Présent

When

What is happening now, what is always true and what is firmly planned. Je mange une pomme. (I am eating an apple.)

How to form it

• -er: stem + e, es, e, ons, ez, ent (je parle, nous parlons)
• -ir (group 2): stem + is, is, it, issons, issez, issent (je finis, nous finissons)
• -re: stem + s, s, –, ons, ez, ent (je vends, il vend)

Pitfalls

• French has no separate "I am eating" form. Je mange means both "I eat" and "I am eating".
• -ent with ils/elles is silent: ils parlent sounds like il parle.
• Spelling with nous: nous mangeons (an extra e) and nous commençons (ç), to keep the sound soft.