-ir and -re verbs

Two smaller families with their own endings

-ir verbs like finir add -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. Notice the -iss- that appears in the plural: nous finissons. -re verbs like vendre take -s, -s, nothing, -ons, -ez, -ent: je vends, tu vends, il vend, nous vendons.

Not every -ir verb is regular. Partir, sortir, dormir lose a letter in the singular: je pars, tu pars, il part, nous partons. If the -iss- form sounds wrong (nous partissons? no), you have one of those.

Examples

je finis, nous finissonsI finish, we finishregular -ir with -iss-

je vends, il vendI sell, he sells-re: il has no ending

je pars, nous partonsI leave, we leavepartir: no -iss-

ils choisissentthey chooseregular -ir

The -iss- test

Say the nous form. Nous finissons, nous choisissons, nous réussissons sound right → regular -ir. Nous partissons sounds wrong → partir group, no -iss-.

Practice (sample)

Pick the right form

Je ______ mes devoirs. (finir)
finis / finit / finissons
Answer
finis. je → -is.
Nous ______ un dessert. (choisir)
choisissons / choisons / choisissez
Answer
choisissons. regular -ir: -issons.
Il ______ sa voiture. (vendre)
vend / vends / vendt
Answer
vend. -re: il has no ending at all.
Tu ______ le bus ? (attendre)
attends / attend / attendes
Answer
attends. tu → -s.
Vous ______ bien ? (dormir)
dormez / dormissez / dormiez
Answer
dormez. dormir is in the partir group: no -iss-.
Elles ______ à l'examen. (réussir)
réussissent / réussent / réussient
Answer
réussissent. regular -ir: -issent.

The online game draws fresh questions from a bank of 16, in two levels.

-ir and -re verbs

Examples

Practice (sample)

In the same section

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