Regular
-ir verbs follow this pattern:
finir (to finish) |
je finis | I finish |
tu finis | You finish (singular) |
il/elle finit | He/she finishs |
nous finissons | We finish |
vous finissez | You finish (plural) |
ils/elles finissent | They finish |
We say that the infinitive is finir, fin is the stem, and the endings are -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent (the hyphen isn't part of the ending, it just indicates that it follows the stem). Regular -ir verbs include:
agir (to act)
choisir (to choose)
grandir (to grow up)
ralentir (to slow down)
remplir (to fill)
réunir (to reunite)
Some irregular -ir verbs may have just have one or two differences, and sometimes have their own patterns within groups of similar irregular verbs. Below are common ones.
Other key irregular verbs
avoir (to go) is very irregular in the je, tu, il(s) and elle(s) forms. |
je ai | I have |
tu as | You have (singular) |
il/elle a | He/she has |
nous avons | We have |
vous avez | You have (plural) |
ils/elles ont | They have |
venir (to come) |
je viens | I come |
tu viens | You come (singular) |
il/elle vient | He/she comes |
nous venons | We come |
vous venez | You come(plural) |
ils/elles viennent | They come |
The above structure also applies to tenir – to hold, abstenir – to refrain, to abstain from, advenir – to happen, appartenir – to belong to, circonvenir – to circumvent, contenir – to contain, convenir – to suit, to be suitable, détenir – to detain, devenir – to become, entretenir – to look after, to support, intrevenir – to intervene, maintenir – to maintain, obtenir – to obtain, parvenir – to reach, to achieve, prévenir – to warn, retenir – to retain, soutenir – to support, souvenir – to remember, subvenir – to provide for, survenir – to occur, to take place.
avoir (to have) – very irregular |
je ai | I have |
tu as | You have (singular) |
il/elle a | He/she has |
nous avons | We have |
vous avez | You have (plural) |
ils/elles ont | They have |
vouloir (to want to) |
je veux | I want |
tu veux | You want (singular) |
il/elle veut | He/she wants |
nous voulons | We want |
vous voulez | You want(plural) |
ils/elles veulent | They want |
The above structure also applies to pouvoir - to be able to
devoir (to have to) |
je dois | I must |
tu dois | You must (singular) |
il/elle doit | He/she must |
nous devons | We must |
vous devez | You must (plural) |
ils/elles doivent | They must |
savoir (to know) |
je sais | I know |
tu sais | You know (singular) |
il/elle sait | He/she knows |
nous savons | We know |
vous savez | You know (plural) |
ils/elles savent | They know |
sortir (to go out) |
je sors | I go out |
tu sors | You go out (singular) |
il/elle sort | He/she goes out |
nous sortons | We go out |
vous sortez | You go out (plural) |
ils/elles sortent | They go out |
ouvrir (to open) |
je ouvre | I open |
tu ouvres | You open (singular) |
il/elle ouvre | He/she opens |
nous ouvrons | We open |
vous ouvrez | You open (plural) |
ils/elles ouvrent | They open |
voir (to see) |
je vois | I see |
tu vois | You see (singular) |
il/elle voit | He/she sees |
nous voyons | We see |
vous voyez | You see (plural) |
ils/elles voient | They see |