Verbs
-ir verbs (irregular) like ouvrir present tense
A very limited group of verbs with infinitives ending in -ir are irregular, that is, they do not follow the pattern of regular -ir verbs like finir. Verbs like ouvrir are conjugated instead like regular –er verbs.
| ouvrir ‘to open’ | |
| j’ouvre | nous ouvrons |
| tu ouvres | vous ouvrez |
| il/elle/on ouvre | ils/elles ouvrent |
| past participle: ouvert | |
Verbs conjugated like ouvrir include:
| couvrir | to cover |
| découvrir | to discover |
| offrir | to offer, to give (a gift) |
| souffrir | to suffer |
Listen carefully to the pronunciation of the verbs in the following sentences. Note, too, that there is no s in the imperative ‘tu’ form of the second sentence, since it is conjugated like a regular -er verb in the imperative.
| Bette offre un cadeau à Tex. C’est son anniversaire aujourd’hui! | Bette is giving Tex a gift. It’s his birthday today! | |
| Bette: Ouvre le paquet, Tex! | Bette: Open the package, Tex! |
