French verbs are organized into three conjugation groups based on their infinitive ending, which makes most verbs predictable once you know which group they belong to — with a set of very common, high-frequency irregular verbs sitting outside that system.
| Group | Infinitive ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1st group | -er | parler (to speak) |
| 2nd group | -ir (regular) | finir (to finish) |
| 3rd group | -re and irregular -ir verbs | vendre (to sell), a large irregular category |
Verbs like être (to be), avoir (to have), and aller (to go) are irregular but used constantly — similar to English's cluster of irregular common verbs — so they're worth memorizing directly rather than expecting them to fit the regular group patterns.
Beyond the standard indicative conjugations, certain trigger expressions (doubt, necessity, emotion, desire) require switching to subjunctive verb forms — see French Grammar for the full explanation.
Three, based on the infinitive ending: -er verbs (the largest, most regular group), regular -ir verbs, and -re verbs plus a large irregular category.
No — they're irregular but used extremely frequently, similar to English's cluster of irregular high-frequency verbs (be, go, have), so they're typically memorized directly.
After certain trigger expressions involving doubt, necessity, emotion, or desire — a distinct set of conjugations from the everyday indicative mood.
Yes, expected to start with the -er group before introducing the other groups and irregular high-frequency verbs.
See also: French Grammar · French Vocabulary · Learn French