appeler<\/em>, we double the “l” in certain conjugations to keep the longer\u00a0-e<\/em> sound before the “l.”<\/strong> If there were\u00a0no double “l,” the preceding\u00a0e<\/em> would become a short\u00a0e<\/em> sound, which is not the correct pronunciation.<\/p>\n

This same doubling-up happens with other verbs, as well such as\u00a0rappeler<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to call back) and\u00a0jeter<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to throw).<\/p>\n

Manger\u00a0<\/em>(to eat)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Verb form<\/b><\/td>Meaning<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Je\u00a0mange<\/b> <\/td>I eat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0manges<\/b><\/i> <\/td>you eat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il mange<\/b><\/i> \/ Elle mange<\/b><\/i> \u00a0<\/td>he\/she eats<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous mangeons<\/b><\/i> <\/td>we eat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous mangez<\/b><\/i> <\/td>you eat (formal), you all eat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils mangent<\/b><\/i> \/ Elles mangent <\/td>they eat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Most verbs that end in –ger\u00a0<\/em>keep their e<\/em> in the nous<\/em> form to keep that “g” sound.<\/strong> Some other verbs that have this\u00a0same change include\u00a0bouger<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to move),\u00a0corriger<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to correct) and\u00a0voyager<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to travel).<\/p>\n

Accent Omission Verbs<\/h3>\n

Some verbs have accent changes depending on the subject they\u2019re used with<\/strong>. Some example are acheter\u00a0<\/em> (to buy) and pr\u00e9f\u00e9rer<\/em> (to prefer)\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the\u00a0nous\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0vous<\/em>\u00a0forms, the conjugated verb more closely resembles the infinitive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For instance,\u00a0acheter<\/em>\u00a0has an accent\u00a0in all conjugated forms except the\u00a0nous<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0vous\u00a0<\/em>forms. Otherwise, they\u2019re conjugated like regular\u00a0-er<\/em>\u00a0verbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J\u2019ach\u00e8te\u00a0<\/td>I buy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu ach\u00e8tes <\/td>you buy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il ach\u00e8te\u00a0\/ Elle ach\u00e8te\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>he\/she buys<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous achetons\u00a0<\/td>we buy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous achetez\u00a0<\/td>you buy
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils ach\u00e8tent \/ Elles ach\u00e8tent\u00a0<\/td>they buy
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Pr\u00e9f\u00e9rer\u00a0<\/em>is similar.\u00a0The double\u00a0accent aigu<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(acute accent) stays only in the\u00a0nous<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0vous\u00a0<\/em>forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je pr\u00e9f\u00e8re\u00a0<\/td>I prefer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu pr\u00e9f\u00e8res <\/td>you prefer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il pr\u00e9f\u00e8re\u00a0\/ Elle pr\u00e9f\u00e8re\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>he\/she prefers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous pr\u00e9f\u00e9rons\u00a0<\/td>we prefer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous pr\u00e9f\u00e9rez\u00a0<\/td>you prefer
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils pr\u00e9f\u00e8rent \/ Elles pr\u00e9f\u00e8rent\u00a0<\/td>they prefer
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Accent Addition Verbs<\/h3>\n

Similarly, verbs like commencer<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to begin) and effacer<\/em><\/strong> (to erase) undergo an accent change. However, it\u2019s that one is added (not omitted) in the\u00a0nous<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0vous\u00a0<\/em>forms.<\/p>\n

For pronunciation purposes,\u00a0we must add a\u00a0c\u00e9dille<\/em>\u00a0(cedilla\u2014the little \u201ctail\u201d accent)\u00a0<\/em>to the \u201cc\u201d in the nous<\/em> and vous<\/em> forms<\/strong>. Otherwise, these verbs are conjugated like typical -er<\/em>\u00a0verbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je commence\u00a0<\/td>I begin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu commences <\/td>you begin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il commence\u00a0\/ Elle commence\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>he\/she begins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous commen\u00e7ons\u00a0<\/td>we begin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous commen\u00e7ez\u00a0<\/td>you begin
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils commencent \/ Elles commencent\u00a0<\/td>they begin
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Keep the \u201cY\u201d Verbs<\/h3>\n

Additional major spelling-change verb types are those such as payer<\/em><\/strong> (to pay) and envoyer<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to send), in which\u00a0the \u201cy\u201d becomes an \u201ci\u201d in all forms except the\u00a0nous<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0vous<\/em>\u00a0forms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, they\u2019re conjugated like other\u00a0-er<\/em>\u00a0verbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je paie\u00a0<\/td>I pay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu paies <\/td>you pay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il paie\u00a0\/ Elle paie\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>he\/she pays<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous payons\u00a0<\/td>we pay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous payez\u00a0<\/td>you pay
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils paient \/ Elles paient\u00a0<\/td>they pay
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Irregular -IR<\/em>\u00a0Verbs<\/h2>\n

The following –ir<\/em> verbs are considered irregular:\u00a0tenir<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to keep) and\u00a0venir<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to come).<\/p>\n

Tenir\u00a0<\/em>(to keep)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je tiens\u00a0 <\/td>I keep<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0tiens <\/td>you keep<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il tient\u00a0\/ Elle tient\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she keeps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous tenons <\/td>we keep<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous tenez\u00a0<\/td>you keep
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils tiennent \/ Elles tiennent <\/td>they keep
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Venir\u00a0<\/em>(to come)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je viens\u00a0 <\/td>I come<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0viens <\/td>you come<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il vient\u00a0\/ Elle vient\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she comes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous venons <\/td>we come<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous venez\u00a0<\/td>you come
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils viennent \/ Elles viennent <\/td>they come
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Some other verbs conjugated like\u00a0these two include\u00a0devenir<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to become),\u00a0obtenir<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to obtain) and\u00a0appartenir<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to belong to).<\/p>\n

Ouvrir<\/em> (to open)<\/h3>\n

Confusingly, the verb\u00a0ouvrir<\/em>\u00a0(to open) is different from a regular\u00a0-ir <\/em>verb because it’s\u00a0conjugated like an –er<\/em> verb.<\/strong> Check it out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'ouvre\u00a0 <\/td>I open<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0ouvres <\/td>you open<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il ouvre\u00a0\/ Elle ouvre\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she opens<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous ouvrons <\/td>we open<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous ouvrez <\/td>you open
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils ouvrent \/ Elles ouvrent <\/td>they open
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Other verbs that are conjugated like this include\u00a0d\u00e9couvrir<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to discover) and\u00a0couvrir<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to cover).<\/p>\n

Irregular Verbs in the\u00a0Partir\u00a0<\/em>Family<\/h3>\n

Although these verbs aren\u2019t simply built off one another, they\u2019re conjugated in the same way as one another.<\/p>\n

Remove the last three letters of the infinitive (\u201ctir\u201d or \u201cmir\u201d) and add the appropriate endings.<\/strong> The singular tense conjugations follow the pattern \u201cs,\u201d \u201cs,\u201d \u201ct.\u201d<\/p>\n

The good news is that the plural forms closely resemble regular\u00a0-er<\/em> verbs. Part<\/em>ir <\/em><\/strong> means \u201cto leave.\u201d For example:<\/p>\n

Je pars pour Angleterre demain<\/em> (I leave for England tomorrow).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je pars\u00a0<\/td>I leave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu pars <\/td>you leave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il part\u00a0\/ Elle part\u00a0\u00a0<\/td>he\/she leaves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous partons\u00a0<\/td>we leave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous partez\u00a0<\/td>you leave
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils partent \/ Elles partent\u00a0<\/td>they leave
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Some other verbs in this group include\u00a0sortir<\/i><\/strong>\u00a0(to exit),\u00a0mentir<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to lie),\u00a0dormir<\/i><\/strong>\u00a0(to sleep) and\u00a0sentir<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to feel).<\/p>\n

Irregular -OIR<\/em>\u00a0Verbs<\/h2>\n

The next two\u00a0verbs end in –oir<\/em>. When conjugated, voir\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0recevoir<\/em>\u00a0have the same endings, even though their stems change throughout the conjugation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We’ll start with\u00a0voir<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Voir<\/em>\u00a0(to see)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je\u00a0vois\u00a0 <\/td>I see<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0vois <\/td>you see<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il voit\u00a0\/ Elle voit\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she sees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous voyons <\/td>we see<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous voyez\u00a0<\/td>you see
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils voient \/ Elles voient <\/td>they see
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Recevoir\u00a0<\/em>(to receive)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je\u00a0re\u00e7ois\u00a0 <\/td>I receive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0re\u00e7ois <\/td>you receive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il re\u00e7oit\u00a0\/ Elle re\u00e7oit\u00a0 \u00a0<\/td>he\/she receives<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous recevons <\/td>we receive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous recevez\u00a0<\/td>you receive
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils re\u00e7oivent \/ Elles re\u00e7oivent <\/td>they receive
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Irregular -RE<\/em>\u00a0Stem-changing Verbs<\/h2>\n

Let’s start off simple with prendre<\/em><\/strong> and\u00a0apprendre<\/em><\/strong>. These two verbs are almost regular except for a few stem changes. This is different from regular -re<\/em> verbs because they drop an extra letter in the\u00a0nous<\/em> and\u00a0vous<\/em> forms.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prendre<\/em>\u00a0(to take)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je\u00a0prends\u00a0 <\/td>I take<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0prends <\/td>you take<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il prend\u00a0\/ Elle prend \u00a0<\/td>he\/she takes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous prenons <\/td>we take<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous prenez\u00a0<\/td>you take
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils prennent \/ Elles prennent <\/td>they take
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Apprendre\u00a0<\/em>(to learn)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'apprends\u00a0<\/td>I learn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0apprends <\/td>you learn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il apprend\u00a0\/ Elle apprend \u00a0<\/td>he\/she learns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous apprenons <\/td>we learn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous apprenez\u00a0<\/td>you learn
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils apprennent \/ Elles apprennent <\/td>they learn
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Other verbs conjugated like these two include\u00a0comprendre<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to understand) and\u00a0surprendre<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (to surprise).<\/p>\n

Four Main Irregular -RE<\/em>\u00a0Verbs<\/h2>\n

Yay for more groups! These verbs are also conjugated similarly.<\/p>\n

Rire<\/em> (to laugh)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je ris\u00a0<\/td>I laugh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0ris <\/td>you laugh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il rit\u00a0\/ Elle rit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she laughs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous rions <\/td>we laugh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous riez\u00a0<\/td>you laugh
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils rient \/ Elles rient <\/td>they laugh
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Dire<\/em> (to say)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je dis\u00a0<\/td>I say<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0dis <\/td>you say<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il dit\u00a0\/ Elle dit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she says<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous disons <\/td>we say<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous dites\u00a0<\/td>you say
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils disent \/ Elles disent <\/td>they say
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

\u00c9crire<\/em> (to write)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
J'\u00e9cris\u00a0<\/td>I write<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0\u00e9cris\u00a0 <\/td>you write<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il \u00e9crit\u00a0\/ Elle \u00e9crit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she writes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous \u00e9crivons <\/td>we write<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous \u00e9crivez\u00a0<\/td>you write
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils \u00e9crivent \/ Elles \u00e9crivent <\/td>they write
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Lire<\/em>\u00a0(to read)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je lis\u00a0<\/td>I read<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0lis <\/td>you read<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il lit\u00a0\/ Elle lit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she reads<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous lisons <\/td>we read<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous lisez\u00a0<\/td>you read
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils lisent \/ Elles lisent <\/td>they read
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Other -RE<\/em> Irregular Verbs<\/h2>\n

Croire<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to believe) and\u00a0boire<\/em><\/strong> (to drink) are two more irregular verbs we can pair together. While their conjugations aren’t identical, they’re similar.<\/p>\n

Croire\u00a0<\/em>(to believe)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je crois\u00a0<\/td>I believe<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0crois\u00a0 <\/td>you believe<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il croit\u00a0\/ Elle croit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she believes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous croyons\u00a0<\/td>we believe<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous croyez\u00a0<\/td>you believe
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils croient\u00a0 \/ Elles croient\u00a0 <\/td>they believe
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Boire\u00a0<\/em>(to drink)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je bois\u00a0<\/td>I drink<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu\u00a0bois\u00a0 <\/td>you drink<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il boit\u00a0\/ Elle boit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she drinks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous buvons\u00a0<\/td>we drink<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous buvez\u00a0<\/td>you drink
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils boivent \/ Elles boivent\u00a0<\/td>they drink
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

And the following are miscellaneous irregular –re<\/em> verbs. The first two are almost regular\u00a0-re<\/em> verbs, but they drop an extra letter in their\u00a0je<\/em>,\u00a0tu<\/em>,\u00a0il<\/em> and\u00a0elle<\/em> forms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Battre\u00a0<\/em>(to hit)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je bats\u00a0<\/td>I hit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu bats\u00a0 <\/td>you hit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il bat\u00a0\/ Elle bat \u00a0<\/td>he\/she hits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous battons\u00a0<\/td>we hit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous battez\u00a0<\/td>you hit
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils battent\u00a0 \/ Elles battent\u00a0<\/td>they hit
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Mettre\u00a0<\/em>(to\u00a0put)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je mets\u00a0<\/td>I put<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu mets\u00a0 <\/td>you put<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il met\u00a0\/ Elle met \u00a0<\/td>he\/she puts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous mettons\u00a0<\/td>we put<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous mettez\u00a0<\/td>you put
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils mettent \/ Elles mettent\u00a0<\/td>they put
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Other verbs conjugated like\u00a0mettre<\/em><\/strong> include\u00a0admettre<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to admit),\u00a0permettre<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to permit) and\u00a0promettre<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(to promise).<\/p>\n

The final irregular -re<\/em> verb I’ll include\u2014as well as the last in this post\u2014is\u00a0vivre<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(to live).<\/p>\n

Vivre\u00a0<\/em>(to live)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Je vis\u00a0<\/td>I live<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu vis\u00a0 <\/td>you live<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il vit\u00a0\/ Elle vit \u00a0<\/td>he\/she lives<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous vivons\u00a0<\/td>we live<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous vivez\u00a0<\/td>you live
\n(formal\/plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils vivent \/ Elles vivent\u00a0<\/td>they live
\n(masculine\/feminine)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

How to Practice Irregular French Verbs<\/h2>\n

Once you finish soaking up this post, you’ll want to put your new knowledge to practice right away.<\/p>\n