To conjugate verbs ending in "-ayer/-oyer/-uyer" in Le Présent tense, you follow the normal conjugation of "-ER" verbs, but the "y" becomes an "i" for "je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles"
ESSAYER (to try)
| j'essaie | I try |
| tu essaies | You try (one person you know well) |
| il/elle/on essaie | He/She/We/one/people try |
| nous essayons | We try |
| vous essayez | You try (more than 1 person or formal) |
| ils/elles essaient | They try |
ATTENTION: For verbs in -AYER, in spoken French (included written dialogue in a play for example) an alternative version where the "y" is kept for all forms is frequently used (and also pronounced differently):
Note however that the nous and vous forms always take "y".
Common -AYER / -OYER / -UYER verbs
essayer (to try)
payer (to pay)
employer (to use/employ)
envoyer (to send)
nettoyer (to clean)
essuyer (to wipe)
Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Braimap today »
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
