-ER Verbs in French: The Pattern, and Its Four Spelling Quirks
-ER verbs cover 9 in 10 French verbs - but manger, commencer, acheter and appeler each bend the pattern slightly. The full spelling-change rules.
Regular -er verbs like parler follow one pattern: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. 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 often double the consonant (j’appelle).
Quick answer
Regular -er verbs like parler follow one pattern: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. 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 often double the consonant (j’appelle).
Master every -er verb pattern with native audio. Get it on the App Store or Google Play.
-ER verbs cover 9 in 10 French verbs. 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: -eler/-eter verbs double the consonant (mostly)
Appeler → j’appelle; jeter → je jette - a different fix than the accent-based group above. Both patterns exist across different -eler/-eter verbs and must be learned per verb.
For pronunciation of these forms, see French pronunciation; for the most common verbs overall, see common French verbs.
Master every -er verb, quirks included
LexiFr teaches -er verb conjugation with native 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?
Stress shifts the accent in some forms but not others.
Why does appeler become j'appelle?
The consonant doubles in stressed forms, similar to English "travel/travelled" patterns.
Do all -er verbs follow these quirks?
No - only specific spelling groups; most -er verbs are fully regular like parler.