Present Tense -IR Verbs: Finir, Choisir, Réussir and the Second Verb Family
Getting Started — Why -IR Verbs Are the Next Step
In Present Tense -ER Verbs, you learned that French verbs fall into three main groups: -ER, -IR, -RE. Now let’s tackle the second group, -IR verbs — like finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), and réussir (to succeed).
A key insight: If you learn “finir”, the same pattern applies to hundreds of verbs like choisir, réussir, and grandir — just swap the stem.
Connection: In -ER verbs, the je/tu/il/ils forms all sounded the same. In -IR verbs, that’s not true — that’s the biggest difference, and it’s covered below.
The -IR Verb Pattern
Infinitive and Stem
All regular -IR verbs share something in common:
| Infinitive | Stem | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| finir | fin- | Remove ‘-ir’ |
| choisir | chois- | Remove ‘-ir’ |
| réussir | réuss- | Remove ‘-ir’ |
| grandir | grand- | Remove ‘-ir’ |
The stem rule: Remove the ‘-ir’ from the word, and what’s left is the root — just like -ER verbs. The difference is only in the ending.
Main Conjugation Table (Present Tense)
FINIR (to finish)
| Subject | Form | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | finis | fee-nee | I finish |
| tu | finis | fee-nee | You finish (informal) |
| il/elle | finit | fee-nee | He/she finishes |
| nous | finissons | fee-nee-son | We finish |
| vous | finissez | fee-nee-say | You finish (formal/plural) |
| ils/elles | finissent | fee-nees | They finish |
Important! The ‘-iss-’ Insert
- je finis / tu finis / il finit — no ‘-iss-’, just stem + -is/-is/-it
- nous finissons / vous finissez / ils finissent — ‘-iss-’ is always added after the stem
Key insight: In -ER verbs, je/tu/il/ils all sounded the same. That’s not true here — ils finissent’s ‘-iss-’ is clearly audible, while je finis has none. That sound alone tells you singular from plural.
More -IR Verbs
Once you’ve mastered finir, apply the same pattern to these:
| Infinitive | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| choisir | to choose | Je choisis (I choose) |
| réussir | to succeed / to pass (an exam) | Tu réussis (You succeed) |
| grandir | to grow up | Il grandit (He grows up) |
| finir | to finish | Nous finissons (We finish) |
| remplir | to fill (in) | Vous remplissez (You fill in) |
| obéir | to obey | Elles obéissent (They obey) |
| bâtir | to build | Nous bâtissons (We build) |
| punir | to punish | Ils punissent (They punish) |
Real Examples
Everyday Conversation List
1. About Yourself
- “Je finis mon travail à cinq heures.” → I finish my work at five o’clock.
- “Je choisis le français comme langue seconde.” → I choose French as a second language.
- “Je réussis mes examens.” → I pass my exams.
2. Ask About Others
- “Tu finis à quelle heure?” → What time do you finish? (informal)
- “Vous choisissez quoi?” → What do you choose? (formal)
- “Elle réussit son test?” → Does she pass her test?
3. In Groups
- “Nous finissons le cours ensemble.” → We finish the course together.
- “Vous remplissez le formulaire?” → Are you filling in the form?
- “Ils choisissent un restaurant.” → They choose a restaurant.
Conjugation Practice — For Mastery
Exercise 1: Fill the Blanks
Infinitive: choisir (to choose)
- Je _____ → je choisis ✓
- Tu _____ → tu choisis
- Elle _____ → elle choisit
- Nous _____ → nous choisissons
- Vous _____ → vous choisissez
- Ils _____ → ils choisissent
Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences
-
“Je _____ (finir) mes devoirs ce soir.” → Answer: Je finis mes devoirs ce soir.
-
“Tu _____ (réussir) ton examen?” → Answer: Tu réussis ton examen?
-
“Nous _____ (choisir) un restaurant italien.” → Answer: Nous choisissons un restaurant italien.
-
“Vous _____ (remplir) le formulaire?” → Answer: Vous remplissez le formulaire?
-
“Elles _____ (grandir) vite!” → Answer: Elles grandissent vite!
Common Mistakes and Fixes
| ❌ Wrong | ✓ Right | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Je finit | Je finis | ‘je’ always takes -is, not -it (that’s for il/elle) |
| Nous finis | Nous finissons | nous takes the -issons ending — don’t forget the ‘-iss-’ |
| Ils finit | Ils finissent | Subject is plural, so the verb is too: ‘-iss-’ + -ent |
| Il finissent | Il finit | Subject is singular (‘il’), so the verb is singular; ‘-iss-’ is only for nous/vous/ils |
Moving Forward
Today’s takeaway: These are the regular -IR verbs. Next:
- -RE verbs (vendre, attendre, répondre)
- Irregular -IR verbs (partir, sortir, venir) — a different pattern!
- The most essential irregular verbs like aller, faire — so you can handle everyday conversation.
Your challenge: Every day, conjugate 5 verbs with finir, choisir, réussir. Pay special attention to the ‘-iss-’ pattern!
FAQ
Do all -IR verbs conjugate the same way?
No. The 'regular -IR' group covered in this lesson (finir, choisir, réussir, grandir) is the largest group and uses the '-iss-' pattern. But irregular -IR verbs like partir, sortir, and venir follow a different pattern — those come in a separate lesson.
Where does '-iss-' come from, and when does it appear?
'-iss-' is inserted after the stem only in the nous, vous, and ils/elles forms: nous finissons, vous finissez, ils finissent. It never appears in the je/tu/il forms — those just take stem + -is/-is/-it.
Why do 'Je finis' and 'Il finit' sound different when je/il sounded the same for -ER verbs?
This is exactly what makes -IR verbs distinct: the 's' and 't' are silent, but they're written differently (finis vs finit), and the nous/vous/ils forms audibly add '-iss-' — a clearer spoken distinction than -ER verbs give you.
What's the difference between 'Finir' and 'Je finis'?
'Finir' = infinitive form (to finish). 'Je finis' = conjugated form (I finish). The infinitive is the 'dictionary form' and the conjugated form is what you use in a sentence.