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6.6. Les verbes en -ir comme dormir

ir Verbs Like Dormir

6.6.1. The Main Idea

Some French verbs end in -ir, but they do not all follow the same pattern. A useful group works like dormir, meaning to sleep.

dormir	to sleep
partir	to leave
sortir	to go out
servir	to serve

These verbs lose part of the stem in the singular forms.

6.6.2. The Verb Dormir

je dors	I sleep / I am sleeping
tu dors	you sleep / you are sleeping
il dort	he sleeps / he is sleeping
elle dort	she sleeps / she is sleeping
nous dormons	we sleep / we are sleeping
vous dormez	you sleep / you are sleeping
ils dorment	they sleep / they are sleeping
elles dorment	they sleep / they are sleeping

6.6.3. The Pattern

For je, tu, il, and elle, remove -mir and use the shorter stem.

dormir	to sleep
je dors	I sleep
tu dors	you sleep
il dort	he sleeps
elle dort	she sleeps

For nous, vous, ils, and elles, keep the fuller stem.

nous dormons	we sleep
vous dormez	you sleep
ils dorment	they sleep
elles dorment	they sleep

6.6.4. The Verb Partir

je pars	I leave / I am leaving
tu pars	you leave / you are leaving
il part	he leaves / he is leaving
elle part	she leaves / she is leaving
nous partons	we leave / we are leaving
vous partez	you leave / you are leaving
ils partent	they leave / they are leaving
elles partent	they leave / they are leaving

6.6.5. The Verb Sortir

je sors	I go out / I am going out
tu sors	you go out / you are going out
il sort	he goes out / he is going out
elle sort	she goes out / she is going out
nous sortons	we go out / we are going out
vous sortez	you go out / you are going out
ils sortent	they go out / they are going out
elles sortent	they go out / they are going out

6.6.6. The Verb Servir

je sers	I serve / I am serving
tu sers	you serve / you are serving
il sert	he serves / he is serving
elle sert	she serves / she is serving
nous servons	we serve / we are serving
vous servez	you serve / you are serving
ils servent	they serve / they are serving
elles servent	they serve / they are serving

6.6.7. Common Expressions

Je dors beaucoup.	I sleep a lot.
Je dors mal.	I sleep badly.
Je pars maintenant.	I am leaving now.
Je pars bientôt.	I am leaving soon.
Je sors avec des amis.	I am going out with friends.
Je sors ce soir.	I am going out tonight.
Je sers le café.	I am serving the coffee.
Il sert le dîner.	He is serving dinner.

6.6.8. Questions

Tu dors bien ?	Do you sleep well?
Tu pars maintenant ?	Are you leaving now?
Tu sors ce soir ?	Are you going out tonight?
Vous sortez avec des amis ?	Are you going out with friends?
Elle sert le café ?	Is she serving the coffee?

6.6.9. Negative Sentences

Place ne… pas around the conjugated verb.

Je dors.	I sleep.
Je ne dors pas.	I do not sleep.
Tu pars.	You leave.
Tu ne pars pas.	You do not leave.
Il sort.	He goes out.
Il ne sort pas.	He does not go out.
Elle sert le café.	She serves the coffee.
Elle ne sert pas le café.	She does not serve the coffee.

6.6.10. Core Patterns

dormir	je dors, nous dormons
partir	je pars, nous partons
sortir	je sors, nous sortons
servir	je sers, nous servons
je / tu / il / elle	shorter stem
nous / vous / ils / elles	fuller stem

6.6.11. Practice

I sleep. |

You sleep well. informal |

He sleeps badly. |

I am leaving now. |

She is leaving soon. |

We are going out tonight. |

You are going out with friends. formal |

They serve dinner. masculine or mixed |

I do not sleep. |

Are you going out tonight? informal |

6.6.12. Answers

I sleep.	Je dors.
You sleep well. informal	Tu dors bien.
He sleeps badly.	Il dort mal.
I am leaving now.	Je pars maintenant.
She is leaving soon.	Elle part bientôt.
We are going out tonight.	Nous sortons ce soir.
You are going out with friends. formal	Vous sortez avec des amis.
They serve dinner. masculine or mixed	Ils servent le dîner.
I do not sleep.	Je ne dors pas.
Are you going out tonight? informal	Tu sors ce soir ?

6.6.13. Short Dialogue

A : Tu sors ce soir ?	A: Are you going out tonight?
B : Non, je ne sors pas. Je dors.	B: No, I am not going out. I am sleeping.
A : Tu pars demain ?	A: Are you leaving tomorrow?
B : Oui, je pars demain matin.	B: Yes, I am leaving tomorrow morning.

6.6.14. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to recognize and use common -ir verbs like dormir, partir, sortir, and servir, and understand that these verbs use a shorter stem in singular forms and a fuller stem in plural forms.

6.6.15. Try It Out

Try saying this in French:

Are you going out tonight?

No, I’m sleeping.

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Possible answer:

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