This French 1 lesson explains regular -ir and -re verbs step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on regular -ir and -re verbs and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: Regular -ir verbs like finir drop -ir and add -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. Regular -re verbs like vendre drop -re and add -s, -s, nothing, -ons, -ez, -ent. In the present tense the stem stays steady, so je finis and je vends follow a predictable pattern.
Level: French 1 (high school, ACTFL Novice) · Standards: ACTFL Novice Mid, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational
Regular -ir and -re verbs: the lesson
How do you conjugate regular -ir verbs?
Rule: -ir verbs
Remove -ir to find the stem (fin-). Add -is, -is, -it in the singular and -issons, -issez, -issent in the plural.
Verbs that follow this pattern: finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), réussir (to succeed), remplir (to fill in), grandir (to grow up).
How do you conjugate regular -re verbs?
Rule: -re verbs
Remove -re (vend-). Add -s, -s, nothing, -ons, -ez, -ent.
| Subject | finir | vendre |
|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | finis | vends |
| tu | finis | vends |
| il / elle / on | finit | vend |
| nous | finissons | vendons |
| vous | finissez | vendez |
| ils / elles | finissent | vendent |
More -re verbs: attendre (to wait for), répondre (to answer), perdre (to lose), entendre (to hear).
Examples
- Nous finissons le match à 16 h. — We finish the game at 4 p.m.
- Sofia choisit un gâteau à la pistache. — Sofia picks a pistachio cake.
- Mon oncle de Dakar vend des mangues. — My uncle in Dakar sells mangoes.
- Vous répondez au prof ? — Are you answering the teacher?
How do you ask questions and say no with these verbs?
For a yes-or-no question, put est-ce que in front of the sentence: Est-ce que tu finis à 15 h ? — Are you finishing at 3 p.m.? For a negative sentence, wrap the verb with ne … pas: Je ne vends pas mon vélo. — I’m not selling my bike. Before a vowel, ne shortens to n’: Elle n’attend pas Lucas. — She isn’t waiting for Lucas. The stem never changes when you add a negative or a question word, so the work is only in choosing the right ending for the subject.
A quick method: first find the subject, then the verb family, then the ending. For Mes cousines (choisir), the subject is elles, the family is -ir, so write Mes cousines choisissent.
What is a typical use in a text conversation?
Common mistake
English speakers write il vendt or il attende. The correct forms are il vend and il attend. Also, attendre already means "wait for": say J’attends le bus., not J’attends pour le bus.
Culture note
In French, réussir un examen means to pass a test. To take a test, say passer un examen. The two verbs are easy to confuse.
Zoé’s tip
Listen for the hiss! Plural -ir verbs say a snake sound: nous finiSSons, ils finiSSent. For -re verbs, the il form is the stem alone, ready to use.
Key points to remember
- Regular -ir verbs add -iss- in the plural: nous finissons, ils finissent.
- Regular -re verbs have no ending in the il/elle/on form: il vend.
- Common -ir verbs: finir, choisir, réussir, remplir.
- Common -re verbs: vendre, attendre, répondre, perdre.
- Attendre means "to wait for", so no extra word is needed.
Finishing, Choosing and Waiting: -IR and -RE Verbs: frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate finir in the present tense?
Use je finis, tu finis, il finit, nous finissons, vous finissez, ils finissent. Notice the -iss- that appears in the plural.
Why do -ir verbs add -iss- in the plural?
That is the pattern of this verb family: nous, vous and ils/elles use the longer stem finiss-. Only the regular -ir verbs do this; verbs like partir and dormir follow a different pattern.
How does the il form of an -re verb end?
It has no ending at all. Say il vend and elle répond. Adding -t or -e is a typical learner mistake.
Do I need a preposition after attendre?
No. Attendre means "to wait for", so you say J’attends Léa without pour.
How do you make an -ir or -re verb negative?
Put ne … pas around the verb: Je ne finis pas and Il n’attend pas.