Regular IR Verbs in French: Complete Guide

Learning French can be exciting, especially when you start understanding how verbs work. In this guide, we focus on regular -ir verbs, which are a core part of French grammar. By mastering regular French -ir verbs, you’ll be able to conjugate many commonly used French verbs and communicate with confidence.

What Are Regular IR Verbs in French?

Definition and conjugation pattern of regular IR verbs

Regular -ir verbs are French verbs that end in -ir and follow a predictable conjugation pattern. Unlike irregular -ir verbs, they don’t change their stem when you conjugate them. This makes them easier to learn for beginners.

For example, finir (to finish) is a regular -ir verb. Its stem is fin- and you simply add the endings for each tense.

How to recognize IR verbs that follow the regular pattern

To spot regular French -ir verbs:

Regular Pattern

The infinitive ends in -ir.
The stem remains consistent across conjugations.
Their present tense endings follow the regular -ir pattern: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent.

Tip

Tip: Not all verbs ending in -ir are regular. Some are irregular French -ir verbs like venir (to come).

Common Regular IR Verbs in French

List of frequently used regular IR verbs

Here’s a handy table of common regular French -ir verbs, including their English translations and pronunciation:

French Verb	English	Pronunciation
finir	to finish	fee-neer
choisir	to choose	shwah-zeer
grandir	to grow	grahn-deer
réfléchir	to reflect/think	ray-flay-sheer
réussir	to succeed	ray-oo-seer
obéir	to obey	oh-bay-ear
punir	to punish	poo-neer

These regular French verbs are part of the second group (-ir verbs), often referred to as verbes du deuxième groupe.

Examples of regular IR verbs in sentences

Je finis mes devoirs tous les soirs. (I finish my homework every evening.)
Tu choisis toujours le meilleur. (You always choose the best.)
Nous réussissons à chaque examen. (We succeed in every exam.)

How to Conjugate Regular IR Verbs in French

Present tense endings for regular IR verbs

Regular -ir verbs in the present tense follow this pattern:

Subject	Ending	Example: finir
je	-is	je finis
tu	-is	tu finis
il/elle/on	-it	il finit
nous	-issons	nous finissons
vous	-issez	vous finissez
ils/elles	-issent	ils finissent

This consistent pattern makes learning French verbs simpler than irregular conjugations.

>Past tense

For the past tense (passé composé):

Combine the auxiliary avoir with the past participle, which ends in -i.
Example: J’ai fini mes devoirs (I finished my homework).

Future tense

For the future tense:

Add the future endings to the infinitive: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.
Example: Nous finirons bientôt (We will finish soon).

Tips to Practice Regular IR Verbs

Exercises and daily practice strategies

Daily conjugation drills: Pick three regular -ir verbs and conjugate them in all present tense forms.
Sentence creation: Use each verb in a full sentence to reinforce meaning and structure.
Flashcards: Include French verbs, English translation, and pronunciation.

Example exercise: Conjugate choisir in present tense for all subjects.

Immersion techniques to remember regular IR verbs

Use French in conversation

Speak with classmates or teachers in your French school. Try to naturally use tu, nous, il, vous, ils, elles forms in conversation.

Label objects and actions

Label objects and actions around you with verbs like finir, choisir, réfléchir.

Listen to French

Listen to French podcasts or songs, focusing on regular -ir verbs.

Practice reading

Practice reading short stories or dialogues in French to identify patterns.

By combining structured exercises with immersive techniques, you’ll learn French -ir verbs quickly and naturally.

The best way to learn irregular verbs and practice using them naturally is through an intensive french course, where you can practice regularly in real French-speaking situations.