-IR Verbs in French

What Are Regular -IR Verbs in French?

In French, there are three categories of verbs: -er verbs, -ir verbs, and -re verbs. The letters come from the end of the infinitive form of the verb, which is how a verb looks when it's not conjugated. While irregular verbs typically each have their own unique verb conjugation patterns, regular French verbs that share the same infinitive ending also share the same present tense verb endings when they're conjugated.

What's unique about -ir verbs is that there are two types of -ir verb conjugation patterns in the present tense! There are regular -ir verbs—like choisir(to choose)—and a smaller group of verbs like dormir(to sleep) that follow an alternate pattern of present tense endings. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to tell which conjugation pattern an -ir verb will follow; you just need to learn this as you add new verbs to your vocabulary!

In French, the regular verbs that end in -ir are called verbes du deuxième groupe(second-group verbs). You're likely to encounter them often, so let's review how to conjugate both types—those like choisir and those like dormir. We'll also give you a list of commonly used -ir verbs for each type!

Conjugating Regular -IR Verbs Like Choisir in the Present Tense in French

To conjugate a regular -ir verb like choisir in the present tense in French, drop the -ir ending from the infinitive and add the regular -ir verb present tense ending that corresponds to the subject of the verb. Take a look at this present tense conjugation of the verb choisir(to choose) as an example!

Conjugation of the Verb Choisir in the Present Tense

What Are Some Common -IR Verbs Like Choisir in French?

There are quite a few regular -ir verbs like choisir in French! Here are some common ones you might encounter when learning French. Remember, these all follow the same conjugation pattern as choisir!

Ten Useful Regular -IR Verbs in French

Conjugating -IR Verbs Like Dormir in the Present Tense in French

There's a second type of -ir verb that you may encounter quite frequently in French, even though this alternate verb conjugation pattern applies to fewer verbs than the regular -ir verb conjugation pattern.

To conjugate -ir verbs like dormir(to sleep) in the present tense in French, start with the infinitive form.

• For the subjects je, tu, and il, elle, on, drop both the -ir ending from the infinitive and the consonant that comes before it. Then add the following endings: -s (first-person singular), -s (second-person singular), -t (third-person singular).
• For the subjects nous, vous, and ils, elles, just drop the -ir ending from the infinitive. Then add the following endings: -ons (first-person plural), -ez (second-person plural), -ent (third-person plural).

Take a look at the present tense conjugation of the verb dormir as an example!

Conjugation of the Verb Dormir in the Present Tense

What Are Some Common -IR Verbs Like Dormir in French?

There are several -ir verbs conjugated like dormir that are used in everyday French! Here are some good ones to know! Remember, these all follow the same alternate conjugation pattern as dormir!

Five -IR Verbs Conjugated Like Dormir in French

Pronominal -IR Verbs in French

Many French pronominal verbs are also regular -ir verbs! The only difference in the present tense is that there is a reflexive pronoun that comes after the subject and before the conjugated verb. Here are a few you might encounter!

There are also a few pronominal verbs that end in -ir that are conjugated like dormir, including s'endormir(to fall asleep), se sentir(to feel), and se servir de(to use).

How To Form the Past Participle of -IR Verbs in French

All regular -ir verbs like choisir and all alternate -ir verbs like dormir follow the same rule for the formation of the participe passé(past participle). The final -r is simply dropped from the infinitive. For example, the past participle of choisir (to choose) is choisi(chosen) and the past participle of dormir (to sleep) is dormi(slept).

Past participles are used in compound tenses like the passé composé(compound past).

Conjugating -IR Verbs in Other Tenses

Regular -ir verbs like choisir and alternate -ir verbs like dormir can be conjugated in any verb tense or mood in French! Learning to tell a story in different time frames is a sign of increased proficiency in French!

Luckily, you won't need to memorize separate conjugation patterns for -er verbs in too many other tenses. The only tenses where different conjugation patterns apply are the present tense (as seen in this article) and the passé simple(past historic) (a past tense that's no longer used in everyday speech in French). In other frequently used tenses, like the imparfait(imperfect), all verb categories (-er, -ir, -re) will use the same endings.

To learn about other conjugations, check out the language guide articles suggested below or try out our cool online French Verb Conjugation Tool to see all the possible conjugations of your favorite -ir verbs in French!