Lesson 4 – Present Tense (ER Verbs Mastery)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Conjugate -ER verbs correctly
- Understand how verbs change with subjects
- Build simple sentences in the present tense
- Use common action verbs in everyday situations
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
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 |
Conjugation: regarder (to watch)
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| Je | regarde |
| Tu | regardes |
| Il/Elle | regarde |
| Nous | regardons |
| Vous | regardez |
| Ils/Elles | regardent |
4. Important pronunciation rule
Silent endings:
- parle
- parles
- parlent
These sound the same
Different sounds:
- parlons
- parlez
5. Sentence structure
Basic rule:
Subject + verb + complement
Examples:
- Je parle français
- Nous regardons la télévision
- Ils jouent au football
6. Using verbs in context
A. Talking about daily life
- Je joue au football
- Je regarde la télé
B. Expressing likes
- J’aime la musique
- Je n’aime pas les maths
7. Negation with ER verbs
Structure:
Je 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 subject ending
Incorrect: Nous parle
Correct: Nous parlons
3. Missing apostrophe
Incorrect: Je aime
Correct: J’aime
4. Missing subject
Incorrect: Parle français
Correct: Je parle français
9. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Conjugate
- Je ______ (parler)
- Nous ______ (jouer)
- Il ______ (aimer)
- Vous ______ (regarder)
Exercise 2 – Choose correct form
- Je (parle / parlons) français
- 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 30–40 seconds:
Talk about:
- What you do every day
- What you like
Use:
- at least 3 ER verbs
11. Writing task
Write 60–80 words:
“Ma routine”
Include:
- Daily activities
- At least 3 verbs
- One negative sentence
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Conjugate ER verbs correctly
- Use verbs in sentences
- Speak about daily activities
- Form negative sentences
To improve:
Use different verbs:
Je parle, je joue, je regarde, j’aime…