The Present Tense

The Present tense is used to describe what is happening now or what usually happens.

It's translated by:

  • I do
  • I am doing
  • I do do

Example- Je parle: I speak / I do speak / I am speaking

The present tense describes:

  • Actions that are taking place now:
Qu'est-ce que tu fais?

 

 What are you doing?
  • Actions that take place on a regular basis:
 Le samedi je joue le rugby pour l'equipe de l'école
  On Saturdays, I play rugby for the school team
  • Facts that are generally or universally true :
La région dépend du tourism
  The region depends on tourism
   
In French, there is only one form of the present tense whereas in English, there are three.

Je travaille can mean :

 

I work

Je travaille a la maison - I work at home

I am working

Je travaille sur un projet en géographie-I am working on a geography project

I do work

Je ne travaille pas le dimanche-I don't work on Sundays

 

The endings for a regular -er verb are:

e
es
e

ons
ez
ent

The endings for a regular -ir verb are:

is
is
it
issons
issez
issent

The endings for a regular -re verb are:

s
s
-
ons
ez
ent

 

The infinitive is used when the verb is used as a noun and also in instructions:

Examples:

Travailler, quelle horreur!- Working, how awful!

Mettre au four chaud- Put in a hot oven

 

To revise the present tense of irregular verbs click here!

 

Back to Main Verbs Section