French verbs ending in -er

The regular verbs that end in -er are the 1st group verbs in French (except the verbs: aller). 
There are different endings in -er:

• -er
• -cer
• -e+consonant+er
• -é+consonant+er
• -ger
• -éger
•  -eler or -eter 
• -éer
• -ier
• -ayer 
• -oyer or -uyer

Conjugation of -er verbs in French 

As a general rule, you must remove the ending -er to obtain the radical of the verbs and then add the following endings. The future simple uses the infinitive + endings.

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Examples

aimer (to like) 

The transitive verbs of the 1st group form the compound times with the auxiliary avoir. However, some active verbs with an intransitive meaning form their compound times with the auxiliary être.

Grammar rule of -er verbs in French

Verbs ending in -cer

In the case of regular verbs ending in -cer, you replace the c with ç for the 1st plural pronoun of the present. You also use it for the imperfect tense, the past simple, the subjunctive imperfect and the participle present in order to keep the original sound of the infinitive. 

Example: commencer (to begin)

Verbs ending in -ger

In the case of regular verbs ending in -ger you add an e before the present ending -ons, the imperfect (except the 1st and 2nd plural pronoun), the past simple, the subjunctive imperfect and the participle in order to keep the original sound of the infinitive.

Example: manger (to eat) 

Verbs ending in -e + consonant + er

Regular verbs that end in -e + consonant + er and most of those who end up in -é + consonant + er have the particularity to change the penultimate é or e by è when the ending is mute (that is to say the following endings: e, es and ent). You can also use it with the future simple, the conditional and the subjunctive. 

Verbs ending in -eter or -eler

Most verbs ending in -eter or -eler do not change the e by è, but rather double the consonant into tt or ll when the ending e is mute. You use it with the present (1st, 2nd and 3rd singular pronoun), the future simple and the conditional. the subjunctive uses the 1st, 2st, 3rd singular pronoun. 

Verbs ending in -oyer and -uyer

Regular verbs in -oyer and -uyer have the particularity to change the y by i in front of the mute syllable. You use it in the present tense (1st, 2nd, 3rd singular pronoun and 3rd plural), the future simple and the conditional.

Verbs ending in -ayer

Regular verbs ending in -ayer have the distinction to be conjugated in two different ways. They can be conjugated as in the previous case, by changing the y by i before the mute syllable or can be conjugated by keeping the y. used with the same tenses, as the previous case. 

Check out the list of verbs in -er and exercice online