-ER Verbs in French: The Pattern and Four Spelling Quirks
The regular -er present-tense pattern, with four spelling changes illustrated by manger, commencer, acheter and appeler, plus the exception aller.
Regular -er verbs like parler follow this present-tense pattern: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. These four spelling quirks affect specific groups: -ger verbs add an e before -ons (mangeons), -cer verbs use ç (commençons), some e_er verbs add a grave accent (j’achète), and -eler/-eter verbs such as appeler and jeter double the consonant (j’appelle).
Quick answer
Regular -er verbs like parler follow this present-tense pattern: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. These four spelling quirks affect specific groups: -ger verbs add an e before -ons (mangeons), -cer verbs use ç (commençons), some e_er verbs add a grave accent (j’achète), and -eler/-eter verbs such as appeler and jeter double the consonant (j’appelle).
Master every -er verb pattern with clear French audio. Get it on the App Store or Google Play.
Aller is irregular despite its -er ending: je vais, nous allons. The regular pattern and examples below concern the present indicative. This is the deep-dive companion to the French conjugation guide.
The regular pattern: parler
| Pronoun | Parler |
|---|---|
| je | parle |
| tu | parles |
| il/elle | parle |
| nous | parlons |
| vous | parlez |
| ils/elles | parlent |
Quirk 1: -ger verbs add an e
Manger → nous mangeons - the extra e keeps the soft g sound before -ons. Same pattern: voyager, nager.
Quirk 2: -cer verbs use ç
Commencer → nous commençons - the cedilla keeps the c sounding like s before -ons. Same pattern: placer, lancer.
Quirk 3: e_er verbs add a grave accent
Acheter → j’achète, tu achètes (but nous achetons keeps the plain e). Same pattern: lever, promener.
Quirk 4: appeler and jeter double the consonant
Appeler → j’appelle; jeter → je jette - a different fix than the accent-based group above. Traditional spelling varies by verb. The 1990 rectifications use è with a single consonant for other -eler/-eter verbs; appeler, jeter and their derivatives retain doubling. Both traditional and rectified spellings are accepted.
For pronunciation of these forms, see French pronunciation; for a selection of other verbs, see common French verbs.
Master every -er verb, quirks included
LexiFr teaches -er verb conjugation with clear French audio for every spelling-change group.
Free to start - no ads, no streak guilt. Your first 200 words are waiting.
Questions about this note
Why does manger become mangeons in the nous form?
To keep the soft g sound before the -ons ending.
Why does commencer become commençons?
The cedilla keeps the c sounding like s before -ons.
Why is it j'achète but nous achetons?
Acheter uses è before a syllable with a silent e: j'achète, tu achètes, il achète, ils achètent. Nous achetons and vous achetez keep e.
Why does appeler become j'appelle?
Appeler doubles l before a syllable with a silent e: j'appelle, but nous appelons and vous appelez. This is French verb spelling, not the English travel/travelled rule.
Do all -er verbs follow these quirks?
No. The spelling changes affect particular verb groups. Aller is irregular despite its -er ending: je vais, nous allons; do not apply the parler pattern to it.