Lesson 6 – Present Tense (-ER Verbs – Introduction)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Understand what -ER verbs are
- Conjugate basic -ER verbs in the present tense
- Build simple sentences with action verbs
- Talk about daily activities
- Avoid common beginner mistakes
1. What are -ER Verbs?
-ER verbs are the most common verbs in French.
They end in -er in the infinitive form.
Examples:
- parler (to speak)
- aimer (to like)
- jouer (to play)
- regarder (to watch)
2. How to conjugate -ER Verbs
Step 1: Remove -er
Example:
parler → parl
Step 2: Add endings
| Subject | Ending |
|---|---|
| Je | e |
| Tu | es |
| Il/Elle | e |
| Nous | ons |
| Vous | ez |
| Ils/Elles | ent |
3. Conjugation examples
Conjugation: parler (to speak)
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| Je | parle |
| Tu | parles |
| Il/Elle | parle |
| Nous | parlons |
| Vous | parlez |
| Ils/Elles | parlent |
Conjugation: aimer (to like)
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| Je | aime |
| Tu | aimes |
| Il/Elle | aime |
| Nous | aimons |
| Vous | aimez |
| Ils/Elles | aiment |
Conjugation: jouer (to play)
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| Je | joue |
| Tu | joues |
| Il/Elle | joue |
| Nous | jouons |
| Vous | jouez |
| Ils/Elles | jouent |
4. Pronunciation tip
The endings -e, -es, -ent sound the same.
Examples:
- parle
- parles
- parlent
The forms nous and vous sound different:
- parlons
- parlez
5. Using -ER verbs in sentences
Structure:
Subject + verb + information
Examples:
- Je parle français
- Nous jouons au football
- Il regarde la télévision
6. Talking about likes
Structure:
J’aime + noun
Examples:
- J’aime le football
- J’aime la musique
7. Negative form
Structure:
Subject + ne + verb + pas
Examples:
- Je ne parle pas français
- Je n’aime pas le sport
8. Common mistakes
1. Forgetting endings
Incorrect: Je parler
Correct: Je parle
2. Wrong ending
Incorrect: Nous parle
Correct: Nous parlons
3. Missing apostrophe
Incorrect: Je aime
Correct: J’aime
9. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Conjugate
- Je ______ (parler)
- Nous ______ (jouer)
- Il ______ (aimer)
- Vous ______ (regarder)
Exercise 2 – Choose correct form
- Je (parle / parlons)
- Nous (joue / jouons)
- Ils (aime / aiment)
Exercise 3 – Make negative
- Je parle français → ______
- Il joue → ______
Exercise 4 – Write sentences
Write 3 sentences using:
- parler
- aimer
- jouer
10. Speaking task
Speak for 20–30 seconds:
Talk about:
- What you do
- What you like
11. Writing task
Write 4–5 sentences:
“Ma journée”
Include:
- 2 verbs
- 1 like
- 1 negative sentence
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Conjugate basic ER verbs
- Build simple sentences
- Talk about activities
- Use negative form
Practice daily:
Je parle, j’aime, je joue