Summary
Highlights
French verbs are crucial for sentence construction. There are three groups of verbs: Group 1 (regular verbs), Group 2 (also regular verbs), and Group 3 (irregular verbs). This lesson focuses exclusively on Group 1 regular verbs.
A verb belongs to Group 1 if its infinitive form ends with "-ER". The infinitive is the base form found in a dictionary. Examples include "Regarder" (to look/watch), "Danser" (to dance), "Parler" (to talk), and "Donner" (to give). The only exception in this category is the verb "ALLER" (to go), which is an irregular Group 3 verb. Verbs not ending in "-ER" belong to Group 2 or Group 3.
To conjugate a Group 1 verb in the present tense, follow three steps: 1. Start with the infinitive form. 2. Remove the "-ER" ending. 3. Add the appropriate present tense endings. Examples of conjugation are provided for "Regarder" (to look/watch), "Danser" (to dance), "Parler" (to talk), and "Donner" (to give).
While most Group 1 verbs follow the standard conjugation rules, some verbs have slight variations in pronunciation or spelling. Examples of exceptions include "Appeler" (to call), "Manger" (to eat), and "Acheter" (to buy). These exceptions mainly involve doubling consonants or adding accents to maintain pronunciation, and more will be covered in future lessons.