Summary of the present indicative

Grammaire: Résumé du présent de l'indicatif

The present indicative is used to talk about an action that is taking place in the present moment.

This lesson covers the French present indicative tense, teaching conjugations for key regular and irregular verbs from different groups. It explains how to use the present tense to talk about current actions with examples like "je mange" and "tu finis." The content highlights differences in verb endings based on subject pronouns and includes practical sentences to aid learners at the A1 level.

1er groupe - Manger (1st group - To eat)	2ème groupe - Finir (2nd group - Finish)	3ème groupe - Voir (3rd group - See)	3ème groupe - Vendre (3rd group - To sell)	3ème groupe - Lire (3rd group - Read)
Je mange	Je finis	Je vois	Je vends	Je lis
Tu manges	Tu finis	Tu vois	Tu vends	Tu lis
Il mange	Il finit	Il voit	Il vend	Il lit
Nous mangeons	Nous finissons	Nous voyons	Nous vendons	Nous lisons
Vous mangez	Vous finissez	Vous voyez	Vous vendez	Vous lisez
Ils mangent	Ils finissent	Ils voient	Ils vendent	Ils lisent

Exercise 1: Résumé du présent de l'indicatif

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

ressens, prends, manges, finis, vois, pense, vis, demandons

1. Penser :

Mon frère ... que je suis triste.

2. Ressentir :

Je ... de la tristesse quand tu n'es pas là.

3. Voir :

Je ... que ta mère est contente de sa journée.

4. Manger :

Tu ... beaucoup quand tu es énervé.

5. Demander :

Nous ... aux enfants s'ils se sentent bien.

6. Finir :

Tous les soirs, je ... ma journée fatigué.

7. Prendre :

Tu ... du temps pour toi quand tu es malheureux.

8. Vivre :

Je ... en France depuis dix ans.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je ___ de la joie quand je suis content.

2. Tu ___ souvent à tes amis.

3. Nous nous ___ heureux aujourd'hui.

4. Il ___ de la fatigue après le travail.

5. Vous ___ que ce film est bien.

6. Ils se ___ nerveux avant l'examen.

Summary of the Present Indicative Tense

This lesson focuses on the present indicative tense in French, which is essential for expressing actions happening currently. It is one of the first tenses French learners encounter and is vital for everyday communication.

What You Will Learn

Conjugation patterns of regular verbs from the 1st group ending in -er, such as manger (to eat).

The conjugation of regular verbs from the 2nd group ending in -ir, like finir (to finish).

Common irregular verbs from the 3rd group such as voir (to see), vendre (to sell), and lire (to read).

How conjugated verb endings change depending on the subject pronoun (je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles), with examples including je mange, tu finis, and il voit.

Key Highlights

The present indicative tense in French is used to describe actions happening right now. The lesson provides a conjugation table for regular and some irregular verbs, demonstrating important verb endings and pronunciation differences.

Examples from the lesson include sentences like: "Je ressens de la joie quand je suis content" (I feel joy when I am happy) and "Tu penses souvent à tes amis" (You often think about your friends). These examples show practical use of the present tense in everyday contexts.

Important Notes on French and English

Unlike English, where verb conjugation is mostly uniform (e.g., "I eat," "you eat," "he eats"), French verbs change their endings more distinctly depending on the subject. For example, "je mange" (I eat) differs from "nous mangeons" (we eat) with a spelling and pronunciation shift.

Some useful French verbs with their English equivalents include manger (to eat), finir (to finish), and voir (to see). The lesson also highlights reflexive verbs like se sentir (to feel), which adds nuance to expressing personal states.

Exercise 1: Résumé du présent de l'indicatif

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice