Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson teaches the present tense of regular -ir verbs like finir (to finish) and choisir (to choose), focusing on conjugations such as je finis and nous choisissons for everyday use.
  1. All verbs of the 2nd group end with -ir in the infinitive.
  2. The stem remains the same for all personal pronouns.
Finir (To finish)Choisir (To choose)
Je finis (I finish)Je choisis (I choose)
Tu finis (You finis)Tu choisis (You choose)
Il/ Elle/ On finit (He/ She/ One finishes)Elle choisit (She chooses)
Nous finissons (We finish)Nous choisissons (We choisisons)
Vous finissez (You finish)Vous choisissez (You choose)
Ils/ Elles finissent (They finish)Ils choisissent (They choose)

Exceptions!

  1. The final consonants "s" and "t" are not pronounced.

Exercise 1: Le présent de l'indicatif des verbes en -ir: 2ème groupe

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

finissez, choisit, choisissent, finissons, finissent, finis

1.
Nous ... le repas dehors.
(We finish the meal outside.)
2.
Il ... de manger après le sport.
(He chooses to eat after sport.)
3.
Vous ... la mousse au chocolat.
(You finish the chocolate mousse.)
4.
Je ... de manger la salade avant de manger le plat..
(I finish eating the salad before eating the main course.)
5.
Tu ... ton plat.
(You finish your dish.)
6.
Elles ... de manger les légumes.
(They choose to eat the vegetables.)
7.
Tous les matins les enfants ... leur petit-déjeuner.
(Every morning the children finish their breakfast.)
8.
Nous ... le repas avec du yaourt et du fromage.
(We finish the meal with yoghurt and cheese.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je ______ toujours un yaourt au petit déjeuner.

(I ______ always choose a yogurt for breakfast.)

2. Tu ______ ton repas avec un café.

(You ______ your meal with a coffee.)

3. Nous ______ le poisson pour le dîner.

(We ______ fish for dinner.)

4. Ils ______ de manger du pain et du beurre.

(They ______ finish eating bread and butter.)

5. Elle ______ un jus de fruit naturel.

(She ______ a natural fruit juice.)

6. Vous ______ votre repas avec du fromage.

(You ______ your meal with cheese.)

The Present Indicative of Second-Group -ir Verbs

This lesson focuses on the present tense conjugation of French verbs ending in -ir that belong to the second group. These verbs are regular and follow a consistent pattern, making them easier to learn and apply in daily conversation.

Key Characteristics

  • All second-group verbs have an infinitive ending in -ir, such as finir (to finish) and choisir (to choose).
  • The verb stem, or radical, remains the same for all personal pronouns.
  • The endings are added directly to the stem to form the present tense.
  • In pronunciation, the final consonants s and t in some forms are silent.

Present Tense Endings for Second-Group -ir Verbs

  • je -is (e.g., je finis, je choisis)
  • tu -is (tu finis, tu choisis)
  • il/elle/on -it (il finit, elle choisit)
  • nous -issons (nous finissons, nous choisissons)
  • vous -issez (vous finissez, vous choisissez)
  • ils/elles -issent (ils finissent, ils choisissent)

Usage of the Present Indicative

The present indicative is used to describe actions taking place in the present moment or regular, habitual actions. For example:

  • Je choisis toujours un yaourt au petit déjeuner. (I always choose a yogurt for breakfast.)
  • Tu finis ton repas avec un café. (You finish your meal with a coffee.)

Differences and Useful Expressions for English Speakers

In English, the present tense verb forms are more irregular and often use auxiliary verbs for continuous actions (e.g., "I am finishing"). French uses distinct conjugated forms to express present actions without auxiliary verbs. Additionally, French verbs incorporate the subject pronoun explicitly, unlike English where the verb form changes but the pronoun does not influence conjugation directly beyond singular/plural.

Useful phrases and their equivalents:

  • Je finis — I finish / I am finishing
  • Tu choisis — You choose / You are choosing
  • Nous finissons — We finish / We are finishing

Focusing on mastering these endings and familiarizing yourself with common verbs like finir and choisir will greatly improve your ability to communicate actions in the present tense in French.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 06:06