Regular -ir Verb Conjugation — The Slightly More Grown-Up Cousin of -er Verbs

You tamed the wild -er verbs in the last lesson. Now meet their more punctual cousin: regular -ir verbs. They get up on time, they RSVP, and they always finish their homework (finir, naturellement).

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What this is and why it matters

You already know: French sentences need agreement — nouns, articles, adjectives all dance to the same grammar beat. Now we add verbs to the choreography. Regular -ir verbs form the present tense with a predictable pattern. Once you lock this pattern in, you can conjugate a whole family of verbs like finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), réussir (to succeed), with confidence.

This lesson builds directly on the last one (Regular -er conjugation). Contrast helps: -er verbs go -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. Regular -ir verbs are similar in predictability — but with their own signature endings.

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The Rule (simple, clean, delicious)

Take a regular -ir verb like finir.

1. Remove the -ir ending to get the stem: fin-
2. Add the present tense endings for regular -ir verbs:

je    -is
tu    -is
il/elle/on -it
nous  -issons
vous  -issez
ils/elles -issent

So for finir:

• je finis
• tu finis
• il/elle/on finit
• nous finissons
• vous finissez
• ils/elles finissent

Pronunciation tip: the plural endings -issent and -is often sound the same (/is/), while -issons gives a nasal vowel (/isɔ̃/).

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Quick comparison with -er verbs (because you just did those):

Person	-er (parler)	-ir (finir)
je	parle	finis
tu	parles	finis
il/elle	parle	finit
nous	parlons	finissons
vous	parlez	finissez
ils/elles	parlent	finissent

Notice: both groups have identical singular endings in sound for je/tu/il, but the nos/vous forms differ: -ons/-ez vs -issons/-issez.

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Real-world mini-dialogues (useful, awkward, or both)

• Je finis mes devoirs — I finish my homework. (See those possessive adjectives? mes = my. This ties back to our Possessive Adjectives lesson.)
• Tu choisis ton sandwich? — Are you choosing your sandwich? (Reminder: ton follows the noun gender rules you learned earlier.)
• Il finit la course. — He finishes the race.
• Nous finissons la leçon. — We finish the lesson.
• Vous choisissez cette chanson? — Are you choosing this song? (See Demonstrative adjectives ce/cette/ces from before.)
• Elles réussissent leurs examens. — They succeed at their exams.

Spot the connections: verb conjugation + article/adjective agreement = a real French sentence that doesn’t sound like a robot.

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Little grammar lab: negatives, questions, and emphasis

• Negative: Je ne finis pas. (I do not finish.) You can also say Je ne finis jamais (I never finish) — fashionably dramatic.
• Question (informal): Tu finis? or Tu finis quoi? (What are you finishing?)
• Question (polite or formal): Finis-tu? (inversion) or Est-ce que tu finis?

Practice both — French uses several ways to ask questions, and you'll want them all in your toolkit.

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Common regular -ir verbs to memorize

• finir (to finish)
• choisir (to choose)
• réussir (to succeed / to pass [an exam])
• grandir (to grow)
• grossir (to gain weight)
• maigrir (to lose weight)

Note: some other verbs that end in -ir are NOT in this exact pattern (e.g., dormir, partir, sortir). We'll cover those irregular -ir verbs later — they’re the rebellious cousins.

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Memory trick (mnemonic you’ll actually remember)

Think: "I Scream, You Scream — IS-IT-ISSONS-ISSEZ-ISSENT". Ridiculous, but highly effective.

Or set it to a rhythm:

• je / tu — is (two small beats)
• il — it (one small beat)
• nous — issons (a longer nasal beat)
• vous — issez (sharp)
• ils/elles — issent (fade)

Clap it out. Grammar karaoke works.

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Mini practice — do this out loud

1. Conjugate choisir for chaque personne. (Write or say it.)
2. Translate: "We finish the book."
3. Make a negative: "They do not choose the song." (Use ils or elles.)
4. Form a question: "Do you (formal) finish?"

Answers:

1. je choisis / tu choisis / il choisit / nous choisissons / vous choisissez / ils choisissent
2. Nous finissons le livre.
3. Ils ne choisissent pas la chanson.
4. Finissez-vous? or Est-ce que vous finissez?

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Little lens: why this matters beyond the drills

Verbs are the drivers of sentences. You know noun gender, article agreement, possessives, and demonstratives — now add the correct verb form and suddenly your sentence carries meaning, time, and subject. Regular -ir verbs are a big chunk of daily French vocabulary (talking about finishing tasks, choosing things, growing, succeeding). Nail this pattern and you unlock expressive power.

Expert take: If nouns and adjectives are the wardrobe, verbs are the choreography. Without them, everyone stands awkwardly.

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Key takeaways — tattoo this on your brain (metaphorically)

• For regular -ir verbs: drop -ir, add -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent.
• Compare with -er verbs — the nos/vous forms are the clearest difference.
• Watch pronunciation: many plural endings sound similar; rely on pronouns to disambiguate.
• Some -ir verbs are irregular — we will meet them later.
• Use the verbs in sentences with possessive and demonstrative adjectives (you already know those!) to make real, useful phrases.

Go practice out loud. Make mistakes loudly. Reward yourself with a croissant when your ear recognizes the pattern.

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Version note: this lesson builds on the previous "Regular -er verb conjugation" module and the noun/article agreement lessons — you don’t need a rewrite of those, just the verbs. Keep conjugation charts handy and practice in real sentences.