French verb groups

French verbs are traditionally divided into three groups. The group helps you recognise common endings, but frequent irregular verbs still need their own tables.

First group: most verbs in -er

Parler, aimer and donner follow the regular -er pattern. Aller ends in -er but belongs to the irregular third group.

Second group: the finir pattern

These verbs end in -ir and have a present participle in -issant: finir → finissant. In the present, compare nous finissons with third-group nous partons.

Third group: other patterns

This group includes prendre, venir, faire and many other common irregular verbs. Compare verbs from the same family, then practise their forms.