Présent (Present)
Used to discribe what someone does, something that happens regularly, or what someone is doing, something is happening at the time of speaking
stem of the infinitive + the following endings:
| Ending | je | tu | il/elle | nous | vous | ils/elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -er | -e | -es | -e | -ons | -ez | -ent |
| -ir | -is | -is | -it | -issons | -issez | -issent |
| -re | -s | -s | - | -ons | -ez | -ent |
Example
| Aimer(to like) | Finir(to finish) | Vendre(to sell) |
|---|---|---|
| j'aime | je finis | je vends |
| tu aimes | tu finis | tu vends |
| il/elle aime | il/elle finit | il/elle vend |
| nous aimons | nous finissons | nous vendons |
| vous aimez | vous finissez | vous vendez |
| ils/elles aiment | ils/elles finissent | ils/elles vendent |
-
regular actions
-il travaille dans un bureau(he works in an office) -je lis rarement le journal(I rarely read the paper) -
continuous actions
-ne le dérangez pas, il travaille(don't disturb him, he is working) -je ne peux pas venir, je garde mon petit frère(I can not come, I am looking after my litte brother)
Note: the continuous nature of the action can also be expresse by using the phrase être en train de (to be in the process of) + infinitive
-je suis en train de cuisiner(I am (busy in the process of) cooking)
-
immediate future
-je pars demain(I am leaving tomorrow)
But: the present cannot be used after quand and other conjuctions of time when the future is implied
-je le ferai quand j'aurai le temps(I will do it when I have the time)
-
general truths
-la vie est dure(life is hard)