The verb of a sentence indicates some sort of action taking place. In French, some of the most common verbs end with the letters –er.

There are two ways to translate a singular present-tense French verb into English. Look at the examples below using the French verbs,  parler (to talk) and regarder (to watch).

FrenchEnglish

Il parle à un ami.                                 He talks to a friend.

                                                            He is talking to a friend.

 Je regarde un film.                             He watches a movie.

                                                            He is watching a movie.

Notice how in French, the words “is talking” and “is watching” are not directly translated from English. Instead, the verbs parle and regarde translate automatically as such.

How to Conjugate an -ER Verb

Step 1: Choose the appropriate verb for the sentence. The verb with the -er still attached is called the infinitive.

Step 2: Remove the –er from the infinitive. Now you have the stem of the verb.

Step 3: Add the -er verb ending that corresponds with the subject of your sentence. These are listed below.