There is a unique group of irregular -ir verbs that behave exactly like regular -er verbs in the present tense. Instead of typical -ir endings, you simply drop the -ir and add the standard -er endings: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.
The verb ouvrir (to open)
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| je | j'ouvre |
| tu | tu ouvres |
| il / elle / on | il ouvre |
| nous | nous ouvrons |
| vous | vous ouvrez |
| ils / elles | ils ouvrent |
| I open the door for the guest. | J'ouvre la porte à l'invité. |
| When do you open the gifts? | Quand est-ce que tu ouvres les cadeaux ? |
The verb offrir (to offer / to give)
Offrir follows the exact same pattern. In French, it is used both for offering something and for giving a gift.
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| je | j'offre |
| tu | tu offres |
| il / elle / on | il offre |
| nous | nous offrons |
| vous | vous offrez |
| ils / elles | ils offrent |
| He offers a bouquet of flowers. | Il offre un bouquet de fleurs. |
| What are we giving to the host? | Qu'est-ce que nous offrons à l'hôte ? |
Accueillir, couvrir, and découvrir
Other verbs in this family include accueillir (to welcome), couvrir (to cover), and découvrir (to discover). They all take the same regular -er endings.
| You welcome the guests in the living room. | Vous accueillez les invités dans le salon. |
| They cover the table with flowers. | Elles couvrent la table de fleurs. |
| The guests discover the surprise. | Les invités découvrent la surprise. |
At the reception
When you host une réception (a reception), you might serve champagne, enjoy the atmosphere, and raise a glass to propose a toast!
| The host toasts with the guests. | L'hôte trinque avec les invités. |
| The atmosphere of the party is really perfect. | L'ambiance de la fête est vraiment parfaite. |
To describe a friendly, welcoming host or atmosphere, use the adjective chaleureux (warm). And when giving gifts, they might just be tied with un ruban (a ribbon).
| The warm host opens a gift with a purple ribbon. | L'hôte chaleureux ouvre un cadeau avec un ruban violet. |
