* Many verbs are irregular in specific tenses: While they might be regular in the present tense, they become irregular in the past tense or other conjugations.
* There are many irregular verbs: French has a significant number of verbs that are irregular throughout their conjugation. Some estimates put the number at around 150-200.
However, we can say that:
* A large majority of French verbs are regular in their present tense: This means that their endings follow consistent patterns.
* The most common verbs tend to be regular: The verbs that are used most frequently are usually regular, especially in the present tense.
To get a better understanding:
* Focus on the regular patterns first: Learn the basic conjugations for regular verbs. This will cover the majority of verbs you encounter.
* Then learn the irregular verbs: These are often verbs that are used frequently, so it's important to memorize their conjugations.
Overall, while French has a significant number of irregular verbs, a large proportion of verbs are regular, particularly in the present tense.