être, avoir and -er verbs
The present tense of the verbs you use most.
15 minutes · A free lesson from A1 : Premiers pas (first steps) · Roman and Urdu pronunciation guides and English meanings are shown under each phrase
| parlerSay: parlehپاغلےMeans: to speak | êtreSay: ehtrاےتغMeans: to be | avoirSay: avwarاوواغMeans: to have | |
|---|---|---|---|
| jeSay: zhuhژَMeans: I | parleSay: parlپاغلMeans: (I/he/she) speak(s) | suisSay: sweeسویMeans: (I) am | ai (j'ai)Say: eh zhehاے ژےMeans: (I) have |
| tuSay: tueتیُMeans: you (informal) | parlesSay: parlپاغلMeans: (you) speak | esSay: ehاےMeans: (you) are | asSay: asاسMeans: (you) have |
| il / elle / onSay: eel, ehl, oh(n)ایل, اےل, اوںMeans: he / she / one (we, people) | parleSay: parlپاغلMeans: (I/he/she) speak(s) | estSay: ehاےMeans: (he/she/it) is | aSay: aاMeans: (he/she/it) has |
| nousSay: nooنُوMeans: we | parlonsSay: parloh(n)پاغلوںMeans: (we) speak | sommesSay: somسومMeans: (we) are | avonsSay: avoh(n)اووںMeans: (we) have |
| vousSay: vooوُوMeans: you (formal or plural) | parlezSay: parlehپاغلےMeans: (you, formal or plural) speak | êtesSay: ehtاےتMeans: (you, formal or plural) are | avezSay: avehاوےMeans: (you, formal or plural) have |
| ils / ellesSay: eel, ehlایل, اےلMeans: they (men or mixed) / they (women) | parlentSay: parlپاغلMeans: (they) speak | sontSay: soh(n)سوںMeans: (they) are | ontSay: oh(n)اوںMeans: (they) have |
Quick check: Nous ___ au Canada. (habiter)Say: noo, oh kanada. abeetehنُو, او کانادا. ابیتےMeans: We [live] in Canada. (to live)
- habitons
- habitez
- habitent
Show the answer
A: habitons
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Choose the right form of “être”: “Vous ___ très gentils.”
- est
- sommes
- êtes
Show the answer
C: êtes — être is irregular: vous êtes, il est, nous sommes.
Quick check: Choose the right form: “Ils ___ français.” (parler)
- parlent
- parlez
- parlons
Show the answer
A: parlent — With ils and elles, -er verbs end in -ent, and the ending is silent.
Quick check: Which sentence says “I am twenty”?
- je suis vingt ans
- J'ai vingt ans
Show the answer
B: J'ai vingt ans — French gives your age with avoir: j'ai vingt ans, “I have twenty years”.
Quick check: What does “avoir faim” mean?
- to be hungry
- to be cold
- to be right
Show the answer
A: to be hungry — French says “to have hunger”: j'ai faim. avoir froid is to be cold, and avoir raison is to be right.