French -re Verbs: Waiting, Selling & Hearing (attendre)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To conjugate -re verbs, remove the -re and add: -s, -s, nothing, -ons, -ez, -ent.
- Remove the -re ending from the infinitive: attendre -> attend-.
- Add the endings: -s, -s, (nothing), -ons, -ez, -ent.
- The third-person singular (il/elle/on) stays as the stem without an added letter.
Overview
French verbs are organized into distinct groups based on their infinitive endings. While the expansive -er verb group accounts for the majority, the regular -re verbs represent a smaller yet fundamentally important category for beginner learners. These verbs govern essential daily actions such as waiting, selling, hearing, and responding, making their mastery crucial for foundational communication in French.
Unlike the highly irregular verbs that deviate significantly in conjugation, regular -re verbs follow a consistent, predictable pattern once you understand their structural logic.
Historically, the -re ending in French verbs derives from Latin verbs ending in -ere. Over time, this evolved into the contemporary French form, maintaining a distinct conjugation pattern. For A1 learners, focusing on this regularity provides a stable entry point into French verb conjugation, offering a sense of predictability amidst other more complex verb types.
Mastering this group allows you to express key actions with confidence and accuracy.
How This Grammar Works
attendre, vendre, entendre).-re ending is then systematically removed to reveal the core stem.attendre (to wait), the stem attend- is used for je, tu, il, nous, vous, and ils/elles. The variation occurs only at the suffix.J'attends means both "I wait" and "I am waiting."Formation Pattern
vendre). Remove the -re ending. The remaining part is your stem (e.g., vend-). This stem is the foundation upon which all present tense conjugations are built.
Je (I): Add -s
Tu (You, informal singular): Add -s
Il/Elle/On (He/She/One): Add no ending (the stem itself is the conjugated form)
Nous (We): Add -ons
Vous (You, formal singular or plural): Add -ez
Ils/Elles (They): Add -ent
perdre (to lose): first, remove -re to get perd-. Then, apply the endings: Je perds, Tu perds, Il perd, Nous perdons, Vous perdez, Ils perdent.
Conjugation Table
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugated Form | English Translation (Simple Present / Present Continuous) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| :---------------: | :---------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------- | ||
Je |
J'attends |
I wait / I am waiting | ||
Tu |
Tu attends |
You wait / You are waiting | ||
Il/Elle/On |
Il attend |
He/She/One waits / He/She/One is waiting | ||
Nous |
Nous attendons |
We wait / We are waiting | ||
Vous |
Vous attendez |
You wait / You are waiting | ||
Ils/Elles |
Ils attendent |
They wait / They are waiting |
When To Use It
- Expressing Waiting or Expectation: The verb
attendreis central to discussing patience or anticipation. You use it when you are literally waiting for someone or something. J'attends mes amis devant le cinéma.(I'm waiting for my friends in front of the cinema.)Nous attendons un colis important.(We are waiting for an important package.)
- Transactions and Exchange: Verbs like
vendre(to sell) andrendre(to give back, to return) are crucial for commercial or reciprocal actions. Tu vends ta voiture d'occasion ?(Are you selling your used car?)Il me rend mon livre demain.(He's giving me back my book tomorrow.)
- Communication and Response:
Répondre(to answer, to respond) is vital for any form of interaction. Note its typical construction with the prepositionàwhen responding to someone or something specific. Elle répond à mon message tout de suite.(She's replying to my message right away.)Nous répondons aux questions de l'examen.(We are answering the exam questions.)
- Sensory Perception (Hearing):
Entendre(to hear) denotes the involuntary act of perceiving sound. It's distinct from actively listening. J'entends de la musique chez les voisins.(I hear music at the neighbors'.)Vous entendez le bruit du train ?(Do you hear the sound of the train?)
- Movement and Disembarking:
Descendre(to go down, to get off) is frequently used in contexts of physical descent or alighting from transportation. Ils descendent du bus à l'arrêt suivant.(They're getting off the bus at the next stop.)Je descends les escaliers pour aller au rez-de-chaussée.(I'm going down the stairs to go to the ground floor.)
When Not To Use It
- Irregular -re Verbs: Not all verbs ending in
-refollow this perfectly regular pattern. Crucially, common verbs likeprendre(to take),mettre(to put),faire(to do/make),dire(to say), andlire(to read) are irregular. Their stems change, and their endings may differ. For example,Je prends(regular -s ending), butNous prenons(stem change fromprend-topren-). Always verify the regularity of an -re verb if you are unsure.
Attendrevs.Attendre pour: A frequent error for English speakers is to translate "to wait for" literally asattendre pour. In French,attendreis a transitive verb when referring to waiting for a person or thing. The prepositionpouris unnecessary and incorrect in this context.- Correct:
J'attends le bus.(I wait for the bus.) - Incorrect:
J'attends pour le bus.
Entendrevs.Écouter: Whileentendremeans "to hear" (an involuntary perception),écoutermeans "to listen to" (an active, deliberate action). Do not useentendrewhen implying active listening.J'entends un oiseau chanter.(I hear a bird singing – the sound reaches my ears.)J'écoute de la musique.(I am listening to music – I am paying attention to it.)
Rendrevs.Donner:Rendrespecifically means "to give back" or "to return" something, implying a previous possession or obligation.Donneris the general verb "to give."Je rends le stylo à mon ami.(I return the pen to my friend.)Je donne un cadeau à mon ami.(I give a gift to my friend.)
Common Mistakes
- Omitting the
sforJeandTu: Unlike regular-erverbs wherejetakes an-e(e.g.,je parle), regular-reverbs require an-sfor bothjeandtuforms. Forgetting this can lead to incorrect conjugations likeje vendinstead ofje vends. This is a critical distinction to internalize. Je vends ma console.(I'm selling my console.) – CorrectJe vend ma console.– Incorrect
- Pronouncing the
-entinIls/Ellesforms: The-entending forils/ellesis silent. This is a pervasive feature of French pronunciation.Ils attendentis pronounced identically toil attend. Attempting to pronounce theentwill sound unnatural and mark you as a non-native speaker. Thetitself is always silent, and theencreates a nasal vowel sound before a consonant or at the end of a word, but here it marks the plural without explicit pronunciation.
- Confusion with
Il/Elle/OnEnding: Theil/elle/onform of regular -re verbs has no explicit ending; it is simply the stem. Learners sometimes mistakenly add a-t(influenced by some irregular verbs) or an-e(influenced by -er verbs). For example,il attendtoril attendeare incorrect. The correct form isil attend.
- Incorrect Preposition with
répondre: Whileattendreis directly transitive for its object,répondretypically requires the prepositionàwhen you are responding to someone or to a question. Omittingàis a common transfer error from English. Tu réponds à mon e-mail ?(Are you answering my email?) – CorrectTu réponds mon e-mail ?– Incorrect
- Liaison with
Ils/Elles: Although the-entending is silent, a liaison (a smooth phonetic link between words) may occur if the following word starts with a vowel or silenth. For example,Ils attendent iciwould typically be pronounced asIls attendent[z] ici, with thessound carrying over. This is a common element of spoken French that makes sentences flow more naturally.
Memory Trick
To consistently conjugate regular -re verbs, focus on the "S, S, Nothing, ONS, EZ, ENT (silent)" pattern for endings. This mnemonic highlights the key features:
- S, S: Reminds you of the -s for je and tu.
- Nothing: Emphasizes the zero ending for il/elle/on (the stem alone).
- ONS, EZ: Clearly indicates the nous and vous endings.
- ENT (silent): Crucially reminds you of the -ent for ils/elles and its silent pronunciation.
Visualize a ladder where je and tu share a step (both s), il/elle/on stands alone (no ending), and the plurals nous, vous, ils/elles have their distinct, longer endings. The silence of the final t in the singular and the entire -ent in the plural is a fundamental phonetic rule worth over-emphasizing in your memory work.
Real Conversations
Understanding how regular -re verbs function in structured examples is useful, but seeing them in authentic, modern communication solidifies learning. Here are examples reflecting casual, real-world French usage:
- Text Message Exchange:
- A: Tu attends le tram ? (Are you waiting for the tram?)
- B: Oui, j'attends depuis 10 minutes. C'est long ! (Yes, I've been waiting for 10 minutes. It's long!)
- Friends Discussing Plans:
- A: On va vendre nos vieux vêtements au marché aux puces. (We're going to sell our old clothes at the flea market.)
- B: Ah oui, je vends aussi ma vieille guitare. (Oh yes, I'm selling my old guitar too.)
- Online Chat for Customer Service:
- Client: Je ne comprends pas votre politique de retour. Vous pouvez me répondre ? (I don't understand your return policy. Can you answer me?)
- Service: Bien sûr, nous répondons à toutes vos questions. (Of course, we answer all your questions.)
- Co-workers in a Virtual Meeting:
- A: Vous entendez ce bruit ? On dirait une sirène. (Do you hear that noise? It sounds like a siren.)
- B: Oui, j'entends. Ça vient de la rue. (Yes, I hear it. It's coming from the street.)
These examples demonstrate the natural integration of regular -re verbs into everyday French, often in abbreviated or idiomatic contexts. Pay attention to how native speakers use these verbs, as they frequently omit words in informal speech that would be present in formal writing, such as the ne in negative constructions if context is clear (J'attends pas).
Contrast With Similar Patterns
parler) and even the regular -ir verbs (e.g., finir). These comparisons highlight the unique features of the -re group and help prevent common assimilation errors.attendre vs. parler):attendre) | Regular -er Verbs (e.g., parler) |-re | -er |Je Ending | -s (e.g., J'attends) | -e (e.g., Je parle) |Tu Ending | -s (e.g., Tu attends) | -es (e.g., Tu parles) |Il/Elle/On End| No ending (e.g., Il attend) | -e (e.g., Il parle) |Nous Ending | -ons (e.g., Nous attendons) | -ons (e.g., Nous parlons) |Vous Ending | -ez (e.g., Vous attendez) | -ez (e.g., Vous parlez) |Ils/Elles End| -ent (silent) (e.g., Ils attendent)| -ent (silent) (e.g., Ils parlent)|-s for je and tu (vs. -e/-es for -er verbs) and the lack of an ending for il/elle/on (vs. -e for -er verbs).nous, vous, and ils/elles share the same phonetic endings, the stem preceding them for -re verbs often ends in a consonant, creating a distinct auditory pattern compared to the vowel-heavy -er verbs.attendre vs. finir):attendre) | Regular -ir Verbs (e.g., finir) |-re | -ir |Je Ending | -s (e.g., J'attends) | -is (e.g., Je finis) |Tu Ending | -s (e.g., Tu attends) | -is (e.g., Tu finis) |Il/Elle/On End| No ending (e.g., Il attend) | -it (e.g., Il finit) |Nous Ending | -ons (e.g., Nous attendons) | -issons (e.g., Nous finissons) |Vous Ending | -ez (e.g., Vous attendez) | -issez (e.g., Vous finissez) |Ils/Elles End| -ent (silent) (e.g., Ils attendent)| -issent (silent) (e.g., Ils finissent)|il/elle/on form of -ir verbs ends in a pronounced -t (e.g., il finit), whereas regular -re verbs have no ending. The plural forms of -ir verbs also incorporate an -iss- infix, making them longer and phonetically different.Progressive Practice
To effectively internalize the conjugation and usage of regular -re verbs, structured and progressive practice is essential. Beyond rote memorization, integrate these verbs into active language production.
Conjugation Drills: Regularly write out the full present tense conjugation for a selection of regular -re verbs (attendre, vendre, perdre, rendre, descendre, entendre, répondre). Focus on accuracy for each ending, especially the s for je/tu and the zero ending for il/elle/on.
Sentence Building: Construct simple sentences using each conjugated form. Start with basic declarative statements (Je vends mon vélo.), then move to questions (Tu réponds au professeur ?), and finally negative sentences (Il n'attend pas ses amis.). This forces you to think about the verb in context.
Contextual Application: Create short dialogues or narratives using multiple regular -re verbs. For example, describe waiting for a friend at a café, hearing a conversation, and then responding to a text. This simulates real-world usage and reinforces situational meaning.
Audio Recognition: Listen to native French speakers (podcasts, videos, music) and try to identify regular -re verbs in their present tense forms. Pay close attention to the silent -ent and how liaison might affect pronunciation. Mimic the pronunciation you hear.
Targeted Flashcards: Create flashcards with the infinitive on one side and its full present tense conjugation on the other. Alternatively, use flashcards for common phrases with these verbs, e.g., attendre le bus on one side, J'attends le bus. on the other.
Quick FAQ
- Q: How can I tell if an
-reverb is regular or irregular?
For A1 learners, a good rule of thumb is that many common regular -re verbs end in -ndre (like attendre, vendre, répondre, descendre, perdre). However, this is not a perfect rule (e.g., prendre ends in -ndre but is irregular). The most reliable method is to consult a verb conjugation dictionary or app. For the purpose of this level, focus on the core regular verbs introduced.
- Q: Why is the
tat the end ofil/elle/onforms for -re verbs silent, but often pronounced for -ir verbs?
This difference is largely phonetic and historical. In regular -re verbs like attend, the final d (part of the stem) often merges with the t of the ending phonetically, creating a single consonant sound, or the ending is simply absent. In regular -ir verbs (e.g., finit), the -it ending developed with a pronounced t. French phonology is complex, but for learners, it's simpler to remember the specific patterns: no audible ending for regular -re il/elle/on, audible -t for regular -ir il/elle/on.
- Q: Is
rendrealways about giving something back?
While rendre primarily means "to give back" or "to return," it has other meanings. For instance, rendre visite à quelqu'un means "to visit someone," and se rendre compte de means "to realize." At A1, focus on its core meaning of returning an item, as in Je rends le livre à la bibliothèque.
- Q: What about verbs like
battre(to beat) ormettre(to put)? They end in-ttre. Are they regular -re verbs?
No, verbs ending in -ttre (like battre, mettre, permettre) are typically irregular -re verbs. While they share some similarities with regular -re verbs (e.g., je bats, tu bats), their plural forms often deviate or their past participles are irregular. For instance, nous battons, ils mettent. Always treat -ttre verbs with caution; they are not part of the perfectly regular -re group.
- Q: Can
descendrebe used for getting out of a car?
Yes, absolutely. Descendre is broadly used for exiting any form of transport, including cars, trains, buses, or even getting off a bike. Je descends de la voiture is perfectly natural. It literally means "to descend from the car."
- Q: How do I express a negative with these verbs?
The standard negative construction in French is ne... pas surrounding the conjugated verb. For verbs starting with a vowel or silent h, ne becomes n'. For example, Je n'attends pas le train. (I am not waiting for the train.) or Elle ne vend pas ses affaires. (She is not selling her belongings.)
Conjugation of Attendre (to wait)
| Pronoun | Ending | Conjugated Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Je
|
-s
|
attends
|
|
Tu
|
-s
|
attends
|
|
Il/Elle/On
|
-
|
attend
|
|
Nous
|
-ons
|
attendons
|
|
Vous
|
-ez
|
attendez
|
|
Ils/Elles
|
-ent
|
attendent
|
Meanings
These verbs belong to the 'third group' in French, which are irregular but follow a consistent pattern for -re endings.
Waiting
To wait for someone or something.
“J'attends mon ami.”
“Tu attends le train ?”
Selling
To exchange goods for money.
“Il vend sa voiture.”
“Ils vendent des fleurs.”
Hearing
To perceive sound.
“J'entends la musique.”
“Tu entends ce bruit ?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb
|
Je vends.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + ne + Verb + pas
|
Je ne vends pas.
|
|
Interrogative
|
Verb + Subject?
|
Vends-tu ?
|
|
Question
|
Est-ce que + Subject + Verb?
|
Est-ce que tu vends ?
|
|
Plural
|
Subject + Verb
|
Ils attendent.
|
|
Formal
|
Inversion
|
Attendez-vous ?
|
Formality Spectrum
Je vous attends. (Meeting someone)
Je t'attends. (Meeting someone)
J't'attends. (Meeting someone)
J't'attends, là. (Meeting someone)
The -re Verb Family
Common Verbs
- attendre to wait
- vendre to sell
- entendre to hear
Examples by Level
J'attends le bus.
I am waiting for the bus.
Tu vends ce livre ?
Are you selling this book?
Il entend la musique.
He hears the music.
Nous attendons ici.
We are waiting here.
Ils vendent des fruits au marché.
They sell fruit at the market.
Vous entendez ce bruit ?
Do you hear that noise?
Elle n'attend pas son frère.
She is not waiting for her brother.
Je vends ma vieille voiture.
I am selling my old car.
Nous attendons que le train arrive.
We are waiting for the train to arrive.
Il s'entend bien avec ses collègues.
He gets along well with his colleagues.
Ils vendent leurs produits en ligne.
They sell their products online.
J'entends dire qu'il va partir.
I hear that he is going to leave.
Il attend impatiemment la réponse.
He is waiting impatiently for the answer.
Elle vend ses services en tant que consultante.
She sells her services as a consultant.
On entend souvent parler de ce problème.
One often hears about this problem.
Attendez-vous une confirmation ?
Are you waiting for a confirmation?
Il faut s'entendre sur les conditions.
We must agree on the conditions.
Elle attend que justice soit faite.
She is waiting for justice to be done.
Ils vendent leur âme au diable.
They are selling their souls to the devil.
J'entends par là que c'est impossible.
I mean by that that it is impossible.
Il se laisse entendre que la décision est prise.
It is implied that the decision has been made.
Ils attendent leur heure avec patience.
They are waiting for their moment with patience.
Elle vend chèrement sa peau.
She is fighting hard for her life.
On ne s'entend plus du tout.
We don't get along at all anymore.
Easily Confused
Both can mean 'wait' in some contexts, but 'espérer' is 'to hope'.
Opposite meanings, often confused by beginners.
Entendre is passive (hearing), Écouter is active (listening).
Common Mistakes
Il attende
Il attend
J'attends pour le bus
J'attends le bus
Nous attendonses
Nous attendons
Ils vendentent
Ils vendent
Tu entends-tu ?
Entends-tu ?
Il vendent
Il vend
Je ne vends pas rien
Je ne vends rien
Il s'attend avec moi
Il s'entend avec moi
J'attends que tu viens
J'attends que tu viennes
Il est attendu par moi
Je l'attends
Il a été entendu dire
On a entendu dire
Il vend sa peau cher
Il vend chèrement sa peau
Il s'entend de dire
Il s'entend que
Sentence Patterns
Je ___ le bus.
Tu ___ ta voiture ?
Ils ___ la musique.
Nous ___ la réponse.
Real World Usage
J't'attends !
Je vends mon vélo.
J'attends votre réponse.
J'attends le train.
On entend parler de tout.
J'attends ma commande.
No extra 't' for He/She
The 'Wait For' Rule
On vs Nous
Smart Tips
Think 'wait for' but don't write 'pour'.
Just stop at the stem.
Use 'Est-ce que' for simplicity.
Remember it's passive hearing.
Pronunciation
Silent endings
The -s, -s, -, and -ent endings are silent.
Rising for questions
Tu attends ? ↗
Yes/no question
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember the 'S-S-Nothing, ONS-EZ-ENT' rhythm like a drum beat.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing at a bus stop (attendre), holding a sign to sell a bike (vendre), and cupping their ear to hear a bird (entendre).
Rhyme
Drop the RE, add the S, for the third group, you'll have success!
Story
Marc waits (attend) for the bus. He tries to sell (vend) his old watch to a stranger. Suddenly, he hears (entend) a loud siren and runs away.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences using these verbs in 5 minutes.
Cultural Notes
Punctuality is valued, so 'attendre' is a common verb in daily life.
The pronunciation of 'attendre' can be slightly more nasal.
Used similarly in formal and informal settings.
Derived from Latin 'attendere', 'vendere', and 'intendere'.
Conversation Starters
Qu'est-ce que tu attends ?
Est-ce que tu vends des choses en ligne ?
Entends-tu souvent de la musique ?
Comment t'entends-tu avec tes collègues ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ le bus.
Il ___ la voiture.
Find and fix the mistake:
J'attends pour le train.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Nous ___ le bruit.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Ils / vendre / des / livres
The third-person singular of 'attendre' is 'attende'.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ le bus.
Il ___ la voiture.
Find and fix the mistake:
J'attends pour le train.
le / attends / je / bus
Nous ___ le bruit.
vendre
Ils / vendre / des / livres
The third-person singular of 'attendre' is 'attende'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesTu ___ à ma question ?
Elles attendent le professeur.
perdent / Ils / match / le
I hear the music.
Vous ___ votre temps.
Match the following:
Le magasin ___ des vêtements.
Je répond pour le mail.
How do you ask 'Are you waiting?' formally?
Mes amis ___ à la station.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It is a rule for -re verbs. The stem is 'attend' and the ending is zero.
No, 'attendre' is direct. Say 'je t'attends'.
No, verbs like 'prendre' are irregular.
Use 'ne' and 'pas' around the verb: 'Je n'attends pas'.
Yes, it is the standard verb for selling.
Entendre is hearing (passive), écouter is listening (active).
Use 'Est-ce que' or inversion: 'Attends-tu ?'
It is neutral and used in all contexts.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
esperar, vender, oír
Spanish has no direct equivalent to the -re conjugation pattern.
warten, verkaufen, hören
French 'attendre' is direct transitive.
matsu, uru, kiku
No gender or person conjugation.
intadhara, ba'a, sami'a
Root system vs. suffix system.
deng, mai, ting
No verb conjugation at all.
wait, sell, hear
English doesn't conjugate for person.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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