Être ("to be") in the present tense
CEFR A1
Être means "to be". It is irregular, so its six forms must be memorized — they do not follow a pattern like most French verbs.
| Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| je | suis | Je suis Marie. (I am Marie.) |
| tu | es | Tu es content. (You are happy.) |
| il / elle | est | Elle est canadienne. (She is Canadian.) |
| nous | sommes | Nous sommes amis. (We are friends.) |
| vous | êtes | Vous êtes français ? (Are you French?) |
| ils / elles | sont | Ils sont ici. (They are here.) |
More examples: "Je suis étudiant." (I am a student.) · "Tu es sympathique." (You are nice.) · "Nous sommes à Montréal." (We are in Montreal.)
What this unlocks
Knowing the rule is not the same as producing it.
This page explains the pattern. The track drills it: the point arrives inside a mini-dialogue, then production marked against a CEFR descriptor, then a module test that returns you to your two weakest sessions if you miss it.