Parler means “to speak” or “to talk”, and it is one of the first verbs any French learner should master. It is also the perfect model verb: parler is a regular first-group verb ending in -er, so once you know how it works, you can conjugate hundreds of other -er verbs the same way. This guide walks through parler in the tenses you will use most, with a table for each and examples to see it in action.
The French Verb Parler
Parler in the present tense
The present tense is where you start. Take the stem parl- and add the regular -er endings.
| Person | Parler | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | parle | I speak |
| tu | parles | you speak (informal) |
| il / elle / on | parle | he / she / one speaks |
| nous | parlons | we speak |
| vous | parlez | you speak (formal or plural) |
| ils / elles | parlent | they speak |
The endings -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent are the same for every regular -er verb, which is why parler is such a useful template.
Parler in the past
French uses two main past tenses here:
The imperfect (imparfait) describes ongoing or repeated past actions: je parlais, tu parlais, il parlait, nous parlions, vous parliez, ils parlaient.
The perfect (passé composé) describes completed actions and is formed with the auxiliary avoir plus the past participle parlé: j'ai parlé, tu as parlé, il a parlé, nous avons parlé, vous avez parlé, ils ont parlé.
Visit France, learn French
Parler in the future and conditional
The simple future keeps the full infinitive as its stem and adds the future endings: je parlerai, tu parleras, il parlera, nous parlerons, vous parlerez, ils parleront.
The conditional uses the same stem with the imperfect endings: je parlerais, tu parlerais, il parlerait, nous parlerions, vous parleriez, ils parleraient.
The participle and the infinitive
Two forms are worth naming clearly:
The infinitive is the base form of the verb, which for this verb is simply parler.
The participles are the present participle parlant (speaking) and the past participle parlé (spoken), and it is parlé that you use to build the compound tenses shown above.
Parler in context
Seeing the verb in real sentences makes it stick:
Je parle français et anglais (I speak French and English).
Nous parlions souvent de cinéma (we often talked about films).
Elle parlera de son voyage demain (she will talk about her trip tomorrow).
Je parlerais si j'avais le temps (I would speak if I had the time).
As-tu parlé à ton professeur (have you spoken to your teacher)?
Summary
Parler is the ideal first French verb: it means "to speak", it is used constantly, and as a regular -er verb it shows you the pattern for hundreds more.
Learn the present tense first, then add the imperfect, perfect, future and conditional, and remember the two participles, parlant and parlé.
Practise it in full sentences and the pattern quickly becomes automatic. A French course with SPRACHCAFFE is the fastest way to put it to use.
FAQ
Yes. "Parler" is a regular first-group verb ending in -er, the largest and most predictable group in French. Once you know its endings you can conjugate hundreds of other -er verbs the same way, which is why it is taught first.
The stem "parl-" takes the endings -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent: je parle, tu parles, il or elle parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils or elles parlent. The pattern is identical for every regular -er verb.
The past participle is "parlé". It forms the passé composé with the auxiliary "avoir": j'ai parlé (I spoke or I have spoken). Because "parler" uses "avoir", the participle does not agree with the subject.
"Parler à" means to speak to someone (je parle à Marie), while "parler de" means to talk about something or someone (nous parlons de nos vacances). Learning verbs with their prepositions avoids one of the most common French mistakes.
"Parler" is high-frequency and doubles as a model for the whole -er group, so mastering it unlocks a huge share of everyday French. You fix it fastest by using it in real conversation, for example on a French course in France with SPRACHCAFFE.
Related news
Get the latest on travel, languages and culture