What level is The Irregular Verb Être (Present Tense)?

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French Conjugation

The Irregular Verb Être (Present Tense)

The essential verb for expressing identity, profession, and description; completely irregular and best learned by heart.

Level A1 Category Conjugation

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Lesson Summary

The essential verb for expressing identity, profession, and description; completely irregular and best learned by heart.

Conjugation

Why Être Is Fundamental

The verb être (to be) is used to express identity, origin, profession, and description. Its conjugation is entirely irregular and must be memorised. For a review of the subject pronouns used below, see subject pronouns.

Conjugation of Être

Subject Pronoun	Form	Example
je / j'	suis	Je suis étudiant.
tu	es	Tu es sympa.
il	est	Il est français.
elle	est	Elle est contente.
nous	sommes	Nous sommes prêts.
vous	êtes	Vous êtes là.
ils	sont	Ils sont à Paris.
elles	sont	Elles sont fatiguées.

Agreement with Adjectives and Professions

Adjectives following être agree in gender and number with the subject. For example, a masculine subject takes grand while a feminine subject takes grande.

When stating a profession, no article is used before the noun: Je suis professeur (I am a teacher), never Je suis un professeur. This rule applies to all professions.

These structures combine naturally with greetings: Bonjour, je suis Thomas.

Memorisation Drill

Recite the conjugation sequence aloud until it becomes automatic: je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont. Substitute personal adjectives or professions (e.g., Je suis français / française) to build fluency.

Examples

Je suis professeur.
Profession with no article.
Tu es américain ?
Rising intonation signals a question.
Nous sommes très contents.
Adjective contents agrees with a masculine or mixed group.

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The Irregular Verb Être (Present Tense)The essential verb for expressing identity, profession, and description; completely irregular and best learned by heart.Conjugate être in the present tense and use it with adjectives and professions.ConjugationA1conjugationLearn French ConjugationFrench ConjugationWhy Être Is FundamentalThe verb être (to be) is used to express identity, origin, profession, and description. Its conjugation is entirely irregular and must be memorised. For a review of the subject pronouns used below, see subject pronouns.