Verbes irréguliers – Présent
Irregular verbs – Present tense
Irregular verbs in the present tense have to be memorized one by one.
Fortunately, there are only 8 you need to know.
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page 1: AVOIR
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page 2: ÊTRE
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page 3: FAIRE
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page 4: ALLER
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page 5: SAVOIR
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page 6: VALOIR
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page 7: FALLOIR
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page 8: PLEUVOIR
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AVOIR
pronoun
j’
conjugation
ai
English
I have
tu
as
you have
elle
a
she has
il
a
he/it has
on
a
we have
nous
avons
we have
vous
avez
you have
ils
elles
ont
ont
they have
they have
In context
I have a big house.
 J’ai une grande maison.
We don’t have any red wine.
 Nous n’avons pas de vin rouge.
 On n’a pas de vin rouge. [more colloquial]
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ÊTRE
pronoun
conjugation
English
je
tu
suis
es
I am
you are
elle
est
she is
il/c’
est
he/it is
on
est
we are
nous
sommes
we are
vous
êtes
you are
ils
sont
they are
elles
sont
they are
in context
I am tired.
 Je suis fatiguée.
We are at the hotel.
 Nous sommes à l’hôtel.
 On est à l’hôtel.
Note: to say your age in French, don’t use TO BE, use TO HAVE instead
I AM 40 years old  J’AI 40 ans.
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FAIRE
FAIRE has a /Z/ sound (only one S). Watch the VOUS form.
pronoun
conjugation
English
je
fais
I make
tu
fais
you make
elle
fait
she makes
il
fait
he/it makes
on
fait
we make
nous
faisons
we make
vous
faites
you make
ils
font
they make
elles
font
they make
in context
I am making a cake.
We do the dishes.
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 Je fais un gâteau.
 Nous faisons la vaisselle.
 On fait la vaisselle.
Note:
the nous form is spelled nous faisons, but is pronounced nous f[e]sons
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ALLER
pronoun
conjugation
je
tu
vais
vas
elle
va
il/ça
va
on
va
nous
allons
vous
allez
ils
vont
elles
vont
in context
I go to France this summer.
 Je vais en France cet été.
We’re going to Brittany on a bicycle tour.
 Nous allons en Bretagne pour faire du vélo.
 On va en Bretagne pour faire du vélo.
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SAVOIR
pronoun
conjugation
English
je
tu
sais
sais
I know
you know
elle
sait
she knows
il
sait
he/it knows
on
sait
we know
nous
savons
we know
vous
savez
you know
ils
savent
they know
elles
savent
they know
in context
I know how to speak French.
 Je sais parler français.
We know.
 Nous savons.
 On sait.
Note:
Savoir means to know how to do something, to know a fact,
to know by heart. It is often mixed up with Connaître, because both
Savoir and Connaître mean to know. Connaître means to know
someone, to be familiar with someone or something.
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VALOIR
pronoun
je
conjugation
vaux
English
I am worth
tu
vaux
you are worth
elle
vaut
she is worths
il
on
vaut
vaut
he/it is worths
we are worth
nous
valons
we are worth
vous
valez
you are worth
ils
valent
they are worth
elles
valent
they are worth
in context
It’s not worth much anymore.
 Il ne vaut plus grand chose.
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FALLOIR
FALLOIR is a very funny verb. It is used only in the third person singular –
il/ça – an impersonal form.
pronoun
il
conjugation
faut
English
it is necessary
In context
It is necessary to go soon.
[We have to go soon.]
 Il faut y aller bientôt.
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PLEUVOIR
PLEUVOIR is a very funny verb. It is used only in the third person singular –
il/ça – an impersonal form. Weather verbs generally follow the same
pattern.
pronoun
il
conjugation
pleut
English
it rains / it is raining
In context
It rains in France.
 Il pleut en France.
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