Two more present-tense families: You already know -er verbs (parler, aimer). French has two more regular present families, each with its own set of endings.
-ir verbs (model: finir, to finish)
- The infinitive ends in -ir
- Most add a little -iss- in the three plural forms: nous finissons
-re verbs (model: vendre, to sell)
- The infinitive ends in -re
- No ending at all in the il / elle form: il vend
The single biggest thing to learn: Most -ir verbs add -iss- in the plural (nous finissons); -re verbs have no ending in the il / elle form (il vend).
- un verbe en -ir
- an -ir verb (finir, choisir, réfléchir) — most take -iss- in the plural
- un verbe en -re
- an -re verb (vendre, attendre, répondre, entendre)
- le radical
- the stem — what's left after you remove -ir or -re (fin-, vend-)
- la terminaison
- the ending — the part that changes with the person (-is, -ons, -ez…)
- finir
- to finish — the model -ir verb
- vendre
- to sell — the model -re verb
Same jobs as -er verbs: These verbs do the same jobs as -er verbs — habits, facts, the here-and-now, near-future plans. Only the endings change. Master finir and vendre as your two models and you can conjugate dozens of high-frequency verbs (choisir, réussir, attendre, répondre, perdre…).
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Drop the ending, add the new one: Take the infinitive, remove -ir or -re to find the stem, then add the endings below.
Two things to watch
- -ir verbs of the finir type: the three plural forms gain an extra -iss- (the part learners forget)
- -re verbs: the il / elle / on form takes no ending — just the bare stem (il vend)
| Personne | finir (-ir, type finir) | vendre (-re) |
|---|---|---|
| je / j' | je finis | je vends |
| tu | tu finis | tu vends |
| il / elle / on | il finit | il vend (pas de terminaison) |
| nous | nous finissons | nous vendons |
| vous | vous finissez | vous vendez |
| ils / elles | ils finissent | ils vendent |
| Type | Terminaisons | Autres verbes du même type |
|---|---|---|
| -ir finir | -is · -is · -it · -issons · -issez · -issent | choisir, réussir, réfléchir, grandir, obéir |
| -re vendre | -s · -s · -∅ · -ons · -ez · -ent | attendre, répondre, entendre, perdre, descendre |
| -ir partir | -s · -s · -t · -ons · -ez · -ent (no -iss-) | dormir, sortir, partir, sentir, servir |
Watch the small partir family: Not every -ir verb adds -iss-. A small but very common group — partir, sortir, dormir, sentir, servir — instead drops the last consonant of the stem in the singular.
The partir pattern: je pars (not je partis), tu pars, il part; then nous partons, vous partez, ils partent. Learn these few by heart so you don't force a wrong -iss- onto them.
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Same jobs as the present: -ir and -re verbs cover exactly the same uses as the present you already know — the endings are the only difference. Here are the everyday uses, each shown with a high-frequency -ir or -re verb.
Emplois du présent (-ir / -re)
- Habits & routines — Je finis mes devoirs après le dîner. (I finish my homework after dinner.)
- General facts — Ce magasin vend des livres d'occasion. (This shop sells second-hand books.)
- Actions happening now — J'attends le bus depuis dix minutes. (I've been waiting for the bus for ten minutes.)
- Near-future plans — Ce week-end, je choisis ma tenue pour la fête. (This weekend, I'm choosing my outfit for the party.)
- Reactions & opinions — Je réfléchis avant de répondre. (I think before I answer.)
Don't over-think the meaning: A -ir or -re verb in the present means just what you'd expect: je finis is simply I finish, il vend is he sells. The only challenge is the form — pick the right ending for the person and the rest works like any present verb.
A day told with -ir and -re verbs: Here's a short everyday paragraph built one sentence at a time. Read it once for meaning, then tap Voir la traduction for the English or the audio button to hear it.
Verbs packed into each sentence
- -ir verbs: finir, choisir, réfléchir
- -re verbs: attendre, répondre, entendre
- A couple from the partir family: dormir
Le présent en -ir et -re en action
Une journée, phrase à phrase
- Le matin, je finis mon petit-déjeuner et je choisis des vêtements confortables.
- À l'arrêt de bus, j'attends le 12 et je réfléchis à ma journée.
- En cours, le professeur pose une question et nous répondons tous ensemble.
- Après les cours, mes amis et moi finissons nos devoirs à la bibliothèque.
- Le soir, j'entends de la musique, je réfléchis un peu, puis je dors profondément.
Steal this for your routine: Notice how many everyday verbs are -ir / -re: je finis, je choisis, je réfléchis, j'attends, nous répondons, j'entends, je dors. Learn the two endings sets and you can describe a whole day. Swap in your own activities and you have a ready-made paragraph.
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The slips to watch for: Three mistakes dominate. Compare the right version with the typical mistake and the fix becomes obvious.
The three slips
- Forgetting the -iss- in finir-type plurals: nous finons instead of finissons
- Adding an ending to the il form of an -re verb: il vendt instead of bare il vend
- Forcing -iss- onto the partir family: je finis is fine, but je dormis is wrong — it's je dors
Correct
- Nous finissons à midi.
- Il vend des journaux.
- Je dors huit heures par nuit.
- Vous choisissez un dessert.
Erreur fréquente
- Nous finons à midi.
- Il vendt des journaux.
- Je dormis huit heures…
- Vous choisez un dessert.
Ask: which family is this verb?: Before you conjugate, decide the family. finir type → add -iss- in nous / vous / ils (finissons, choisissez, réussissent). vendre type → no ending on il (il vend, il attend, il répond). partir type → drop the last stem consonant in the singular and use no -iss- (je pars, je dors, je sors).