Manger (to eat) · Présent
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Manger in the French présent is: je mange, tu manges, il/elle/on mange, nous mangeons, vous mangez, ils/elles mangent. The present of manger is regular except for 'nous mangeons' — the 'e' is inserted before -ons to keep the 'g' soft. Without the 'e', 'mangons' would be pronounced with a hard 'g'. The same rule operates in the imparfait (je mangeais) and other tenses where the ending starts with -a or -o.
| To Eat | Manger |
|---|---|
| I eat | je mange |
| you eat | tu manges |
| he/she eats | il/elle/on mange |
| we eat | nous mangeons |
| you eat | vous mangez |
| they eat | ils/elles mangent |
Manger (to eat) in context
Sentences that use manger in the présent. Tap each to hear it.
I'm eating an apple.
You eat too fast.
He eats pizza every Friday.
We eat at seven.
Are you eating at our place tonight?
They eat candy in secret.
Working with the présent
French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate manger in the present tense?
Why is it 'nous mangeons' instead of 'mangons'?
What's the difference between manger and prendre?
Practice Manger (To Eat) in real conversations
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