French for Beginners: Lesson 9 – Regular Verbs Ending in “-er” and Pronunciation Tips
Welcome to Lesson 9, tailored for English speakers. In this comprehensive lesson, we will explore regular verbs ending in “-er,” focusing on their conjugation, pronunciation, elision, and silent letters.
✚ Objectives:
- Master the conjugation of regular -er verbs in the present tense.
- Understand the concept of elision with verbs starting with a vowel.
- Learn key pronunciation tips, including silent letters and plural forms.
1. Conjugation of Regular -er Verbs
Regular -er verbs follow a simple conjugation pattern. Remove the “-er” from the infinitive and add the appropriate endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
Below is the conjugation of “parler” (to speak) with English translations:
| Subject | Parler Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| je | parle | I speak |
| tu | parles | you speak |
| il / elle / on | parle | he / she/ it speaks |
| nous | parlons | we speak |
| vous | parlez | you speak |
| ils / elles | parlent | they speak |
2. Elision with Verbs Beginning with a Vowel
When a verb beginning with a vowel is preceded by a subject pronoun ending in a vowel, elision is necessary. For example:
- J’écoute (I listen) instead of “Je écoute.”
- J’admire (I admire) instead of “Je admire.”
📌 Pronunciation Tips
- Silent Letters: The final “e” in the singular forms and “ent” in the third person plural are silent. E.g., “Il parle” (eel parl), “Ils parlent” (eel parl).
- Singular vs. Plural: When a verb starts with a consonant, the singular and plural forms sound similar. With a vowel, the liaison in “Ils/Elles” creates a distinct sound. E.g., “Ils écoutent” (eelz ay-koot).
| Subject | Écouter Conjugation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| j’ | écoute | j’écoute (zheh-koot) |
| tu | écoutes | tu écoutes (too eh-koot) |
| il / elle / on | écoute | il/elle/on écoute (eel/el/on eh-koot) |
| nous | écoutons | nous écoutons (noo zeh-koot) |
| vous | écoutez | vous écoutez (voo zeh-koot) |
| ils / elles | écoutent | ils/elles écoutent (eel/el eh-koot) |
3. Common -er Verbs
Here’s a table showing the pronunciation of common -er verbs:
| Verb | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| parler (to speak) | par-lay |
| aimer (to like, to love) | eh-may |
| regarder (to watch) | ruh-gar-day |
| jouer (to play) | zhoo-ay |
| travailler (to work) | trah-vai-yay |
| habiter (to live) | ah-bee-tay |
Practice Exercise
Conjugate the verbs listed in different forms, focusing on pronunciation and elision. For example:
- “Je regarde un film.” (I watch a movie.)
- “Nous aimons la musique.” (We love music.)
Pronunciation and Translation Exercise
Translate the following sentences from English to French:
- They (m) listen to music.
- She lives in a big city.
- We study French.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing Lesson 9! You’ve learned the conjugation of regular -er verbs in French and important aspects of their pronunciation. These skills will significantly aid your communication in French. In the next lesson, we will explore different verb groups.