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Group 2 verbs: verbs in -ir
This page covers the main group of French verbs whose infinitive ends in -ir - on the model of finir. These have mostly evolved from Latin verbs ending in -ire .► Exceptions: there are plenty of verbs in -ir that do not follow the standard group 2 pattern. See below for list of main irregular verbs in -ir .
Sample verb finir - to finish
This is the standard model.For each tense, a sample English equivalent is given for the first person singular.
Table 1.
Tenses (indicative) : | |||
Person | Present (I finish, I am finishing) |
Future (I will finish ) |
Imperfect (I was finishing ) |
1st singular. | je finis | je finirai | je finissais |
2nd singular | tu finis | tu finiras | tu finissais |
3rd singular | il elle on ... finit | il (..) finira | il (..) finissait |
1st plural | nous finissons | nous finirons | nous finissions |
2nd plural | vous finissez | vous finirez | vous finissiez |
3rd plural | ils elles finissent | ils finiront | ils finissaient |
Notes |
Table 2
Tenses (indicative): | |||
Person | Preterite (I finished ) |
Perfect (passé
composé) (I have finished ) |
Pluperfect (I'd finished ) |
1st singular. | je finis | j'ai finis | j'avais fini |
2nd singular | tu finis | tu as finis | tu avais fini |
3rd singular | il (..) finit | il (..) a finis | il avait fini |
1st plural | nous finîmes | nous avons finis | nous avions fini |
2nd plural | vous finiîtes | vous avez finis | vous aviez fini |
3rd plural | ils finirent | ils ont finis | ils avaient fini |
Notes | rare except in 3rd person |
Tenses (indicative): | |||
Person | Future
perfect (I will have finished ) |
Conditional (I would finish ) |
Past
conditional (I would have finished ) |
1st singular. | j'aurai fini | je finirais | j'aurais fini |
2nd singular | tu auras fini | tu finirais | tu aurais fini |
3rd singular | il aura fini | il finirait | il aurait fini |
1st plural | nous aurons fini | nous finirions | nous aurions fini |
2nd plural | vous aurez fini | vous finiriez | vous auriez fini |
3rd plural | ils auront fini | ils finiraient | ils auraient fini |
Notes |
Table 4
Imperative | Present participle | ||
Person | (finish ) |
finishing | |
2nd singular | fini | finissant | |
1st plural | finissons | ||
2nd plural | finissez | ||
Notes |
Table 5
Tenses (subjunctive) : | |||
Person | Present (may finish , may be finishing) |
preterite (might finish) |
Perfect
(parfait) (may have finished ) |
1st singular. | je finisse | je finisse | j'aie fini |
2nd singular | tu finisses | tu finisses | tu aies fini |
3rd singular | il, elle... finisse | il finît | il ait fini |
1st plural | nous finissions | nous finissions | nous ayons fini |
2nd plural | vous finissiez | vous finissiez | vous ayez fini |
3rd plural | ils finissent | ils finissent | ils aient fini |
Notes | (very rare) |
There are a few other tenses that are hardly ever used in modern French, except in very literary style.
The second pluperfect (passé antérieur) - which can be used instead of the pluperfect, and is formed on the model: j'eus fini.
The pluperfect subjunctive - on the model: j'eusse fini
The second past conditional - on the model: j'eusse fini
Examples:
Je finis mon dîner
I'm finishing my dinner.
Il finissait toujours son travail avant les autres.
He always finished his work before the others.
Finis-le aussi vite que possible !
Finish it as soon as possible!!
Il se peut que la fête finisse tôt s'il y a trop de bruit.
The party may finish early if there's too much noise.
J'ai peur qu'il n'ait tout fini avant notre arrivée.
I fear that he may have finished everything before we arrive.
(Subjunctive + the particle ne after J'ai peur que....)
Je finis mon dîner
I'm finishing my dinner.
Il finissait toujours son travail avant les autres.
He always finished his work before the others.
Finis-le aussi vite que possible !
Finish it as soon as possible!!
Il se peut que la fête finisse tôt s'il y a trop de bruit.
The party may finish early if there's too much noise.
J'ai peur qu'il n'ait tout fini avant notre arrivée.
I fear that he may have finished everything before we arrive.
(Subjunctive + the particle ne after J'ai peur que....)
► Irregular verbs
in -ir
There
are a number of common - and less common - verbs in ir
that are not conjugated according to the standard type 2 finir model
.
See Irregular verbs
in -ir► 1. Verbs on the model of sortir and dormir.
► 2. Verbs in -oir.
► 3. Several dozen verbs with irregular and sometimes unique tense forms:
tenir, venir, courir, faillir, bouillir, acquérir, bouillir, offrir, ouvrir, souffrir, and other verbs based on these, such as devenir, soutenir etc.
Check out savoir, voir, and falloir among twelve important French irregular verbs
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