Present tense

In French there are three groups of verbs.

1. Verbs ending in –er     It is called first group   parler, donner,jouer

2. Verbs ending in –ir     It is called second group. finir, pâlir,grossir

3. Verbs ending in –re     It is called third group.  vendre, attendre,répondre

In parler, finir and vendre, 

-er, -ir and –re are called infinitive. 

The remaining part is called stem (radical).
 

In parler,parl is the stem and er is the infinitive.

parler  = parl + ER

parl    = stem

er      = infinitive     
 

In finir, fini is the stem and ir is the infinitive.

finir   = to finish 

finir   = fin + ir

fin     = stem

ir      = infinitive
 

In vendre, vend is the stem and re is called infinitive.
 

vendre  = to sell 

Vendre  = vend + re

vend    = stem

re      = infinitive 

Conjugation:
Writing the correct form of the verb according to the person is called conjugation. 

 
In English (the infinitive form of) the verb ‘to speak’ is conjugated as follows

I speak          We speak         

You speak        You speak

He speaks        They speak

She speaks       They speak
 

The endings change only in third person singular form. There is no other change.

In French the endings change for all persons as indicated below:   

conjugation of –er verb

parler = to speak 

In case of verbs ending in –er, remover the infinitive –er , take the stem and add the followings endings. 


Rule for –er verbs:

Je        + stem   + e        Nous      + stem + ons
Tu        + stem   + es       Vous      + stem + ez
Il/Elle   + stem   + ez       Ils/Elles + stem + ent 

je parle       I speak        nous parlons       we speak

tu parles      you speak      vous parlez        you speak

il/elle parle  he/she speaks  ils/elles parlent  they speak
 

Conjugation of –ir verbs. 

finir   = to finish 

finir   = fin + ir

fin     = stem

ir      = infinitive
 

je fin     I finish      nous fin    we finish

tu fin     you finish    vous fin    you finish

il fin     he finishes   ils fin     they finish 

Rule for –ir verbs:

Je        + stem + is    Nous   + stem + issons

Tu        + stem + is    Vous   + stem + issez

Il/Elle   + stem + it    Ils/Elles + stem + issent
 

Conjugation of –re verbs.
 

vendre  = to sell 

Vendre  = vend + re

vend    = stem

re      = infinitive 

je vends    I sell        nous vendons  we sell

tu vends    you sell      vous vendez   you sell

il vend     he sells      ils vendent   they sell
 

Rule for –re verbs:

Je      + stem + s        Nous      + stem + ons

Tu      + stem + s        Vous      + stem + ez

Il/Elle + stem + ---      Ils/Elles + stem + ent 

Note:
If the subject is a singular noun and not a pronoun, conjugate the verb in the third person singular form.
 

Usha = third person singular = Elle (conjugate the verb in elle form)

Le livre = third person singular = Il (conjugate the verb in Il form) 

If the subject is a plural noun and not a pronoun, conjugate the verb in the third person plural form.
 

Usha et Mohan = third person plural = Ils (conjugate the verb in Ils form)

Usha et Mala = third person plural = Elles (conjugate the verb in Ils form)