1. Je parle Nous parlons Tu parles Vous parlez Ils/elles parlent
Il/elle/on
parle
Ils/elles parlent
The following endings:
-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
are for forming the present tense.
What pattern can you see?
1. The endings (-e, -es, -e, and -ent) are all silent.
2. The only endings that are pronounced are the nous (-ons) and the vous (-ez) endings.
Stem-changing verbs
are also known as boot verbs,
because the irregular stems
occur in all the singular
forms as well as the third person plural.
The four silent endings form a boot shape in the verb conjugation. If you draw the pattern with one continuous line, it looks like a boot.

2. CER 1. Verbs in –cer placer = to place Je place Nous plaçons **
Tu places
Vous placez
Il/elle/on place
Ils/elles placent
*Note: in the present tense ONLY the NOUS form requires an accent cédille (ç). This accent softens the pronunciation of the C.

3. GER 2. Verbs in –ger manger = to eat Je mange Nous mangeons Tu manges
Vous mangez
Il/elle/on mange
Ils/elles mangent
*Note: in the present tense ONLY the NOUS form requires an additional e. This letter softens the pronunciation of the G.

4. YER 3a. Verbs in –oyer nettoyer = to clean Je nettoie Nous nettoyons
Tu nettoies
Vous nettoyez
Il/elle/on nettoie
Ils/elles nettoient
*Note: in the present tense requires stem change y to i in all forms but nous and vous.

5. YER 3b. Verbs in –ayer and –uyer *** payer* = to pay
ennuyer* = to annoy / bore
Je paie
Nous payons
Tu paies
Vous payez
Il/elle/on paie
Ils/elles paient
J’ennuie
Nous ennuyons
Tu ennuies
Vous ennuyez
Il/elle/on ennuie
Ils/elles ennuient
*Note: -ayer and –uyer verbs have an optional stem change in which y changes to an i in all forms but nous and vous.

6. tt 4. Verbs in –eter jeter = to throw Je jette Nous jetons Tu jettes
Vous jetez
Il/elle/on jette
Ils/elles jettent
*Note: present tense: t becomes tt in all forms but nous and vous.

7. LL 5. Verbs in –eler appeler = to call J’appelle Nous appelons
Tu appelles
Vous appelez
Il/elle/on appelle
Ils/elles appellent
*Note: present tense: l becomes ll in all forms but nous and vous.

8. mute e 6. Verbs with e in the penultimate syllable
(except for the -eler and -eter verbs)
mute e
lever = to lift / to raise
Je lève
Nous levons
Tu lèves
Vous levez
Il/elle/on lève
Ils/elles lèvent
*Note: present tense: e in the penultimate syllable changes to è in all forms but nous and vous.

9. Albert verb: é to è considérer = to consider Je considère
6. Verbs with é in the penultimate syllable
considérer = to consider
Je considère
Nous considérons
Tu considères
Vous considérez
Il/elle/on considère
Ils/elles considèrent
*Note: present tense: é in the penultimate syllable changes to è in all forms but nous and vous.