Published March 17, 2025 • Updated June 26, 2026 — By French teacher David Issokson, teaching French online since 2014
The French present tense, also called the present indicative or le présent de l’indicatif, is the most commonly used verb tense in French. It is used to describe present actions, habits, general truths, near future events, real conditions, historical events, and actions that started in the past and continue into the present.
One important difference between French and English is that the French present tense can translate in several ways. For example, je travaille can mean “I work”, “I am working”, or “I do work”, depending on context.
What is the French present tense?
The French present tense describes actions, states, facts, and situations connected to the present moment.
In French grammar, le présent de l’indicatif belongs to the indicative mood, which is used for facts, statements, and real situations.
Je travaille.
I am working.
French present tense translations in English
A single French present-tense verb can have three common English translations.
Je travaille.
I work.
Simple present
Je travaille.
I am working.
Present progressive
Je travaille.
I do work.
Present emphatic
The correct English translation depends on the context.
Je travaille tous les jours.
I work every day.
Je travaille maintenant.
I am working now.
Mais si, je travaille !
Yes, I do work!
How to form the French present tense
French verbs are commonly introduced in three main groups:
-er verbs
Examples: parler (to speak), aimer (to like, to love), travailler (to work)
-ir verbs
Examples: finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), réussir (to succeed)
-re verbs
Examples: vendre (to sell), attendre (to wait for), répondre (to answer)
To form the present tense, remove the infinitive ending and add the correct present-tense ending.
For regular verbs, the basic endings are:
-er verbs: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent
-ir verbs: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent
-re verbs: -s, -s, -, -ons, -ez, -ent
Example:
parler
to speak
je parle
I speak / I am speaking
nous parlons
we speak / we are speaking
This page explains the main rules and uses of the French present tense. For full present-tense conjugations with audio, see the lesson on the 25 most common French verbs in the present tense.
French present tense uses
1. Present actions and states of being
Use the present tense for actions or states happening now.
Je travaille.
I am working.
Je suis fatigué.
I am tired.
2. Habitual or repeated actions
Use the present tense for things that happen regularly.
Je vais au travail tous les jours.
I go to work every day.
3. Near future events
French can use the present tense for near future events when a future time expression makes the meaning clear.
J’arrive demain.
I am arriving tomorrow. / I will arrive tomorrow.
French also commonly uses aller + infinitive for the near future.
Je vais arriver demain.
I am going to arrive tomorrow.
👉 Near future tense (le futur proche) »
4. General truths and facts
Use the present tense for general truths, facts, and things believed to be true.
La Terre est ronde.
The Earth is round.
5. Real conditions with si
In French, the present tense is used after si when talking about a real or likely condition. The other part of the sentence often uses the future tense.
Si j’ai faim, je mangerai.
If I am hungry, I will eat.
In this structure, French uses the present tense after si, not the future tense.
Correct:
Si j’ai le temps, je t’appellerai.
If I have time, I will call you.
Incorrect:
Si j’aurai le temps, je t’appellerai.
👉 French future tense (le futur simple) »
6. Historical present
The present tense can be used to describe past historical events in a vivid way. This is called the historical present.
Le 18 juin 1815, Napoléon affronte les forces alliées à Waterloo.
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon faced the Allied forces at Waterloo.
This usage appears in history writing, storytelling, documentaries, and summaries.
7. Past actions that continue into the present
French uses depuis + present tense to describe an action or state that started in the past and still continues now.
English usually uses “have been” or “has been” for this idea.
Elle travaille ici depuis trois mois.
She has been working here for three months.
J’habite à Paris depuis deux ans.
I have lived in Paris for two years.
If the action is still continuing, French normally uses the present tense with depuis.
Present progressive: “I am working”
French does not have a true present progressive tense like English.
Do not say:
Je suis travaillant.
Wrong
To say “I am working”, French normally says:
Je travaille.
I am working. / I work.
To emphasize that something is happening right now, use être en train de + infinitive.
Je suis en train de travailler.
I am working right now. / I am in the middle of working.
This structure is useful, but it should not be overused. In many situations, the simple present tense is enough.
Future-future rule
English often uses the present tense after “when” in sentences about the future.
“I will call you when I arrive.”
In French, both clauses are normally in the future tense.
Je t’appellerai quand j’arriverai.
I will call you when I arrive.
This pattern is common after quand (when), lorsque (when), and dès que (as soon as).
Nous partirons dès qu’il arrivera.
We will leave as soon as he arrives.
📚 Verb tenses and moods
- Future tense
- Conditional tense
- Imperfect tense
- Pluperfect tense
- Passé composé – Compound past
- Imperative mood
- Subjunctive mood
🚀 Related lessons
- Verb tenses overview
- Verb conjugation charts
- Regular verbs
- Irregular verbs
- 10 most common verbs
- 100 most common verbs
Essential French verbs
- Être conjugation (to be) »
- Avoir conjugation (to have) »
- Faire conjugation (to say / to tell) »
- Aller conjugation (to go) »
- Vouloir conjugation (to want) »
- Pouvoir conjugation (can / to be able to) »
- Devoir conjugation (must / to have to) »
- Savoir (to know) »
- Voir (to see) »
